Instance theory of automatization: Efficacy of two rehearsal strategies on retrieval of basic subtraction facts

The purposes of this study were to test the validity of an instance theory of automatization on a meaningful educational task and to investigate the efficacy of oral and written rehearsal strategies on retrieval of information. A concrete task, knowledge of basic subtraction facts, was used and tested on a group of six middle school students with math disabilities based in a school environment. A single subject comparison of treatment design was used. Analyses of data evaluating short-term retrieval indicate that oral rehearsal produced more positive effects than written rehearsal. Analyses of data evaluating long-term retrieval indicate that oral rehearsal produced greater effects for five of the six participants, although magnitude of effect varied across participants. For the six participants in this study, oral and written rehearsals were effective strategies for decreasing timed response rates on groups of subtraction facts. Both rehearsal strategies produced similar patterns of performance for most participants.; Also of interest was the relationship of stated preference to performance. Two participants preferred oral rehearsal; three participants did not prefer one strategy to the other; and one participant preferred written rehearsal. For five of the six participants, analyses of performance supported preference.