What is RTI?
Response to Intervention is a multi-tier teaching approach to identify learning and disability needs early in a student's education. This starts off as a class-wide education curriculum, in that all of the children in the classroom are taught with high quality education, and screened for progress towards what the curriculum calls for. This allows all of the students to be involved so that each student has an equal opportunity for extra aid in the class should their screenings call for it. As students are identified as performing below the expectations of the curriculum, they are given aid at increasing levels of intensity so that their ability and speed of learning can match those of their classmates.
The aid and corresponding intensity that the students receive is determined for each individual student. As all students learn differently, not all students will require the same intensity of aid. After all of students have been assigned aid, groups are formed so that all of the students that are found to be at the same point on their ability to learn can work together and learn together.
There are a couple of items that are required in order for RTI to have the best possible positive impact on the students' learning. First and foremost, the classroom will give each child high quality instruction that has been backed up by research. That research should show that the type of teaching the instructor will take part in will allow the students to learn and retain the information that they learn.
After the instruction has been taking place, the students in the classrooms will be screened and tested in order to see what students are lagging behind the majority of their classmates. This step is vital, as it gives the instructors the information required to show how their students are performing as well as what students need closer monitoring and possible intervention. The screening and testing gives data regarding the effectiveness of the curriculum that has been implemented, as that can affect how the class learns.
When all of the students have been screened, and it is known what students require what aid and what intensity of aid, a three tiered process is put into place for each student. Each tier is matched to what individual students require in order to perform to the best of their ability as well as to be at the level that the curriculum requires.
Tier One: The first tier involved the each class. Each class receives a research-based curriculum with a specific instruction method. This insures that any difficulties that the students encounter are not on account of the instruction or poor teaching abilities of the instructor. Every student in the classroom is tested periodically so that a baseline of academic ability can be established in order for the students that require help to be noticed. Without this, those students may not be able to receive the aid that is part of the RTI program. Those students that have noticeable difficulty receive help during class time outside of class from an aid or a specialist. An example of this could be a reading program, where a group of students that are falling behind in their reading abilities are pulled out of class to work with a specialist. Sometimes this happens during a different lesson than reading, other times the students receive this aid while their classmates are taking part in their reading lesson. This tier should last for around 8 weeks, so that the students can be screened enough so that any students that have shown improvement can return back to the general classroom, and those still require aid can move to the next tier of intervention.
Tier Two: After the students that require more significant aid have been identified, they move on to tier two, where the intervention becomes more intense and personalized to better match their needs. The intensity of this stage's intervention varies as it depends upon the size of the group of students, how often the intervention is given, and how well trained the professionals are that are available to give aid to the students. This tier involves small groups as well as instruction in the general classroom. The most common areas for Kindergarten through third grade that this level of intervention is applied to are math and reading. The recommended time for this stage is no longer than a grading period. That allows the students that have made progress to move back into the general classroom or tier one so that they are not held back.
Tier Three: This stage is the most intense as well as most personalized. If a student reaches this tier, their deficits have been identified and the professionals are aware of what areas the student needs the most support in. The instruction is individual in a one-on-one environment, so that the individual student is the only student that needs to be focused on. Those students that do not receive this level of intervention well, or cannot make progress are referred for an comprehensive evaluation and are able to apply for special education, as per the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act" of 2004 (IDEA 2004). In order for the student to apply for special education services, the information regarding their progress within tiers one, two, and three, are used to make decide of the student is truly eligible for special education services.
The final component that is required for maximum effectiveness is parent involvement. The school is required to give the student' parents information regarding the student's progress through the program. The school must allow tell the parent of any progress of their child, as well as if the child is moving through the tiers as needed. This allows the parent to know what is happening within the schools so that if the child does require special education, the parent will already know what has been going on. Parent involvement allows the school to know more about the students because the parents can talk to the professionals about any issues the student has in order for the special instruction to be most effective. 1
The aid and corresponding intensity that the students receive is determined for each individual student. As all students learn differently, not all students will require the same intensity of aid. After all of students have been assigned aid, groups are formed so that all of the students that are found to be at the same point on their ability to learn can work together and learn together.
There are a couple of items that are required in order for RTI to have the best possible positive impact on the students' learning. First and foremost, the classroom will give each child high quality instruction that has been backed up by research. That research should show that the type of teaching the instructor will take part in will allow the students to learn and retain the information that they learn.
After the instruction has been taking place, the students in the classrooms will be screened and tested in order to see what students are lagging behind the majority of their classmates. This step is vital, as it gives the instructors the information required to show how their students are performing as well as what students need closer monitoring and possible intervention. The screening and testing gives data regarding the effectiveness of the curriculum that has been implemented, as that can affect how the class learns.
When all of the students have been screened, and it is known what students require what aid and what intensity of aid, a three tiered process is put into place for each student. Each tier is matched to what individual students require in order to perform to the best of their ability as well as to be at the level that the curriculum requires.
Tier One: The first tier involved the each class. Each class receives a research-based curriculum with a specific instruction method. This insures that any difficulties that the students encounter are not on account of the instruction or poor teaching abilities of the instructor. Every student in the classroom is tested periodically so that a baseline of academic ability can be established in order for the students that require help to be noticed. Without this, those students may not be able to receive the aid that is part of the RTI program. Those students that have noticeable difficulty receive help during class time outside of class from an aid or a specialist. An example of this could be a reading program, where a group of students that are falling behind in their reading abilities are pulled out of class to work with a specialist. Sometimes this happens during a different lesson than reading, other times the students receive this aid while their classmates are taking part in their reading lesson. This tier should last for around 8 weeks, so that the students can be screened enough so that any students that have shown improvement can return back to the general classroom, and those still require aid can move to the next tier of intervention.
Tier Two: After the students that require more significant aid have been identified, they move on to tier two, where the intervention becomes more intense and personalized to better match their needs. The intensity of this stage's intervention varies as it depends upon the size of the group of students, how often the intervention is given, and how well trained the professionals are that are available to give aid to the students. This tier involves small groups as well as instruction in the general classroom. The most common areas for Kindergarten through third grade that this level of intervention is applied to are math and reading. The recommended time for this stage is no longer than a grading period. That allows the students that have made progress to move back into the general classroom or tier one so that they are not held back.
Tier Three: This stage is the most intense as well as most personalized. If a student reaches this tier, their deficits have been identified and the professionals are aware of what areas the student needs the most support in. The instruction is individual in a one-on-one environment, so that the individual student is the only student that needs to be focused on. Those students that do not receive this level of intervention well, or cannot make progress are referred for an comprehensive evaluation and are able to apply for special education, as per the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act" of 2004 (IDEA 2004). In order for the student to apply for special education services, the information regarding their progress within tiers one, two, and three, are used to make decide of the student is truly eligible for special education services.
The final component that is required for maximum effectiveness is parent involvement. The school is required to give the student' parents information regarding the student's progress through the program. The school must allow tell the parent of any progress of their child, as well as if the child is moving through the tiers as needed. This allows the parent to know what is happening within the schools so that if the child does require special education, the parent will already know what has been going on. Parent involvement allows the school to know more about the students because the parents can talk to the professionals about any issues the student has in order for the special instruction to be most effective. 1
benefits of rti
RTI has been shown to have positive affects on the students that are involved. RTI provides an intervention to students early so that if a disability is fostering within the child, it has a better chance of being noticed through RTI. In order for the intervention to be effective, some students need it at an early age. This allows that to happen. The RTI process can begin during Kindergarten, meaning that students can catch up much earlier while the are still able to be pulled out of class without missing vital information as is the case with later grades.
RTI also means that teachers use screening and testing data as feedback for the effectiveness of their lessons. It is important for teachers to realize how effective their instruction is, and the data that is gathered from the students' tests offers that feedback. It is the same information that is used to find what students require intervention, but it also works as feedback for teachers.
The RTI system also reduces the amount of referrals for special education services that should not occur. There are cases where a parent or teacher has applied their student for special education services, when what the student needs is intervention that is offered throughout the RTI process. The special education services should only be offered as a last resort, and RTI makes those services the last resort, as the RTI is offered first.
RTI provides the students with multiple levels of intervention. Some students require more intense aid than others. With the three tier approach that is offered from RTI, there are varying levels of aid. As a student is found to require more aid, it can be offered. If a student has made progress and is at the level that the curriculum calls for, then the student no longer needs the intervention at the level they were at.
The last benefit that is noticed is that RTI requires teachers to use instructional methods that have research to prove their effectiveness. This alone has the ability to improve the instruction that the classrooms are receiving. Many times, teachers will teach the curriculum with their own side lessons, but this uses a set curriculum that is the standard for the school, so that if there is an issue with a student's learning ability, it will not be due to the teaching methods. 2
RTI also means that teachers use screening and testing data as feedback for the effectiveness of their lessons. It is important for teachers to realize how effective their instruction is, and the data that is gathered from the students' tests offers that feedback. It is the same information that is used to find what students require intervention, but it also works as feedback for teachers.
The RTI system also reduces the amount of referrals for special education services that should not occur. There are cases where a parent or teacher has applied their student for special education services, when what the student needs is intervention that is offered throughout the RTI process. The special education services should only be offered as a last resort, and RTI makes those services the last resort, as the RTI is offered first.
RTI provides the students with multiple levels of intervention. Some students require more intense aid than others. With the three tier approach that is offered from RTI, there are varying levels of aid. As a student is found to require more aid, it can be offered. If a student has made progress and is at the level that the curriculum calls for, then the student no longer needs the intervention at the level they were at.
The last benefit that is noticed is that RTI requires teachers to use instructional methods that have research to prove their effectiveness. This alone has the ability to improve the instruction that the classrooms are receiving. Many times, teachers will teach the curriculum with their own side lessons, but this uses a set curriculum that is the standard for the school, so that if there is an issue with a student's learning ability, it will not be due to the teaching methods. 2
Sources:
1. Disabilities, N. C. (2014). What is RTI? Retrieved from RTI Action Network: A Program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities: http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti
2. Center, T. I. (2007). Topic: The Response to Intervention (RTI) Approach. Retrieved from Idea Partnership: http://www.ideapartnership.org/documents/IRIS_DG_WhatIs_RTI.pdf
1. Disabilities, N. C. (2014). What is RTI? Retrieved from RTI Action Network: A Program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities: http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti
2. Center, T. I. (2007). Topic: The Response to Intervention (RTI) Approach. Retrieved from Idea Partnership: http://www.ideapartnership.org/documents/IRIS_DG_WhatIs_RTI.pdf