2. Dispelling Myths about2 RtIRTI2 is not: A silver bullet A
canned program A special education program Always easyit requires
critical reflection about the way we do things and teamwork2 RTIis:
A process and framework for consolidating and using yourexisting
resources wiselyi.e., maximizing the very best out of what we have,
where we are right now 3. Dispelling Myths (contd) Our mission as
educators is not: To meet mandates To raise test
scoressoundscounterintuitive Our mission is: To assure access to
(high levels of) success for all students! 4. Heres what research
statistics are currently telling us Approximately two-thirds of
eighth- and twelfth- grade students read at less than the
proficient level as described by NAEP (National Institute for
Literacy, 2006). Approximately 32 percent of high school graduates
are not ready for college-level English composition courses (ACT,
2005). Over half of adults scoring at the lowest literacy levels
are dropouts and almost a quarter are high school graduates (NCES,
2005). Approximately 40 percent of high school graduates lack the
literacy skills employers seek (Achieve, Inc., 2005). U.S.
drop-outs literacy skills are lower than most industrialized
nations, performing comparably only to Chile, Poland, Portugal and
Slovenia (OECD, 2000). A full 70 percent of U.S. middle and high
school students require differentiated instructionthat is,
instruction targeted to their individual strengths and weaknesses
(Alliance for Excellent Education for the Carnegie Corporation of
New York). 5. Considering that grim picture If our mission is high
levels of learning for all students, the question is: Is it
possible? 6. Food for thought Ron Edmonds, Lawrence Lezotte, Wilbur
Brookover, Michael Rutter on Effective Schools All children can
learn! Schools control the factors assuring that studentsmaster the
core of the curriculum. Robert Marzano, What Works in Schools
(2003) An analysis of research conducted over a 35-yearperiod
demonstrates that schools that are highly effective produce results
that almost entirely overcome the effects of student backgrounds.
Meaning: success begins in our classrooms 7. The Big Picture For
all students to learn, we must Start with highly-effective,
research-based,differentiated core instruction Systematically
identify students who are not succeedingin our core programs
Provide these students with additional supports andstructures until
they are able to learn and succeed 8. So, what does that really
mean for us as a school-wide community? We must assume collective
responsibility for studentsuccess We must ensure we are
implementing quality core,standards-based instruction We must
implement quality diagnostic and benchmarkassessments to evaluate
student potential and monitor student performance Hence we must use
data to make instructional and interventiondecisions We must
implement quality, research-based supplementalservices and
interventions 9. RTI2 Conceptual Framework 10. Backward Mapping
Tier I: Where all students need to goTier II: What some students
need to get thereTier III: What this specific student needs to get
there 11. Tier I: The Core and More The Essential Elements of
Effective Instruction (EEEI) Objectives Standards Anticipatory set
TeachingInput modeling check for understanding Guided
practice/monitoring Closure Independent practice 12. From Effective
Practice to Systematic Responses Incorporating all phases of lesson
design correctly High levels of student engagement High levels of
student participation Frequent checks for understanding with
qualityquestions Constant corrective feedback Students interacting
with students 13. From Teacher Controlled to Student
ControlledRigor and Relevance 14. Key Teacher BehaviorsRigor and
Relevance Sets the context for lessons Deconstructs standards for
content and level of cognition Refers to progress toward meeting
the objective throughout the lesson Assesses for and connects to
prior learning Builds background knowledge Pre-teaches academic and
content vocabulary Employs scaffolds to support students Provides a
variety of media Links all activities, homework, and assessments
standards Provide immediate, corrective feedback Constantly
observes, explains, questions, clarifies, praises, acknowledges
prompts, and corrects 15. Key Teacher Behaviorslooking deeper
Metacognitively models Provides multiple explanations Provides
hands-on, tangible, concrete, and conceptual experiences Determines
appropriate grouping (pairs, groups) and tasks based on Purpose,
Process, and Product Specifically supports English learners with
visuals and sentence frames Intervenes with students when needed
Extends for students ready to move on Assesses at the end of the
lesson to determine who has mastered content and who needs further
assistance Ensures students can transfer knowledge Designs homework
to reinforce lesson 16. Key Student Behaviors Attends to teacher
Listens to explanations Actively processes new information Asks
questions to clarify Responds when prompted Collaborates with peers
Takes charge and responsibility for learning Practices new skills
to selfassess knowledge Problem solves when confused Self-regulates
Self-corrects Initiates learning dialogue with peers Reflects on
learning Extends and applies learning to new and/or future concepts
and contexts Explores real-life applications 17.
DifferentiationConceptually Speaking DifferentiationAll curriculum
and instructionContentUniversal Access TimeSmall
GroupQuestioningIndependent activitiesWhole Class
ScaffoldingAssessmentWhole Class DiscussionsBuilding Background
KnowledgeProgress MonitoringProcessPreteachChoiceWithin
ActivitiesFrontloading Key VocabularyRetake
TestsProductReteachFlexible GroupingsNew Bloom's (Verbs)Teaching
Prerequisite SkillsChoiceFill GapsBased on interest and
needCompactingCheck for UnderstandingEnrichmentAt a level
accessible for studentsPacing 18. Okay, if you cant remember all of
that, remember The Big Four Access Strategies They are the keys
that unlock everything else relatedto differentiated instruction:
Instructional Conversations Academic Language or Vocabulary Graphic
Organizers Cooperative Learning 19. Teaching Pedagogy: Food For
Thought Marzano (2002) asserts that content knowledge hasonly a
small effect as it relates to student achievement. On the other
hand, pedagogical knowledge, i.e., bestteaching practices, are more
important and play a more significant role in student-learning
outcomes than content knowledge. Meaning: effective teaching
practice will go a lot farther to affect (positive)
student-learning outcomes than mere content-are knowledge alone
That does not mean that content knowledge isnt important; rather,
that good pedagogy is a better bet 20. CRUCIAL PRINCIPLE OF
LEARNING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION Why? It keeps students engaged; youre
able to teach more, better, AND faster To help you check for
understanding Active participation is a data gathering tool that
can help you monitor student understanding This will help you
determine when, and how much, to reteachif necessary 21. Tiers II
and III: what process am I describing? Urgent, life-saving purposes
Research based Directive Timely Targeted Administered by a trained
professional Systematic or procedural 22. The Real-World
ConnectionCPR 23. Conceptually Speaking Tier III: Intensive
Interventions(CPR and Defibrillator) Tier II: Supplemental
Interventions (CPR)Tier I: Core Program/Effective Pedagogy 24. As
CPR goes, so does Tier II and III Interventions Urgent Research
based Directive Timely Targeted Administered by trained
professionals Systematic 25. Tier II consists of Tier I instruction
plus the following interventions: Small-group instruction (ideally
10-15 students) 3-4 intervention sessions per week (30-60minutes
per session) Conducted by trained and supervised personnel
Conducted in and out of the general educationclassroom 9-12 weeks
in duration (repeated, as needed) 26. For Example: FBB and BB
Students have not made adequate progress whentaught using
appropriate Tier I/Core methods, a second tier of intervention is
warranted This tier is characterized as providing a level of
intensive supportthat supplements the core curriculum and is based
on student needs as identified through progress monitoringe.g.,
formative, benchmark, and summative Read 180 CAHSEE Prep Food for
thoughtMaster Scheduling This implies that Master Schedules are
constructed to includedouble-block or support classes to supplement
subject-core area instructionwithout impeding access to essential
A-G or required courses essential to on-time graduation 27. Tier
III: Intensive Intervention This phase starts with a referral to a
Student Study Team orCoordination of Services (COST) Team. This
step should overlap with the second tier In other words, the
provision of supplemental support does notneed to stop for a SST
referral and or intervention measures to begin Using a
problem-solving approach, teams shoulddetermine how to alter the
support a student has been receiving and develop specific
instructional objectives based on student performance and other
data Use of Individualized Learning Plan (ILP)not IEP Replete with
timelines and benchmarks for success It is important that the team
observe the student in his orher classroom as well as in other
settings 28. Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions Individual
students Assessment-based High intensity Of longer durationProgress
Monitoring happens at each tier!Tier 2: Targeted Group
Interventions Some students (at risk) High efficiency Rapid
responseTier 1: Universal Interventions All students Preventive,
proactive 29. Essentials to2 RTISuccess RTI2 cannot be implemented
effectively without a collaborativeprocess in place for on-going
progress monitoring and looking at data How do we know if students
are learning? How do we respond if we determine they are not
learning? All students must have access to the core curriculum
andparticipate in prescribed intervention(s)/enrichment during the
school day. (No core replacement) Intervention must be part of what
schools/grade levels/departments do all year Suggest establishing a
RTI2 Leadership Team Tasked to monitor process, data and systems
for academic andbehavioral interventions. (Appropriate/as needed
personnel; program specialist, psychologist, RSP, SDC teacher,
administrator, teacher, etc.) 30. Essentials to2 RTISuccess (contd)
Implement a system for RTI2 that leveragesall site human, fiscal,
and instructional resources to serve all students based on priority
need(s). Numbers of students/types of interventions studentsneed
may exceed what a site can do for intervention AT ONE TIME so they
prioritize and make a plan That plan (monitored by their RTI2
Leadership Team) places some or all students into intervention,
depending upon sites capacity to deliver interventions 31. So why
do all of this? Successful academic outcomes are not achieved by
waiting for students to fail but are instead achieved by
systematically applying the RTI2 principles to our everyday work
Adopting an RTI model is about adopting best practice, insisting
that we do what is best and necessary for all students in our
schools, and, finally, rising to the challenge of doing that which
is socially just... David P. Prasse, Loyola University
