Response to Intervention: The New Way of Thinking
Why RTI Makes SenseFor kids…..AND teachers
Response to Intervention BIG RTI
Regular education Tiers of instruction Scientific based Instruction is matched
to need and progress monitored frequently
Little RTI Special Education More precise diagnosis
of possible SLD only disability
Comprehensive evaluation
LD: Historical Perspective
Pre- 1976 Public Law 94-142 (1975)
Clinical descriptions Samuel Orton
Perceptual motor theories
Minimal brain dysfunction
Processing disorders
We knew there was something but we didn’t know quite what!
No consensus Last minute legislative
maneuverBarbara Bateman
Definition: “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding.”
Regulations: “a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement.”
Research Rationale◦ Rutter and Yule
“Found” two distinct groups of poor readers With IQ/Achievement Discrepancy Without IQ/Achievement Discrepancy
Has never been replicated Reading is evenly distributed
Discrepancy Approach
In universities:◦ The research didn’t hold up
In special education:◦ The common sense didn’t hold up
In general education:◦ Students’ progress and morale didn’t hold
up
Practioners: “Restlessness and Discontent”
1997 Reauthorization
◦Study of learning disabilities identification LD Summit (2001) Synthesis of
Research LD Roundtable (2004) Regular Ed and
RTI
What was decided?
Convergence of “Restless and Discontent”
The relation between IQ and the reading skills and reading progress of 741 children were examined:
At age 13, 34% of the low IQ children were reading at a level comparable to other children the same age.
Share, McGee & Silva (1989)
IQ: Not a Limit on Reading Achievement
IQ LevelBelow 11Reading
Age
11 & 12Reading
Age
13 & 13+Reading
Age
115-130 IQ 2 12 68
100-115 IQ 32 43 191
85-100 IQ 68 66 126
70-85 IQ 39 20 31
We have assigned too much importance to IQ scores through the discrepancy approach◦ IQ is only a moderate predictor of achievement
for individual children – especially in the primary grades
◦ “Intellectual ability” is much more than IQ – attention, motivation, experience – all affect “ability”
◦ Most importantly…IQ does not set a limit on learning to read!
LD Identification: What Have We Learned?
We have waited too long to intervene with struggling readers.◦ The discrepancy approach promotes a “Wait to
fail” system Old model age for identification is 10 to 12
(Fuchs)◦ Early intervening works
LD Identification: What Have We Learned?
What We’ve Been Taught
Children with learning disabilities:
Are boysAre left-handedAre youngReverse letters and
wordsHave spatial and
handedness confusionsAre clumsy or have poor
fine motor skills
What We Now Know:Children with learning disabilities:Girls have learning
disabilities at the same rate as boys
Reversals represent uncertainty and lack of practice
Age is not a good predictor of school success
There is a genetic component to learning disabilities
Synthesis of Research
Does the current approach enhance outcomes for all students?
Does it promote collaboration, or categorization? Does it find the student, or does the student find
the system? Do the current special education evaluations
provide instructionally relevant information? Does the approach systematically rule out
exclusionary factors such as language acquisition, lack of instruction and poverty?
Are you identifying students with learning disabilities early enough? (1st or 2nd grade)
Why Change?
Identify kids early Keep the achievement gap from growing Focus on instructionally relevant data Do what we know makes sense Address the increase in identification rates
Students identified as having LD grew by 150% between 1975 and 2003
Differentiate low achieving from learning disabilities
With RTI We:
Leadership at District Level
AND School Level
Collaboration is the key: Membership might include…
Principal Classroom Teachers Specialists School Counselor
RTI is predicated on effective, research-based programs that include the following components of reading:
Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension
What Does it Take:
Assessment and RTI: Universal screening must occur for ALL students
at least three times per year (fall, winter, spring) Procedures must identify which students are
proficient in the target skills and which are deficient.
Procedures will lead to data for decision making about:How to create instructional change for ALLWhich students need additional
intervention support
Universal Screening
Be research-based Increase the intensity of instruction
More timeSmaller groupsFocus on essential skills
Be regularly monitored Be delivered with fidelity Be coordinated at the district/school levelTraining
Interventions must…
Decision RulesFormsSpEd Procedures
Thorough understanding of what Special Eductaion is and how Specially Designed Instruction looks in an RTI model
Policy and Procedure Development (Standardization)
COREInterventionsFidelity ChecklistsTeam formationSpEd
Professional Development
Review: Response to Intervention
BIG RTI Regular education Tiers of instruction Scientific based Instruction is matched
to need and progress monitored frequently
Little RTI Special Education More precise diagnosis
of possible SLD only disability
Comprehensive evaluation
What is Specially Designed Instruction
Means organized and planned instructional activities which adapt, as appropriate, to the needs of eligible students, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction
To address the unique needs that result from the disability(ies)
To ensure access to the general curriculum so that the student can meet educational standards of the school district
Specially Designed Instruction
Content (curriculum)
Method or Instruction
Different content
Different setting
Same but different purpose
Adapted method/
delivery
Intensity/ frequency of Instruction
Same with Accommodations
General Ed Instructional Delivery
Same Content
Key Concept
Specially Designed Instruction
General Education
Continuum of Instruction
Content
Methods/ Instruction
Delivery
Same with accommodation
Key components only
Same, close to grade level
Same content, different purposes
Different content
Same with accommodation
Additional presentations Pre-teaching/ Task clarification Guided practice/ Slower pace
Alter tasks Change criteria
Substitute prerequisite tasks Task analysis
Support/ instruct processing of information for generalization and mastery
General Ed Instructional delivery
Same with accommodations
Intensity/ Frequency of instruction
Adapted method/ delivery
Different setting
Sample 1: Accommodations and Specially Designed Instruction
Accommodations:
Student is provided coaching from teacher and given 3 opportunities prior to removal from class
Student is provided a quiet, non=threatening, non-stimulating area to regain control when upset
Specially Designed Instruction:
Student is provided training in anger management, alternative behavior strategies, etc.
Student is provided behavior contingency plan with student- selected reward and response cost
Sample 2: Accommodations and Specially Designed Instruction
Accommodations:
Science text is highlighted for the student
Student given extra time to complete assignment
Specially Designed Instruction:
Student is provided instruction in reading texts for information
Student is taught science vocabulary/ Key concepts prior to the lesson
Sample 3: Accommodations and Specially Designed Instruction
Accommodations:
In sophomore English, a peer reads story to the student
The student is allowed to turn in an abbreviated assignment
Specially Designed Instruction:
Student is provided reading instruction using lower level materials for the same piece of literature that others are reading
A Closing thought…
RTI is first and foremost, about good teaching: Even before students are formally classified as having “learning disabilities”, those who need more assistance receive additional interventions… So RTI is as much a prevention model as an identification model.Michael Hock, WestED
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