Measuring Success: Integrating Number Lines Into Measurement Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Number lines can benefit students in learning an array of mathematical concepts. An area of mathematics where number lines are visibly underused is in teaching measurement concepts. For students in upper elementary grades, accurate measurements require the use of mathematical precision and coordination, including skills in fractions and decimals, operations, and magnitude. A robust knowledge of measurement holds significant value in students’ development of mathematical proficiency, particularly for students with learning disabilities in mathematics. Using number lines to teach and perform mathematical processes involving measurement can build fluency and conceptual understanding for all learners, including those with learning disabilities. This article demonstrates the versatility of integrating number lines into mathematical interventions involving measurement concepts for students with learning disabilities in mathematics. Measurement content discussed includes distance, time intervals, liquid volume, and mass. Scenarios with examples of how to apply number lines to each measurement form are described.