By: Shantell Berrett, Reading Horizons Reading Specialist

*This blog post has to do with Response to Intervention (RTI). To find out more about RTI go here> RTI

Ask students placed in Tiers II and III if the instruction given there is helpful, many will say yes.  However, ask those same students how that instruction helps in their regular classroom, Tier I, and they seem baffled. Their eyes tend to glaze over with confusion. There is complete disconnect.

While many receive intensive intervention for their reading struggles in Tiers II and III, their experience in Tier I appears unchanged.  They are still always a step behind and usually struggling to get the first concept given by their classroom teacher as their peers and teacher move on to additional concepts.  They are frustrated and often feel like giving up.

In our effort to help we pull them out for a ‘special’ class, their Tier III.  No matter how we position that or what inspiring name we give it, they know they are there because they are behind their other classmates. Even with sugar added, it still leaves a bitter taste in their mouths.

But what if their experience could be different?  What if they weren’t always behind?  Here’s how to make that happen: Use Tiers II and III not as a place for students to catch up, but as a place for them to get ahead. 

When students are pre-taught, the dynamics shift.  Those students who are usually behind are pre-taught a concept and given sufficient time to practice.  Then, when they are given the same instruction in the class, for the first time in their lives they are ahead, or at the very least on par, with their fellow classmates.  Can you imagine what this is like for them?  It is truly life-changing. 

This is RTI at its best.

If tier teachers and classroom teachers spend the time working out schedules to ensure that all concepts taught in the classroom will be pre-taught in pull out, the results are amazing. 

Not only does this benefit the students, but the teachers as well.  This approach helps the classroom teachers on so many levels. Those students who are usually behind often end up being discipline problems because it is easier to be the problem student than the dumb student who is always lost.  When they are keeping up with their peers they tend to stop acting out.  Discipline problems are often eliminated. 

Making RTI successful has as much to do with how things are implemented as it does with what is implemented.  Pre-teaching is the key.  It ensures that the time spent in Tier I and/or Tier II for those in Tier III is useful and successful.  It is no longer time spent staring out the window, causing trouble, or frantically trying to compensate to hide their struggles from their peers.  It unlocks a whole new world for these students--a world where they are equals and where they find hope and success.

P.S.

If you enjoyed this post you may also want to read:

"RTI & Remedial Reading Resources and Information"

"How Reading Horizons Intervention Program Meets the Needs of All 3 RTI Tiers"

To improve your teaching strategies for struggling readers, sign up for FREE access to Reading Horizons Online Workshop:

Today one of USA Today’s headlines exposed the need for education improvements in the United States by exclaiming: “One-Third of Students Need Remedial College Math, Reading.” Interestingly, that number also closely resembles the percentage of students which do not naturally learn to read with traditional teaching methods: 30%. There is no research supporting a correlation between the two statistics, however it seems almost intuitive to connect the two. 1/3 of college students need remediation as a result of past educational experiences, and almost 1/3 of students expose the need for some form of remediation in the future. Clearly something needs to change.

Many education professionals believe the answer to the current learning gaps is through implementing and improving Response to Intervention (RTI) programs. This solution appears to be a perfect fit for this problem since RTI programs help remediate reading and math difficulties in students.

I recently viewed a webinar hosted by Education Week titled: “Response to Intervention: Making it Work.” The presentation offered many suggestions and practices needed to develop and maintain a successful RTI program. Here are some of the key points from the presentation:

Effective RTI Programs:

1.    Teach effective core curriculums at Tier I of the RTI Triangle.
2.    Differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs.
3.    Review data often.
4.    Celebrate student success.

Common Problems in RTI Programs:

1.    Too many students in Tiers II & III of the RTI Triangle.
2.    Implementing or using too many interventions at one time.
3.    Uneven practices across classrooms within same school system.
4.    Do not allocate enough time to RTI programs.
5.    Students are not making progress.

RTI Triangle

One of the strongest emphasis’s throughout the presentation was the need for effective core curriculums. If the core curriculum doesn’t present students with an effective way of learning the material in the first place then intervention is first needed at the core level. The best way to know the efficacy of a core curriculum is through data analysis, another strong emphasis throughout the presentation. By assessing students and analyzing their results teachers can know if their core curriculum is effective.

Once an effective core curriculum is in place then improvements and interventions can be implemented for Tiers II & III. Of course, as clarified by the speakers, each change and intervention needs to be implemented successively. Only one intervention should be added at a time so the results can be measured. If the results can not be measured because of too many interventions are influencing the situation, than educators will not what is working and what isn’t working. Without these measures, RTI programs will struggle to improve.

It is important for RTI programs to be effective and strong. I continuously find research supporting that it is the solution to reading and writing problems universally. I also read an article the other day from an RTI specialist claiming that the best solution to these problems is using RTI curriculums as core curriculums in grades K-2. These programs are designed to ensure that every student will have the highest chance of success in building essential foundational skills. Core curriculums are clearly in need of improvement based on the daunting statistic that 1/3 of entry level college students are in need of remediation.

Register for Education Week's upcoming webinar on Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 2 PM EST, titled: "RTI and Special Education: Putting It All Together"

Also find more information on this same topic by listening to one of Reading Horizons past webinar's titled: "Creating Synergy Between Mainstream Reading Instruction & Special Education"

Reading Horizons is often used as an effective, and measurable RTI reading program and reading remediation. For more information visit: www.ReadingHorizons.com/rti/

Currently the State of Utah is voting and debating whether or not they should pass a law which would require students who do not read at grade level to be held back.  As I have thought about the issue I cannot confidently decide which side I agree with.  In terms of the student’s education it is unquestionable that a child needs to be able to read at grade level and that the skill is essential for their future success. 

However, in terms of the student’s social development it is debatable that this law is best for a child.  Social skills are also crucial for an individual’s future success.  I remember being in elementary and hearing rumors about what kids in our class were being held back and those kid’s were often mocked and had a hard time socially.  Another reason to question the law aside from social disadvantages is that it isn’t always a students fault for not obtaining reading skills at grade level.  One of Utah’s Senators, Howard Stephenson, pinpointed this issue by saying: “I know in most cases we have dedicated teachers and qualified teachers, but in some cases we have a first-grade teacher who's not qualified to teach reading, and those kids suffer, and I think there ought to be consequences for that as well." It is not fair for a student to be punished for not receiving instruction that allows them to succeed.  If proper instruction was taught that allowed children a high likelihood of success and then they still struggled to read at grade level then perhaps it would be a logical law.  Share your opinions!!

 
Read about Reading Horizons as a Response to Intervention (RTI) for struggling readers and watch this video: