The effects of mobile mathematics games on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills of middle school students with dyscalculia

In this study, the effects of mobile mathematics games on the arithmetic operation skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) of students with dyscalculia were examined. Based on the multiple-gating model, students with dyscalculia were identified among those attending the 5th and 6th grades. Accordingly, two 5th-grade and four 6th-grade students participated in the study. To comprehensively and richly explore the effects of mobile mathematics games on the arithmetic skills of students with dyscalculia, a mixed-methods research design combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed. For the quantitative component, a single-subject, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used to measure the impact of the mobile mathematics games on students' arithmetic skills. Additionally, a retention test was administered two months after the posttest to evaluate the persistence of the intervention's effects. To collect data on the implementation process and its reflections on the students, semi-structured interview forms were used with students, parents, and teachers, providing qualitative data. The findings revealed that mobile mathematics games led to improvements in the arithmetic skills of students with dyscalculia; however, progress in division skills remained limited. Furthermore, improvements were observed in students' response times. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative results. Nevertheless, full retention of the instructional outcomes through mobile games was not achieved. Additionally, mathematics teachers expressed that they felt inadequate in terms of knowledge and skills related to specific learning disabilities. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that mobile mathematics games are an effective tool for teaching arithmetic operations to students with dyscalculia. These games were found to enhance students' motivation and engagement by making learning more enjoyable. Based on the findings, it is recommended that mobile mathematics games be utilized in interventions for students with dyscalculia, and that more targeted and comprehensive games specifically addressing division be developed.