Early Intervention - FAQs

1. Initial Assessment and Report

a. Where do I take the test?

You can take the test through the app, which you can download by following these steps. Full instructions on how to take the test are available at https://www.innovamat.com/en/intervencion-temprana/ .

b. I’ve received the reports; why is my intervention list empty?

This occurs because none of your students currently needs intervention compared to the universal benchmark.

"The 30th percentile" refers to the bottom 30 percent of students in performance for their age group. Since this percentile is based on the entire population, your class may not have students who need intervention, or the number may differ from other classes.

c. Why do I see students on the intervention list that I didn’t expect?

There are two main reasons why some students might unexpectedly appear on the intervention list:

1. False Positives: Some students may have underperformed due to temporary factors. In these cases, you can decide if intervention is necessary or not.
2. Students with Difficulties in Number and Operations: Some students may excel in areas like logical reasoning yet still face specific challenges with tasks related to Number and Operations. Since this intervention focuses on Number and Operations, it can benefit these students.

Before removing students from the intervention list, ensure they are not from group (b). When in doubt, we recommend keeping students on the intervention list.

d. Could it be that a student is missing from the intervention list?

Remember that our intervention focuses on numeration and calculation, so we base intervention needs on these areas. A score above the intervention threshold indicates that the student has the necessary skills for these tasks, and intervention is therefore unnecessary. However, the student may still have challenges in other areas needed for success in math (e.g., reasoning, working memory). For these students, we suggest different forms of support that may better meet their needs.

e. How do we identify students needing intervention based on test activities?

Arithmetic fluency is the primary indicator on the test. Students scoring below the 30th percentile in this area require special attention, as this suggests they may need intervention to strengthen their skills in Number and Operations.

There are three other relevant activities that support intervention decisions:

1. Magnitude Comparison: This activity assesses the student’s understanding of size, quantity, and numerical relationships—an important cognitive skill that supports arithmetic fluency.
2. Number Line Knowledge: This activity provides insight into students' understanding of number concepts gained through both formal and informal learning experiences. A high score indicates that the student has had sufficient exposure to number concepts, supporting their understanding of the number line and numerical relationships. A low score may suggest limited exposure to foundational number concepts, indicating the need for intervention to build these skills.
3. Automaticity with Natural Numbers (0-9): This activity is essential for evaluating students’ understanding of number sense. A low score indicates a need to strengthen this foundational number sense to support future work in numeration and calculation.

f. How do we determine if a student needs intervention based on results, and how do we rule out false positives and negatives?

• If a student has low scores in arithmetic fluency along with low or moderate scores in other areas: intervention is recommended.
• If a student scores low in arithmetic fluency but high in other areas, intervention might not be necessary, though it is still recommended.
• If a student scores slightly above the 30th percentile in arithmetic fluency, they likely do not need intervention, as they demonstrate an adequate understanding of number concepts and basic operations. However, if there is any additional reason to believe intervention would help, you may consider it.

g. How can I explain to parents why their child, despite excelling in logical reasoning, still needs intervention support?

Success in math requires both cognitive skills and foundational knowledge. Sometimes, students with strong overall performance may still have particular difficulties with number concepts. Early on, these difficulties may not be evident, which can lead to underestimating or misinterpreting a student’s abilities. Without the right support, these challenges can become more evident over time.

For students strong in logical reasoning or other cognitive skills, early intervention in number concepts can support a balance between these areas and their overall math skills, enhancing long-term success. This support can help balance this area with other strengths, enhancing math performance throughout their education.

2. Personalized Intervention

h. How can I edit the list of students receiving intervention?

To do this, access the Classroom Manager and go to your class’s student list. From there, you’ll find a new “Intervention Management” tab where you can edit the intervention status for students as needed. This change requires confirmation, as it is a sensitive action, and changes save automatically.

i. Can we manage students throughout the entire school year?

Yes, this functionality remains active, allowing changes to be made throughout the year.

 

3. Final Assessment and Report

a. Why are some students who scored above the low-performance threshold on the first test now scoring below it?

It’s possible that these students haven’t progressed as quickly as others over the school year, so their advancement may appear slower—even when compared to students who were initially performing at a lower level.