Catch Up Numeracy is a program of reinforcement in mathematics through a wide range of accessible online books (8,000), that seeks to develop students’ skills such as counting, solving problems, ordering numbers, among others.  Catch Up Numeracy is aimed at students between the ages of 6 and 14 who have difficulties in this subject. In 1998, when the program was created, it targeted 6- and 8-year-olds, based on the research findings of Diana Bentley, Suzi Clipson-Boyles, and Dee Reid. However, it was later extended to young people up to the age of 14, because dramatic gaps in math scores were evident in the youth population.

The books have been divided into 12 levels of difficulty, so that each student, according to their initial and progress performance, has access to a manual adapted to their needs. The intervention consists of 4 stages: i) a diagnosis of the initial capacities that serves to set goals according to the results of the student; (ii) the selection of exercises appropriate to their abilities and tastes; (iii) two individualized tutoring sessions per week; (iv) continuous monitoring of progress and related improvement strategies.

Reinforcement sessions are individual and supervised by a tutor (Teaching Assistants, TA), who is responsible for monitoring the reader’s progress. They last 15 minutes distributed in the preparation of the exercise, the resolution of the exercise, and the discussion of the results. Sessions are given for 30 weeks, after which the student takes a test to see whether or not he or she is still in the program.

For a correct performance of the intervention, the Catch Up Foundation trains the teachers – who train the tutors – during 4 sessions of between 60 and 90 minutes each. In addition, they are given methodological manuals that summarize all the steps to be followed and the corresponding strategies. All those teachers are grouped in the Catch Up community, where they have online support and can discuss their doubts.