Technology has proven useful for accommodating low math achievers. Professors Brian Bottage and Enrique Rueda conducted a study where they compared low achiever's math skills on written tests to computer tests. Bottage created a program that included extra materials, specifically an eight-minute video that contained a storyline with a math problem incorporated into it. Combined with an interactive computer testing program, the study showed that students who experienced difficulty in math scored better on the computer evaluation than the written one.
One problem low math achievers face is that they may feel inferior or discouraged when they see their peers faring better at math. This anxiety can be addressed by placing low achievers in small groups. There, they are on an equal level and can also help each other. According to the academic journal, "Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics," "grouping students by ability level" has an "influence on motivations, perceptions, and eventual achievement of students."
"Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics" reveals that low math achievers often have difficulty with conventional teaching approaches, which tend to involve simple memorization. To address this, these students appear to benefit from a "problem-centered approach." In short, this takes normal class material and lends logical context to it. Low achievers can then solve the problem for a practical perspective, providing a common sense connection that otherwise does not exist in normal lessons.
While word problems are useful for helping low achievers in math, the aforementioned journal cites a recommendation about independent learning. Students who find math difficult can benefit from adding their own interpretations to the material. In other words, it is advantageous to give students the math question and let them come up with their own problem to address it. Not only does this help them learn mathematics, it also promotes creativity and critical thinking.