Know-Its: The Link To Reading

A Series of Articles Explaining Response to Intervention: Part 1

Let’s start with a working definition from the RTI Network:

"Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners. Students' progress is closely monitored at each stage of intervention to determine the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, in special education, or both."

What does this mean for the classroom teacher?

For teachers who work in small flexible groups, RTI is simply documenting what you already do. Progress monitoring on a week or two-week basis, shows which students are responding to direct teaching. Students who are not improving will move to a higher tier for more intense work. Many students will respond to this extra help and be able to learn with the rest of the classroom. The few that do not improve with the extra help given are moved to an even higher tier where they may be referred to a special education teacher.

There can be different systems, but a Three Tier Model is the most common. Teachers teach Tier 1 to all students and they are screened for reading skills. Students whose scores fall below the benchmark are progress monitored (given regular assessments) while they are still in Tier I. After eight weeks, those needing more help work in small groups in Tier 2 and continue progress monitoring. The small group instruction is provided by the classroom teacher, interventionist, Title I teacher, tutor, etc. Most students will improve, but a few do not. Those that need intense help move to Tier 3 where they receive individual help. The instructor could be a reading specialist or the student might be referred to a special education teacher. RTI provides a teamwork approach among the instructors as individual needs are being met.

RTI prevents students from being incorrectly referred to special education. Many times students can learn to read when they are taught in small groups. RTI keeps children from being mislabeled in special education while it helps pinpoint the students who truly have a learning disability. RTI is simply proving which students need more help.

RTI is a model for teaching better by reaching individual needs. It can be done! Our next article will go into detail about the Three Tier Model and how you can put this into practice.

For more information see the RTI Action Network Homepage: www.rtinetwork.org