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