| Grade Levels | Group Size | Tutor Type | Qualifying Studies | Average Effect Size |
| 1 | 1-3 | Teaching Asst. | 1 | +0.29 |
Contact Info
| Groups Studied | |
|---|---|
| Black | |
| Hispanic | |
| White | |
| Asian American | |
| English Learners | |
| Free and Reduced Lunch |
| Communities Studied | |
|---|---|
| Urban | |
| Suburban | |
| Rural |
Program Description
Galaxy Math is a small-group systematic tutoring programs that teach students to identify, write, and count numbers, understand magnitude and place value, use <, >, and + signs. The programs provide instruction for students to become competent with efficient counting strategies to solve arithmetic problems by practicing skip counting by 10s, 5s, and 2s, identifying operations, writing addition and subtraction sentences, performing two-digit addition and subtraction, and identifying missing addends.
Video
Tutors
Tutors are usually hired by school districts. Tutors may be full time or may work five hours a day during school time. Tutors usually tutor in person, but may also work remotely when in-person tutoring is not possible.
Students
Galaxy Math was developed as a Tier II or Tier III intervention at 1st grade to prevent math disabilities and to address the needs of students with math disabilities.
Technology
Galaxy Math does not require technology.
Curriculum
Galaxy Math includes a teacher manual and a supplemental materials packet. The teacher manual includes lesson guides, activity guides, and implementation directions. The supplemental materials packet includes student worksheets, 8.5” x 11” posters, flashcards for the daily flashcard activity, and point sheets for behavior management.
Program Operation
Galaxy Math is conducted 3 times per week for 16 weeks. Each 30 minute lesson includes 25 minutes for the lesson and 5 minutes of practice.
Professional Development, Progress Monitoring, and Follow-up
Fuchs Tutoring offers professional development support for school and district personnel to take on the role of (1) Galaxy Math tutors and (2) Galaxy Math coaches.
Tutors implement the program directly with students. Coaches are matched with approximately 10 tutors each, and they support tutors through weekly observations with feedback and monthly group tutor meetings. For both roles, candidates complete a certification process and receive ongoing support from Fuchs Tutoring staff.
Costs
| Tutor | Coach | |
| Certification Process | College degree; tutor experience preferred. Participation in 2-day Training Institute (offered twice-annually, location and format TBD). Brief assessment and/or performance task. Submission of tutoring practice video for review, initially and on an annual basis thereafter to retain certification. | College or advanced degree; demonstrated prior experience as math specialist or coach. Participation in 3-day Training Institute (tutor training plus an additional day for coach training; offered twice annually, location and format TBD). Completion of tutor certification process (assessment and tutoring practice video review). Coach competency task assessment. Quarterly coach review process with Fuchs Tutoring Staff. |
| Ongoing Support from Fuchs Tutoring | Match with certified coach, if needed. Monthly booster training webinars. Access to Pirate Math tutor online community of practice. | Monthly facilitated group coach meetings. Monthly booster training webinars. Access to Pirate Math tutor online community of practice. |
For more information on professional development opportunities and costs, contact FuchsTutoring@air.org. For information on programs material costs, contact lynn.a.davies@vanderbilt.edu.
Research on Program Outcomes
Multiple randomized control trials have been conducted on Galaxy Math and published in peer-review journals. In the largest RCT for Galaxy Math, Fuchs et al. (2013) randomly assigned 591 first graders with start-of-school-year math deficits to a control group (i.e., the typical school program) or to one of two variants of the tutoring program: Galaxy Math with speeded practice versus Galaxy Math with the same amount of practice in the form of games. Because the Galaxy Math condition with speeded practice produced stronger outcomes, it was adopted for dissemination. Effect sizes (ESs) comparing this condition against the control group were as follows: 0.87 on arithmetic, 0.69 on complex calculations, 0.29 on number knowledge (the qualifying ES for this website), and 0.22 on word problems.
Key Studies
- Fuchs, L.S., Geary, D.C., Compton, D.L., Fuchs, D., Schatschneider, C., Hamlett, C.L., DeSelms, J., Seethaler, P.M., Wilson, J., Craddock, C.F., Bryant, J.D., Luther, K., & Changas, P. (2013). Effects of first-grade number knowledge tutoring with contrasting forms of practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105, 58-77.