Enhancing Mathematics Learning for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in China: A Qualitative Study of Instructional Support

TL;DR

This study explores how Chinese special education teachers support primary students with disabilities in learning math through tailored classroom strategies.

Contribution

The study identifies five core domains of instructional support for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mathematics education.

Findings

Instructional support includes comprehension facilitation through simplified explanations and visual scaffolding.

Teachers use attention cues, motivation techniques, and behavior regulation to support learning.

Findings highlight the importance of individualized and adaptive teaching methods for students with IDD.

Abstract

This study explored how mathematics teachers in Chinese special schools provide instructional support to primary-aged students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The types, characteristics, and classroom implementation processes of such support were identified to address a gap in the literature regarding subject-specific instructional practices in special education settings. A qualitative research design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. Five mathematics teachers from special schools in Shanghai participated in the study. Data were collected through 15 video-recorded classroom observations and five semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key patterns of instructional support. The analysis revealed five core domains of instructional support for students with IDD: (1) comprehension facilitation through simplified explanations, real-life connections, and visual scaffolding; (2) responding to tasks involving prompts, modeling, and hand-over-hand support; (3) maintaining attention using individual and collective cues; (4) sustaining motivation through praise, encouragement, and second-chance opportunities; and (5) regulating behavior such as verbal restraint, physical proximity, and attention redirection. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of effective instructional support tailored to students with IDD.