The Classroom Teacher and RTI

Antoinette Pearsall

GCU

SPD 320

10/2/2019

RTI Process Interview

How is each RTI tier used in your classroom? What are the benefits of each tier?

Certified K‐5 Classroom Teacher: Let me start by noting that the Response to intervention (RTI) is a process that schools use to identify students at risk of failing so that they can provide targeted teaching to help them catch up. The RTI support process being a three-tier model involves interventions at increasing levels of intensity.

In Tier 1 where students are identified to have a low risk in academic, behavior or emotion, they are assessed on an initial screening at the beginning of the year and again in the end of the year to ensure that their performance is at benchmark levels. Students receiving extra instruction in small groups to focus on particular skill is one of the benefits in Tier 1 instruction. Another benefit is the inclusion of pre-teaching, re-teaching of specific skills.

In Tier 2 where students are identified to have some risk, there are regular supplemental instructions to support their learning. Students in Tier 2 are part of the general education. The benefits in this tier is that, small groups are formed, based on assessment, to focus on the specific components of reading. There is an increase of the time and intensity of the student’s exposure to the core curriculum and its intervention support materials. Included are regular assessments that allow progress monitoring to determine whether or not the intervention is effective.

In Tier 3 where students are identified to be at risk, they require intensive instructions. It is notable that the students in this tier are those who are not able to make sufficient progress with Tier 2 support. In Tier 3 general education students as well as students who are identified as eligible for special education are mixed. Remedial materials, methods, and practices may be used. Students served in Tier 3 are also assessed more frequently using progress monitoring assessments.

How is data collected, and student progress monitored for RTI Tier 1, RTI Tier 2, and RTI Tier 3? Is technology used to assist in this progress monitoring? If so, how?

Certified K‐5 Classroom Teacher: In Tier 1 data is collected and student progress monitored through screening and benchmark assessments. Further, in Tier 2, students’ data is collected and progress monitored using regular progress monitoring assessments to determine whether or not the intervention is effective. Finally, in Tier 3, data is collected and student progress monitored using more frequent progress monitoring assessments. It is important to note that technology plays a critical role in progress monitoring. Data is recorded and analyzed using technological devices.

How is data from RTI processes analyzed to determine evidenced‐based interventions?

Certified K‐5 Classroom Teacher: Data from RTI processes is analyzed to determine evidenced‐based interventions for a specified period of time. Progress monitoring continues to evaluate the short-term progress of students receiving the different Tier instructions. By the end of it, a formal decision is made about how the student will be served in the next instruction cycle. Undeniably, this recurring cycle of intervention, progress monitoring, and adjustment of the intervention continues until evidenced‐based interventions are determined.

How is RTI data used in making eligibility, program, and placement decisions for students with disabilities in your classroom?

Certified K‐5 Classroom Teacher: As I noted earlier, RTI data is used in making eligibility, program, and placement decisions for students with disabilities in my classroom. The data collected form the recursive cycle of intervention, progress monitoring, and adjustment of the intervention in both the regular and special education is used to make eligibility decisions.

What are the strategies you can use to communicate RTI results to various stakeholders?

Certified K‐5 Classroom Teacher: I can confirm that there are numerous strategies that I can use to communicate RTI results to various stakeholders. As for the parents and families of the concerned students, an email would serve it best and a face to face communication to students with an ethical consideration. The results can be communicated to the general and special education teachers in a staff meeting.

RTI Process Summary and Reflection

From the interview, I have come to understand that a certified K‐5 teacher serves a very important role when it comes to pre‐referral assessments and the RTI process. The certified K‐5 teacher helps in the identification of students at risk of failing so that a targeted teaching can be provided to help the students catch up. I have also understood that the Response to Intervention Program (RTI) support process is a three-tier model that provides the struggling learners with services and interventions at increasing levels of intensity something echoed by Buffum, and Mattos, (2009).

Worth noting is that, in Tier 1, students are identified to be at low risk of academic failure. The proficient students upon screening and exposure to benchmark assessments receive instruction in the research-based core curriculum in the regular classroom. The may also receive extra instruction in small groups to focus on particular skills. Students placed in Tier 2 are identified to have some risk. Therefore, they need regular supplemental or strategic instruction to support their learning consequently raising their achievement to proficiency level in the core curriculum. The students in Tier 3 are identified to be at risk (Frank, Christman, Baldwin, & Richards, 2018). They thus require intensive instruction.

As noted by Council III, and Sawyer (2018), in all these Tiers, data is collected and student progress monitored through screening and benchmark assessments. There are progress monitoring assessments to determine whether or not the intervention at a given Tier is effective. The data from RTI processes is analyzed to determine evidenced‐based interventions that best suits the students. Adjustments may be made. These are important insights which I cannot fail to incorporate in my future professional practice. I will use successive more intensive interventions for struggling students. I will also ensure that there are regular progress monitoring assessments that be used a basis for a formal decision regarding the next course of evidenced‐based intervention. This will however be in consultation with relevant stakeholders like parents, the students, the general and special education teachers.

References

Buffum, A., & Mattos, M. (2009). Pyramid response to intervention: RTI, professional learning communities, and how to respond when kids don't learn. Solution Tree Press.

Council III, M. R., & Sawyer, M. R. (2018). Response to intervention (rti) asa framework for innovation. The Collegiate Athlete at Risk: Strategies for Academic Support and Success, 93.

Frank, C. L., Christman, J. T., Baldwin, J. L., & Richards, S. B. (2018). Managing Classrooms and Student Behavior: A Response to Intervention Approach for Educators. Routledge.