High Quality Reading Instruction : Implementing RtI

High Quality Reading Instruction : Implementing

RtI

So What’s You Gonna Do?Weber School District

September 3 & 4, 2009

UIC Center for Literacy, Tim Shanahan

You are responsible for making the moves that will improve reading achievement…

You not only must raise the scores this year, but you need a plan to keep raising the scores into the future…

How Do We Raise Reading Achievement?

So what you gonna do?


Some Solutions Unlikely to Work…

Maybe you could just buy a reading program… but if that worked, then wouldn’t everybody have high scores?



You could go to see the Wizard to find out if he could help….

But he’d probably just tell you to muster up the heart and brain and courage to get the job done.


Some SolutionsUnlikely to Work…

Maybe you could pray harder? Of course, prayer doesn’t work that way…

And everybody knows you can’t pray in the public schools…UIC Center for

Literacy, Tim Shanahan


Maybe you’ll get lucky and a new housing project for rich kids will move into your neighborhood… then the scores could rise without doing anything!



Or, the teachers could help the kids take the tests….uh, well, no, that’s been tried before….

And it would be wrong!



Maybe we could just hire Arthur Anderson accountants who would make the scores look good, even if the kids couldn’t read…

No, that’s been tried, too. UIC Center for


Clearly none of those ideas are going to work!!!


So what can you really do to improve reading

achievement?“Eureka!!!

I’ll use the Literacy Improvement Pyramid to solve my problem.”


Leadership

Amount of

Instruction

Curriculum Framework

Professional Developmen

t

Assessment & Monitoring

Teaching Materials

Special Kids Parents Quality

VariablesMotivation

Literacy Improvement Pyramid

____________________________________________________________________


LeadershipMany correlational studies show

the importance of leadership in school improvement

Improving reading school- or district- wide requires a coherent response

Leadership can improve things, but it also can make things worse

Leadership has an indirect outcome on student achievement outcomes, but it is an enabling variable


Amount of InstructionAmount of instruction is the

biggest alterable factor in student learning

Large amount of correlational and experimental research evidence

Require 2-3 hours per day of reading and writing instruction, K-12

Increase time within and across the school day

Fastest gains can be achieved by increasing amount of teaching UIC Center for


Curriculum Framework Second biggest impact on learning is from

what is taught Explicit curriculum is important in ensuring

that teaching occurs Explicit curriculum prevents excessive

overlaps across grade levels Curriculum needs to be organized Importance of phonemic awareness,

phonics, sight vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, writing, vocabulary


Professional DevelopmentEvidence shows that professional

development for teachers improves student achievement

This professional development has to focus on how to teach/assess

Should be ongoing, multifaceted, and allow for practice and experimentation

This is one of the quality leversUIC Center for Literacy, Tim Shanahan

Assessment and Monitoring

Need to assess student learning frequently in order to make needed adjustments

Assessment must be kept to a minimum so as not to reduce amount of instruction

Assessment is often key in inclusion or exclusion of teaching

Monitoring of amount and quality of teaching matters as well


Teaching Materials Instructional materials include core

programs, supplementary materials, and intervention materials

Instructional materials should be consistent with research

Instructional materials are needed but they don’t matter

Materials can be a quality lever Review of materials needs to consider not

just inclusion, but likelihood of successUIC Center for Literacy, Tim Shanahan

Special Kids, Special Programs

Regular program will not be sufficient for all kids

The importance of special programs to your success depends upon the size of this population

Responding to these needs is often more of an ethical concern than one of improving school or district achievement

Children need to balance—not programs


ParentsParent involvement can improve

reading achievementParents often need guidance to

support learningParents can provide opportunities

to use text and models of literacy use

Parents can also teach in helpful ways

Parents can make the school credible

If parents cannot help, you can still succeed


Other “Quality” VariablesKind of a miscellaneous category“Level” of instruction or match of

instruction to student needsClass sizeEnvironment that

encourages/supports learning (academic press)

Quality of explanationUIC Center for Literacy, Tim Shanahan

MotivationMotivation at all levels (for

students, teachers, parents, the public)

Need to provide coherent information to the community

Need to build motivation into your programs at all levels—to keep everyone moving towards the goal

Need to build partnerships to gain resources

Appreciation, inclusion of teachers


Leadership

Amount of

Instruction

Curriculum Framework

Professional Developmen

t

Assessment & Monitoring

Teaching Materials

Special Kids Parents Quality

VariablesMotivation

Literacy Improvement Pyramid

____________________________________________________________________


Utah’s Literacy Model

© 2006 Utah State Office of Education & Emma Eccles Jones Center USU

4-6 Overview

42

Utah’s 3 Tier RtI Model of Reading Instruction

Instructional Principles forHelping All Readers

TIER 1 Intervention Refers to core classroom instruction for ALL

students. Materials: SBRR instructional materials

aligned to the Utah Elementary Language Arts Core Curriculum must be utilized, as well as supporting appropriate content materials.

Setting: General education classroom Time: Initial instruction provided within a

daily literacy time block


TIER 1 Intervention Assessment data is used to monitor and

maintain the on-going cycle of literacy success. Screening assessments are administered

initially to ALL Tier I students to identify at-risk students.

Benchmark assessments are administered periodically to determine if students are making progress, need extra support, and plan ongoing differentiates instruction.

Outcome assessments are also administered to ALL Tier 1 students to determine student growth/gain over time.


TIER 2 Intervention Tier 2 intervention refers to targeted SBRR

supplemental instruction aimed at remediating the specific needs of students who fail to meet Tier 1 benchmarks in one or more of the five critical areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Tier 2 is systematic, explicit, and aligned with Tier 1 instruction.


Tier 2 instruction Materials: Use of SBRR intervention and

content materials that support Tier 1 instruction

Setting: General education classroom or other appropriate setting

Time: 30 to 60 minutes daily in addition to general classroom Tier 1 instruction

Instructional interventions are differentiated based on the needs of individual students as determined by assessment data.


TIER 3 Intervention Tier 3 intervention refers to intensive

intervention for students who have not responded adequately to at least one round of Tier 2 instruction.

This small percentage of students usually have severe reading difficulties and requires instruction that is more explicit, more intensive, and specifically designed to meet individual needs in the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.


TIER 3 Intervention Materials: SBRR intervention programs and

materials that specifically target diagnosed reading deficits

Setting: Appropriate setting within the school Time: 60 minutes daily in addition to Tier 1

classroom instruction Diagnostic and weekly progress monitoring

assessments are utilized extensively with this group of students to identify problems, check progress, and provide appropriate, targeted interventions using SBRR materials and practices.

Utah’s 3 Tier Model of Reading Instruction

Student movement through the 3 Tiers is a systematic process based upon student

assessment data and collaborative decisions.

Literacy Assessments

http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lang_art/elem/core/ASSESSMENTS.pdf

Literacy Assessments

36

Comprehensive Reading Assessment:

Four PurposesScreening - Designed as a first step in

identifying children who may be at high risk for delayed development or academic failure and in need of further diagnosis of their need for special services or additional reading instruction.

Diagnostic - Helps teachers plan instruction by providing in-depth information about students’ skills and instructional needs.

37

Comprehensive Reading Assessment:

Four PurposesProgress Monitoring - Determines

through frequent measurement if students are making adequate progress or need more intervention to achieve grade-level reading outcomes.

Outcome - Provides a bottom-line evaluation of the effectiveness of the reading program in relation to established performance levels.

Purpose: To determine children who are likely to require additional instructional support to succeed (predictive validity).

When: Early in the academic year or when newstudents enter school.

Who: All students. Relation to instruction: Most valuable

when used to identify children who may need furtherassessment or additional instructional support.

Example: DIBELS

Screening Assessment


4-6 Overview

34

Diagnostic Assessment Purpose: To provide specific information on

skills and strategy needs of individual students.

When: Following screening or at points during the year when students are not making adequate progress.

Who: Selected students as indicated by screeningor progress monitoring measures or teacher judgment.

Relation to instruction: Provided specific information on target skills; highly relevant.Example: Woodcock Johnson III


4-6 Overview

36

Progress-Monitoring Assessment Purpose: Frequent, timely measures to

determine whether students are learning critical skills, concepts, and strategies.

When: At minimum three times per yearat critical decision making points.

Who: All students. Relation to instruction: Indicates students

who require additional assessment and timely intervention.Example: DIBELS, QRI


4-6 Overview

37

Outcome Assessment Purpose: To determine level of proficiency in

relation to a norm reference population or a criterion.

When: Typically administered at end of year. Can be administered pre/post to assess overall growth.

Who: All students. Relation to instruction: Provides index of

overallefficacy but limited timely information for instructional decision making.Example: Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Utah End of Level Test


4-6 Overview

35

Ten Steps to Problem Solving Students’ Literacy Progress in

RTI Models Implement “evidence-based” core literacy

instruction programs and practices in Tier 1 instruction.

Collect progress monitoring assessment data on all students at three, equally spaced, “benchmark” intervals during the academic year.


RTI Models Identify which students scored below

established literacy benchmark targets or indicators.

Provide daily doses of additional “evidence-based” and targeted literacy instruction in small groups (Tier 2) for identified students scoring below established benchmarks.

Frequently monitor student progress in daily small group literacy instruction to determine students’ response to the intervention.


RTI Models Review small group literacy instruction to

revise or discontinue based upon results of frequent progress monitoring of students.

If revisions are needed consider increasing the intensity, duration, or frequency of small group literacy instruction groups to meet students’ literacy instructional needs.

After making revisions, continue to review, revise or discontinue the use of small group literacy instruction based upon frequent progress monitoring data.


RTI Models

If after making revisions to small group literacy instruction students evidence the need on progress monitoring assessments for additional instructional support, recommend a student for comprehensive literacy diagnostic evaluation.

Determine eligibility and need of the student for supplemental literacy instructional support services (Tier 3) including special education, Title I, tutoring, speech-language, and English language learning programs.

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High Quality Reading Instruction : Implementing RtI