Jitendra, Asha K.Star, Jon2012-10-182012Jitendra, Asha K., and Jon R. Star. 2012. An exploratory study contrasting high- and low-ability students' word problem solving: The role of schema-based instruction. Learning and Individual Differences 22, no. 1: 151-158.1041-6080http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:9767980This study evaluated whether schema-based instruction (SBI), a promising method for teaching students to represent and solve mathematical word problems, impacted the learning of percent word problems. Of particular interest was the extent that SBI improved high- and low-achieving students' learning and to a lesser degree on the indirect effect of SBI on transfer to novel problems, as compared to a business as usual control condition. Seventy 7th grade students in four classrooms (one high- and one low-achieving class in both the SBI and control conditions) participated in the study. Results indicate a significant treatment by achievement level interaction, such that SBI had a greater impact on high-achieving students' problem solving scores. However, findings did not support transfer effects of SBI for high-achieving students. Implications for improving the problem-solving performance of low achievers are discussed.en-USJournal Article2012-10-1810.1016/j.lindif.2011.11.003