RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

IDENTIFICATION BEFORE INTERVENTION

SHEELAGH LUCAS

SPED 435

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

• The three tiered model of Response to Intervention helps identify children in need prior to special education services are rendered.

• Helping identify children and intervene prior to recommendation becomes important so children are not receiving services that are unnecessary.

• This also helps identify possible learning disabilities and find the best way to teach individual children

TIER ONECore Information and Curriculum is given to all Students. Students who are struggling, are identified and moved to Tier two…..

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION-THREE TIERED MODEL

Tier 2• Specific instruction is given to some students.

• Information is altered to make accommodations that are easily offered within the context of information and instruction

• The student is allowed to continue on this path with certain accommodations allowed, but typically without specific instruction from a special education teacher

Tier 3• Students who still struggle are given even more

specific instruction

• The information is altered again, made more specific, more accommodations are made

• Learning issues are identified pre-referral

DURING THIS TIME OF RTI-

• Children are closely monitored to see progress

• Students are given basic assessments to see which direction on the Tier they can move, or if they stay at the same spot

• Parents are given notifications of students progress

• The more specific the instruction the more closely monitored the student

• As interventions become more necessary, more are given. They are observable and measureable with the goals. Charting these and watching for changes becomes important for student progress and achievement

WHY COMPLETE SUCH A LENGTHY PROCESS? WHY NOT INTERVENE TO START WITH AND CUT BACK ON THE IDENTIFICATION TIME?

“Labeling students as disabled when they really are not leads to unwarranted services and supports. Misidentified students are likely to encounter limited access to a rigorous curriculum and diminished expectations” (The Truth in

Labelling: Disportionante Students in Special Education, 2007)

WHAT DO WE GAIN? AS INSTRUCTORS?

• The many ways students can now access information is allowing them to become more successful, and avoid the stigma and downfalls of being in special education, especially when they are unnecessarily in the programs. Having additional students in special education, who do not need the specialized instruction, can cause a financial and time drain in a school district.

RTI CREATES A MORE STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING APPROACH… WE ARE MORE RESPONSIVE AND LISTEN AND LEARN THEIR METHODS, AND THEIR SUCCESSES,

AS WELL AS AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT

DIFFERENTIATION IS COMING INTO THE EQUATION NOW…..As more accommodation, close observing, and intervention prior to testing for special education services, teachers are becoming better at working the classroom in new ways. I believe this causes stronger, better teachers.

“The ideal is to provide equivalent learning activities that cater to the students' strengths but bring all of the students to the same learning objective” (Johnson, 2014)

AN INFORMED DECISION!

RTI really identifies students that are actually struggling with learning disabilities, not just struggling with material

GIVES US A BASELINE….

• Special Education teachers will also spend less time at the bottom of the list….

• As several interventions have already been attempted, Special Education teachers can begin with more intensive interventions once a student has tested and been identified with a learning disability

• We start with a better understanding of how our students learn and what they need

WE HAVE OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS….

• With RTI, parents and teachers are already communicating about a student’s needs

• The rapport is already in the works, which typically means talking to the parents about serious issues may be a little easier

• Parents and teachers understand there is a plan to create the best possible learning opportunity for the student

TEAMWORK IS THE ANSWER! THE WHOLE PURPOSE TO RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION IS TO CREATE AN

ATMOSPHERE OF EDUCATIONAL TEAMWORK, WHERE STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES OF SUCCESS. TEACHERS, PARENTS, SPECIALISTS AND STUDENTS CREATING THE BEST ATMOSPHERE FOR

LEARNING TOGETHER.

REFERENCES

• Johnson, B. (2014, April 13). Differentiated Instruction Allows Students to Succeed. Retrieved from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-student-success

• The Truth in Labelling: Disportionante Students in Special Education. (2007). Retrieved from National Educaiton Association: http://www.nccrest.org/Exemplars/Disporportionality_Truth_In_Labeling.pdf