Making RTI Work for Making RTI Work for Children, Teachers, and Children, Teachers, and SchoolsSchools

Mary K. LoseMary K. LoseAssistant ProfessorAssistant ProfessorOakland UniversityOakland UniversityRochester, MichiganRochester, Michigan

International Reading Association Annual ConferenceInternational Reading Association Annual ConferenceAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaMay 2008May 2008

OverviewOverview Effect of IDEAEffect of IDEA

Fundamental Principles of an Effective Fundamental Principles of an Effective RTI ApproachRTI Approach

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications

Decisions and ActionsDecisions and Actions

Revised Individuals with Revised Individuals with Disabilities Education Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)Improvement Act (IDEA)

Option 1:Option 1: 15% special education funds for EIS and 15% special education funds for EIS and

professional developmentprofessional development

Revised Individuals with Revised Individuals with Disabilities Education Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)Improvement Act (IDEA)

Option 1:Option 1: 15% special education funds for EIS and 15% special education funds for EIS and

professional developmentprofessional development

Option 2:Option 2: Early interventionEarly intervention No labeling of studentsNo labeling of students

Important:Important:

USDE does not require or endorse any USDE does not require or endorse any particular model of RTIparticular model of RTI

SEA may establish the criteria for SEA may establish the criteria for identifying children with LD, but the state identifying children with LD, but the state criteria must permit local agencies to criteria must permit local agencies to choosechoose an RTI modelan RTI model

Goal: Limit Unnecessary Goal: Limit Unnecessary ReferralsReferrals Based on inadequate instruction or limited Based on inadequate instruction or limited

English proficiencyEnglish proficiency

Reduce number of children identified for Reduce number of children identified for

LD servicesLD services

Goal: Appropriate Goal: Appropriate and Timely Response and Timely Response to Students in to Students in Support of Their Support of Their LearningLearning

Fundamental Principles of a Fundamental Principles of a Successful RTI Approach Successful RTI Approach

A child, not a group, learns to readA child, not a group, learns to read

Identify child using authentic assessmentsIdentify child using authentic assessments

Intervene early, not later in support of the Intervene early, not later in support of the childchild

Fundamental Principles of a Fundamental Principles of a Successful RTI Approach, Successful RTI Approach, cont. cont.

The most struggling child requires the most The most struggling child requires the most expert teacherexpert teacher

Teacher expertise requires high-quality, Teacher expertise requires high-quality,

sustained professional developmentsustained professional development

The only valid RTI approach is one in which the The only valid RTI approach is one in which the child responds successfullychild responds successfully Invest in Invest in evidence-basedevidence-based interventions in support of interventions in support of

the child the child

Keys to Successful Keys to Successful ‘Response to Intervention’ ‘Response to Intervention’ (RTI)(RTI) Evidence-based approaches that emphasizeEvidence-based approaches that emphasize

Teacher expertiseTeacher expertise

Sustained teacher developmentSustained teacher development

ScalableScalable

Can be implemented immediately by schoolsCan be implemented immediately by schools

Keys to Successful Keys to Successful ‘Response to Intervention’ ‘Response to Intervention’ (RTI), cont.(RTI), cont. Intensive interventionsIntensive interventions

Tiers of supportTiers of support

Collaboration among Collaboration among Classroom teachers Classroom teachers Literacy specialists Literacy specialists Special educatorsSpecial educators

Emphasis:Emphasis: What matters most is what the teacher doesWhat matters most is what the teacher does

Fundamental Fundamental Principles of a Principles of a Successful RTI Successful RTI

ApproachApproach

A Child, Not a Group,A Child, Not a Group, Learns to Read Learns to Read

Child 1: I am a bunny.

Child 2: This is a kid in a bunny costume.

Child 3: I am a rabbit.

Child 4: (Smiling…)

Identify Child Using Identify Child Using Authentic Assessments Authentic Assessments

Reading and Writing Connected Text

Intervene Early, NotIntervene Early, Not Later, in Support of the Later, in Support of the Child Child

Children who are low performing in Children who are low performing in first grade are very likely to be low first grade are very likely to be low performing in fourth gradeperforming in fourth grade

Juel, C. (1988).

The Most StrugglingThe Most Struggling Child Requires the Most Child Requires the Most Expert Teacher Expert Teacher

Skilled teachers teach and Skilled teachers teach and prompt prompt in response toin response to the childthe child

Skilled Teachers Prompt in Response to the Child

Child: I am a bunny.

Teacher:Option A: It could be, but something doesn’t look right at the beginning… Option B: (on noticing the child’s hesitancy) That makes sense, but what

letter would you see at the beginning of bunny?Option C: Try that again…Option D: (No response; child continues reading)

Teacher ExpertiseTeacher Expertise Requires High-Quality, Requires High-Quality, Sustained Professional Sustained Professional Development Development

Emphasis on theory and practice: Teachers’ teaching and children’s learning.

Invest in Evidence-Invest in Evidence-BasedBased Interventions in Support Interventions in Support of the Child of the Child

What Works ClearinghouseWhat Works Clearinghouse

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc//

What Works Clearinghouse: What Works Clearinghouse: Beginning Reading ReportsBeginning Reading Reports

What Works Clearinghouse: What Works Clearinghouse: Beginning Reading Reports (cont.)Beginning Reading Reports (cont.)

Our Responsibility to Our Responsibility to ChildrenChildren

Always keep children as the focus of our Always keep children as the focus of our work work

Our Responsibility to Our Responsibility to ChildrenChildren

Always keep children as the focus of our Always keep children as the focus of our work work

Implement highly rated evidence-based Implement highly rated evidence-based approaches approaches

Our Responsibility to Our Responsibility to ChildrenChildren

Always keep children as the focus of our Always keep children as the focus of our work work

Implement highly rated evidence-based Implement highly rated evidence-based approaches approaches

Provide proven interventionsProvide proven interventions

Our Responsibility to Our Responsibility to ChildrenChildren

Always keep children as the focus of our Always keep children as the focus of our workwork

Implement highly rated evidence-based Implement highly rated evidence-based approaches approaches

Provide proven interventionsProvide proven interventions Delivered by Delivered by skilled responsive teachersskilled responsive teachers

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications Excellent professional development can yield

outstanding results and this can be replicated

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications Excellent professional development can yield

outstanding results and this can be replicated

Institutional commitment makes a difference

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications Excellent professional development can yield

outstanding results and this can be replicated

Institutional commitment makes a difference

Even under optimum conditions, not all teachers are likely to achieve excellent results

Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications Excellent professional development can yield

outstanding results and this can be replicated

Institutional commitment makes a difference

Even under optimum conditions, not all teachers are likely to achieve excellent results

Teacher selection and retention need to reflect this if student achievement is to be the primary purpose of an educational enterprise

Classroom Instruction

Longer-term Support:

Special Education for those who did

not respond to early

intervention/s

Response toResponse toIntervention:Intervention:LayersLayersof Supportof SupportBased on Based on the Needs the Needs of the Childof the Child

Key Personnel:Key Personnel:Classroom TeachersClassroom TeachersLiteracy CoachesLiteracy CoachesIntervention SpecialistsIntervention SpecialistsSpecial EducatorsSpecial EducatorsPrincipalsPrincipals

Tier III

Tier II

Tier IIndividualized instruction with an expert teacher for the lowest performing students who did not respond to classroom instruction in Kindergarten or early first grade.

High quality small group instruction in elementary grades for students who are performing at slightly higher levels but who still need support

and

Lose, M. K. (2008, January).

INTERVENTIONS

Teachers,Teachers, not not prescriptive one-prescriptive one-size-fits-all size-fits-all approaches to approaches to instruction, instruction, matter matter most!most!

What will it take to make What will it take to make RTI work?RTI work?

What What staff developmentstaff development plan do we have that supports plan do we have that supports learning to implement research-based literacy learning to implement research-based literacy instruction?instruction?

What What safety netssafety nets are in place for children who need are in place for children who need support beyond excellent classroom instruction?support beyond excellent classroom instruction?

Do we have a Do we have a school teamschool team, including the principal, that , including the principal, that closely monitors progress and makes informed closely monitors progress and makes informed instructional decisions about the lowest achieving instructional decisions about the lowest achieving readers and writers?readers and writers?

What will it take to make What will it take to make RTI work? (cont.)RTI work? (cont.)

Are Are assessment dataassessment data used to inform used to inform instruction and to monitor student progress?instruction and to monitor student progress?

Does the Does the climateclimate in our school promote in our school promote collaborative planning and problem-solving?collaborative planning and problem-solving?

DecisionsDecisions Abandon the phrase ‘slow learner’

DecisionsDecisions Abandon the phrase ‘slow learner’

Commit to a schoolwide philosophy that ‘all children can learn and it is the shared responsibility of our staff’ to realize this goalgoal

DecisionsDecisions Abandon the phrase ‘slow learner’

Commit to a schoolwide philosophy that ‘all children can learn and it is the shared responsibility of our staff’ to realize this goalgoal

DecideDecide to invest in early, rather than to invest in early, rather than later, intervention for learnerslater, intervention for learners

Action StepsAction Steps AssistAssist struggling learners through struggling learners through

individualized, intensive instructionindividualized, intensive instruction

Action StepsAction Steps AssistAssist struggling learners through struggling learners through

individualized, intensive instructionindividualized, intensive instruction

InvestInvest in teacher expertise versus in teacher expertise versus prescriptive approaches to students’ prescriptive approaches to students’ learning difficultieslearning difficulties

Action StepsAction Steps AssistAssist struggling learners through struggling learners through

individualized, intensive instructionindividualized, intensive instruction

InvestInvest in teacher expertise versus in teacher expertise versus prescriptive approaches to students’ prescriptive approaches to students’ learning difficultieslearning difficulties

AllocateAllocate resources to implement resources to implement evidence-based interventionsevidence-based interventions

Thank you!Thank you!