Youtube Video Explaining RTI

RTI and Reading Recovery: An Article Review

Dunn, M. (2010). Response to Intervention and Reading Difficulties: A Conceptual Model That Includes Reading Recovery. Learning Disabilities -- A Contemporary Journal, 8(1), 21-40. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

This article explains what Reading Recovering and Response to Intervention are and how they are so closely related. The RR program could fit the definition of a Tier 3 problem solving intervention to help dually-discrepant students improve. The 6 criteria for being classified into special education are defined in the article. There is a chart of a RTI model based on Fuchs & Fuchs. The standard protocol approach, the problem solving model, and the standard-protocol/problem solving hybrid model are all explained in the article. This article explains how RR works in connection to RTI and why both are important. The article discusses criticism of Reading Recovery. There is an example of a RR/RTI logic map.

·         The alternative assessment model included in the United States Congress’ reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is RTI

·         All 50 states have implemented RTI

·         Each student’s rate of growth is evaluated about 3 times per year

·         Scores are put into an online database and then attain a classification of each child’s ability levels as being either at grade level, some risk, or at risk.

·         Dual discrepancy: a student’s demonstrating low academic ability and little or no progress over time

·         Each school team would define their own number of intervention phases before initiating consideration for long-term special education services.

·         Reading Recovery provides a guide for an intervention’s length, RTI has no universally-accepted timeline.

·         Reading Recovery contains a series of 30-minute lessons and strategies for a student to complete with a trained teacher; each intervention phase is referred to as a “round.” Each round has a duration of 12-20 weeks depending on the chosen format of a school district

·         RR complements the RTI model by having a means to define students who have succeeded versus those who have not.

·         The 5 big ideas of literacy:

1.     Phonemic awareness

2.     Alphabetic principle

3.     Fluency with text

4.     Vocabulary

5.     Comprehension

The article helped me understand what Reading Recovery is and how it relates to RTI. It was very informative for me to learn about the history behind RTI and the reason is exists. I found it interesting that all of the US states have implemented RTI. Also, so many other places such as Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada have implemented RTI. I wasn’t aware that RR had such as set time frame and RTI did not before reading this article.

Improving Student Outcomes Through RTI: An Article Review

Bianco, S. (2010). Improving Student Outcomes: Data-driven Instruction and Fidelity of Implementation in a Response to Intervention (RTI) Model. Teaching Exceptional Children Plus, 6(5), 2-13. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

The article tells us how to document student progress and fidelity of implementation and the things to note. The 3 basic features of RTI are given which include matching high quality research-based intervention to student’s educational and behavioral needs, progress monitoring is used to assess the need for changes in instruction or goals, and student response’s from progress monitoring data is the basis of important educational decisions, which might include additional levels or tiers of instructional intensity or possibly eligibility for special education. The article also explains what fidelity is. Fidelity of implementation is the delivery of instruction in the way in which it was designed and intended to be delivered. The article tells how the main goal of RTI is to provide services at the point of concern without having to wait for a formal assessment or evaluation. There is an example in the article of a student intervention tracking form.

·         To document student progress and fidelity of implementation by noting

1.     Instructional interventions

2.     Frequency (# of days/week)

3.     Duration (# of minutes/session)

4.     Intensity (individual or # of students/group)

5.     How, if at all they deviated from the intervention plan

·         RTI has 3 basic features:

1.     Matching high quality research-based intervention to student’s educational and behavioral needs

2.     Progress monitoring is used to assess the need for changes in instruction or goals

3.     Student response’s from progress monitoring data is the basis of important educational decisions, which might include additional levels or tiers of instructional intensity or possibly eligibility for special education.

·         Benchmark assessment occurs using the DIBELS and the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System. (This process caught students before they failed a subject and referred them for further assessment or more intense instruction.)

·         Fidelity of implementation is the delivery of instruction in the way in which it was designed and intended to be delivered.

·         RTI’s main goal is to provide services at the point of concern without having to wait for a formal assessment or evaluation.

·         3 specific mechanisms were implemented to enhance fidelity of implementation in this district

§  A form to track what was occurring during instruction

§  Reading coaches

§  Video clips

·         Teachers, administrators, and members of intervention teams use student performance data to inform instructional decisions and monitor the fidelity of implementation of tiered instruction in a RTI

I thought that the article was very informative on the data-driven instruction and fidelity of implementation in RTI. Before reading the article, I didn’t know what fidelity even meant. I liked that there was an example of the student intervention tracking form in the article because I had never seen one like that. Also, it was interesting to read the box that told student referral and classification rates over the past few years.

Supporting Schools in RTI: An Article Review

Hoover, J. J., & Love, E. (2011). Supporting School-Based Response to Intervention: A Practitioner's Model. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(3), 40-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

This article is a behind the scences look at RTI. It tells of how RTI model offers a process that enables a school to apply RTI principles to its unique setting and concerns. Over 70% of school districts nationally are implementing RTI. The article tells the 4 key elements to successfully implementing RTI models. Also, it tells the background people need to become RTI team leaders and the 5 stages in the process. The article helps identify some issues that may arise with RTI and ways to handle the issues in the most effective way. Also, several decision making strategies for RTI are identified that could be very helpful.

·         RTI model offers a process that enables a school to apply RTI principles to its unique setting and concerns.

·         All states are in the process implementing some form of RTI to meet the educational needs of struggling learners; over 70% of schools districts, nationally are implementing RTI.

·         Key elements to successfully implementing RTI models

1.       Multitiered or layered instruction

2.       Using data-driven decision making

3.       Evidence based practice

4.       RTI evidence for proper special education placement

·         5 stages in the school based RTI team leader process

·         RTI school level issues solutions

1.       PowerPoint presentations

2.       Guides/checklists to assist team members

3.       Demonstration of suggested solutions

4.       Ongoing team discussions

·         Decision making items

1.       Gap analysis

2.       Rate of progress

3.       Cut score

4.       Decision rules

·         School level RTI issues and associated research findings

I found the article to be very informative when trying to understand RTI from the RTI leader perspective. This article is basically a guide for people planning on being an RTI team leader or individuals that are currently RTI team leaders. The stages are identified in the article of how to become a team leader for RTI. Also, the article taught me how to handle issues that may arise in RTI and some decision making strategies.  

Is RTI Special Education? : An Article Review

Hazelkorn, M., Bucholz, J. L., Goodman, J. I., Duffy, M., & Brady, M. P. (2011). Response to Intervention: General or Special Education? Who Is Responsible?. Educational Forum, 75(1), 17-25. doi:10.1080/00131725.2010.528552

The uncertainty of the definition/identification of children which high incidence disabilities has led to the dramatic increase of students identified as having learning disabilities and higher percentages of minorities in special education than those found in the general population. RTI is a way to prevent academic failure and identify students with learning disabilities. RTI is based on 3 core concepts: First, application of scientific, research-based interventions in the general education classroom; Second, measurement of student response to these interventions; Third, the use of the RTI data to inform instruction. Progress monitoring is used in RTI to pinpoint student who may need intervention. RTI has gone beyond reading problems and now covers core academics, behavior, and communication. The idea of RTI is to provide services to students before they have experienced multiple years of failure and are in need of special education services. RTI is broken down into 3 tiers and the academic interventions change and become more intensive at each tier. Decisions about movement between tiers, frequency/timing of interventions, and how screening for secondary interventions should occur are left to the schools. Researchers studied several articles concerning RTI and out of 128 articles, 110 (86%) described RTI as an assessment or eligibility tool. After the passage of the IDEA 2004 there has been a need to reduce the numbers of children being identified as learning disabled because of reading problems. Because of this, RTI has become the preferred method for identifying, evaluating and instructing students with learning disabilities.

·         RTI is a way to prevent academic failure and identify students with learning disabilities.

·         RTI is based on 3 core concepts:

1.       Application of scientific, research-based interventions in the general education classroom

2.       Measurement of student response to these interventions

3.       The use of the RTI data to inform instruction.

·         Progress monitoring- used to pinpoint students who may need intervention.

·         RTI now also covers: core academics, behavior, and communication

·         RTI is broken down into 3 tiers and the academic interventions change and become more intensive at each tier.

I found this article to not live up to the title it was given; however, still be very informative. I learned from this article more of why RTI is used and more about the concepts on which it is based. I learned that RTI does not only cover reading recovery now but other academics, behavior and communication.  I was unsure of how students moved between tiers and how long interventions were before reading this article.

Educating & Involving Parents in the Response to Intervention Process: An Article Review

Byrd, E. (2011). Educating and Involving Parents in the Response to Intervention Process. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(3), 32-39. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

This article precisely defines what response to intervention (RTI) is and how parents are involved in the process. First of all, it tells that RTI is a multitiered system for struggling learners that provides increasingly intense levels of academic interventions and assessment. There are 3 tiers of intervention in RTI. The first is a research based instructional core program for all students. Tier 2 is composed of focused, small-group interventions. Tier 3 includes individualized intensive interventions. The article discusses 3 reasons that the school should educate/involve parents in the RTI process: First, because RTI is complicated and can be difficult to understand. The second reason is because a referral to special education can be an outcome of the RTI process. Last, is that research shows that when schools work to involve parents, outcomes are positive for students and parents. Several RTI terms are explained in the article including core curriculum, intensive intervention, problem solving, screening, standard protocol intervention, and tiered instruction. Strategies to educate parents about RTI were given, which included thinking and planning for the long term, how to get started, recruiting parent leadaers and developing a support group, and developing information about RTI. Several organizations were identified that could be helpful for parents and teachers concerning RTI.

·         RTI is a multitiered system for struggling learners that provides increasingly intense levels of academic interventions and assessment

·         There are 3 tiers of intervention in RTI

·         Parents should be involved in the RTI process

·         Important terms related to RTI: Core curriculum, intensive intervention, problem solving, screening, standard protocol intervention, and tiered instruction

·         Strategies to educate parents about RTI

·         Organizations that could be helpful for parents and teachers concerning RTI

·         Example of a parent connection checklist

I learned a lot from the article and found it to be very informative. I was unsure before reading the article of parents’ role in the RTI process. Now, it is clear to me how they should be involved and what I can do as a RTI teacher to insure I am helping them assist their children in the best way at home. I found the article to also be very informative even for people that didn’t know what RTI was. After reading the article they would have a clear understanding and be able to grasp the importance of the program. The box that included key terms helped clear up some words for me that are tossed around casually in the RTI department, that I have never quite understood.