Response to Intervention (RTI): A Practical Guide for All Educators Educational Resource Services Corey Layne, EdS 20091Corey Layne, EdS

Response to Intervention (RTI):A Practical Guide for All Educators

Educational Resource ServicesCorey Layne, EdS

2009 1Corey Layne, EdS

Who am I?


Agenda

• Session I- 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM– Break 15 minutes

• Session II – 10:15 AM – 11:45 AM– Lunch on Your Own

• Session III – 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM– Break 15 minutes

• Session IV – 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM


Session I

Understanding the new IDEA


IDEA

• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, was rewritten and signed into law in early December 2004.

• This Act changes many sections of the statute to reflect new ideas around learning disabilities and the strategy called response to intervention or RTI.


IDEA

• The changes were made in an effort to reduce misdiagnosis of learning disabilities.


IDEA 2004 provides an additional inclusionary criterion that must be assessed regardless of the identification model

employed:

• To ensure that underachievement in a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is not due to lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math, the group must consider, as part of the evaluation…

– (1) Data that demonstrate that prior to, or as a part of, the referral process, the child was provided appropriate instruction in regular education settings, delivered by qualified personnel; and

– (2) Data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction, which was provided to the child's parents. (Progress Monitoring)


Defining the RTI Model

• The Response to Intervention model focuses on providing more effective instruction by encouraging early intervention for students experiencing difficulty learning to read.

• The assumption is that this will prevent some students from being identified as LD by providing intervention as concerns emerge.


Response to Intervention:

• Is defined as a data-based method to determine the level of a student’s response to interventions that range from universal (those provided to all students, e.g., core reading program, core discipline program) to intensive individually delivered interventions.


Purposes of Response to Intervention

Corey Layne, EdS

To provide an instructional framework that accommodates the needs of all students and results in the improved achievement for all

students

To offer a means for appropriately identifying/selecting students for continued

services through an IEP based on their demonstrated responses to scientific

research based instruction

2009 10

Response to Intervention is

NOT a special education initiative

first and foremost, a framework for organizing instruction for ALL students

a process designed to intervene early and prevent academic difficulties

a process that documents increasing levels of support have been provided to at-risk students prior to referral to special education


RTI is effective for students who are at risk for school failure as well as students in other disability categories.

RTI is not limited to students with learning disabilities.


RTI is an opportunity to align IDEA and NCLB principles and practices.

RTI is not just an special education approach.


Components of NCLB addressed through an RTI framework:

• Prevention of and intervention for academic progress

• Scientifically based research

• Accountability

2009 Corey Layne, EdS 14

IDEA and RTI

• RTI is one way to identify specific learning disabilities

• Elements of IDEA align with RTI:– Scientifically-based research– Early intervening– Prevention of overidentification and

disproportionate representation, and special requirements for determining and documenting the presence of a disability.


Moving through the Tiers: Intervention Levels

• Tiers include increasing levels of intensity of interventions– Tier 1 Instruction -- differentiated curriculum and

instruction for all students – Tier 2 Interventions -- Targeted interventions for

students at-risk– Tier 3 Interventions -- planned/Intense

interventions for students with intensive needs


How the Tiers Work• Goal: Student is successful with Tier 1 level of support-

academic or behavioral

• Greater the tier, greater support and “severity”

• Increase level of support (Tier level) until you identify an intervention that results in a positive response to intervention

• Continue until student strengthens response significantly


Tier 1

– All students– Evidence-based differential instruction in the

general classroom setting– Guided by progress monitoring– Implemented for minimum of 4 weeks


Tier 2

– Students experiencing academic and/or behavioral difficulties

• (identified through progress monitoring data)– Instruction that uses established intervention

protocols – Frequent progress monitoring– Tier 1 strategies continue– Implemented for minimum of 6 weeks


Tier 3

– Students participating in the Student Support Team

– Individualized assessment and interventions– More frequent progress monitoring– Tier 1 strategies continue– Time/intensity of supplemental instruction at Tier

2 increases


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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

• Elementary: Focus on basic skills (learning to read)• Secondary: Focus on content (reading to learn)

• Elementary: One to two teachers• Secondary: Five to seven teachers

• Elementary: Reading and Writing: Narrative• Secondary: Reading and Writing: Expository

2009 Corey Layne, EdS

22

SOME ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT RTI

• Students who do well in Tier One won’t have problemsin later grades and Vice Versa

• Students who do well in Tier Two will go back to Tier One - and stay there

• Students who don’t do well in Tier Two will probably be identified as LD - Nobody will be identified at the secondary level?


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What ‘kinds’ of students will need RTI at the secondary level?

• Number of students who are identified in middle and high school

• Students who do ‘okay’ early on but have problems when expectations change

• Students who did not get good early intervention

• Problems with vocabulary ‘accumulate’

• Wide range of problems: some still struggle with ‘early’ skills, others have comprehension difficulties


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WHAT WOULD RTI LOOK LIKE AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL IN TERMS OF INTERVENTION AND PROGRESS MONITORING?

Some Initial Research by Vaughn et al

Tier one: Require Prof. Dev. For Content Teachers on

Effective Practices in Reading and Comprehension of

Academic Texts and Vocabulary/Concept Development


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TIER 2: Teach Word Level Skills, More Intensive,

Supplemental Instruction in Comprehension and

Vocabulary and Facilitate Their Use in Tier One Activities


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• Screening & Prediction– State Assessments of Reading Comprehension– *Word and Passage Reading Fluency– *Correct Word Sequences - 7 min. writing sample

• Progress Monitoring– Comprehension Measure - test on passages– *Three Minute Maze Test– *Vocabulary Matching

* progressmonitoring.org (Espin et al.)2009 Corey Layne, EdS

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RESEARCH SUPPORTED INTERVENTIONS THAT IMPACT GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE AT THE SECONDARY

LEVEL*

• Self-Management Techniques

• Study Guides (paper & computer-based)

• Graphic Organizers

• Class wide Peer Tutoring


Assessment Intervention

1-5%

Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions

•Diagnostic/Comprehensive •Directly related to problem linked to Interventions•Evaluate intervention 1-5%

•Tier 3: Intense•Limiting curriculum•Specialized Instruction•Possible eligibility•Frequency/Intensity increased

5-10%

Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions•DIBELS/CBM•Classroom Observations•Work Samples•Rating Scales•Frequent/Authentic

•Tier 2: Supplemental•Focused Instruction•Social Skills Training•Behavior Plans•AIPs

80-90%

Tier 1: Universal Interventions•Universal/Benchmarks•AYP•District-Wide Assessments•DIBELS/CBM

80-90%

•Tier1Core Curriculum•Evidence-Based•School-Wide PBS

Three Tiered Model of School Supports

Students

5- 10%

1-5%1-5%


How do we know the Intervention is working?

• Progress monitoring

• As we increase the intervention, we must monitor the student’s progress to determine the effectiveness of the intervention.


What Tier? (Activity)

• Remember: – Interventions are selected based on:

• Progress monitoring data• Information obtained using problem solving


Scenario 1

• 85% of students in a 3rd grade are achieving AYP• Referred student has been in the school for 3 years

and is 2 years below benchmark expectation• Referred student has been absent an average of 43

days in the past 2 years.• Question: Has this student been exposed to

“effective instruction?”• Question: What Tier is this student in?


Scenario 2

• 90% of 3rd grade students are achieving AYP• Referred student has been in this school since Kgn, has

attended 4 schools, excellent attendance, no significant health history and has received a variety of interventions in reading twice a week in small group

• Referred student performance is 50% of peers in reading and at grade level in math

• Question: Has this student been exposed to an “effective learning environment?”

• Question: What Tier is this student in?


Small Group Discussion

• What are the barriers of implementing the RTI model?

• What are the benefits of implementing the RTI model?


Barriers of RTI

• It’s a different way of doing instructing for some.

• It requires new skill set for some.

• Interventions are integrated, not done by team members or special educators only.

• Requires frequent data collection and analysis

• Focus is on how and student is doing (progressing on the intervention), not WHERE the student is going (special education)


Benefits of RTI• Enhanced Student Performance

• Accountability - Ensures that the student receives appropriate instruction.

• Greater staff involvement, parent involvement, and student involvement

• Reduce the time a student waits before receiving additional instructional assistance.

• Reduce the overall number of students referred for special education services and increase the number of students who succeed within general education.

• Limit the amount of unnecessary testing that has little or no instructional relevance.


Scheduling Interventions


Scheduling

• Establishing a workable schedule that maximizes school personnel resources and a high degree of collaboration among all members of the teaching force of a school.

• The assignment of specific blocks of time each day devoted to tiered instruction proves to be a workable mechanism for organization.

• Schools use various terms for the tiered instructional block such as "tier time,” “Thrilling Thursday”, "power hour," or "skill groups.


Scheduling

• The schedule assigns specific teachers to each block, with general education teachers assigned mostly to Tier 1, reading specialists typically assigned to Tier 2, and Tier 3 and special education teachers assigned to Tier 3.

• In addition, general education teachers trained on the delivery of specific instructional programs are also periodically assigned to Tier 2.



Break – 15 minutes


Session II


Effective vs. Research based interventions



Intervention

• A change in instructing a student in the area of learning or behavioral difficulty to try to improve performance and achieve adequate progress.

What are interventions?

• What Are Interventions?– Targeted assistance based on progress monitoring– Administered by classroom teacher, specialized teacher, or external interventionist– Provides additional instruction (e.g. Individual,, Small group, and/or technology

assisted– Match curricular materials and instructional level– Modify modes of task presentation– Modify instruction time– Match curricular materials and instructional level– Teach additional learning strategies – Organizational / Metacognitive / Work habits– Change Curriculum– Add intensive one to one or small group instruction


Interventions are not

• Preferential seating• Shortened assignments• Parent contacts• Classroom observations• Suspension• Doing MORE of the same / general classroom assignments• Retention• Peer-tutoring



Evident or “Best Practices” interventions are:

• Supported by expert opinion as appropriate for remediation of a deficit area

• Effective, but has not been part of a clinical trial

Synopsis of Tier 1

• Tier 1– All students– Evidence-based differential instruction in the

general classroom setting– Guided by progress monitoring– Implemented for minimum of 4 weeks


Tier 1

• Successful programs implement a scientifically-based reading program as a basal series.

• These are supplements to the core curriculum – Target specific skills (e.g., phonemic awareness) – Use of external staff (e.g., para-professionals,

volunteers)


Empirically-based instruction

• Instruction based on evidence/research.

• Curriculum that are research based and have been proven to be effective for most students


Where to find empirically based programs?

• What Works Clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

• An initiative of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, the WWC: Produces user-friendly practice guides for educators that address instructional challenges with research-based recommendations for schools and classrooms;

• Assesses the rigor of research evidence on the effectiveness of interventions (programs, products, practices, and policies), giving educators the tools to make informed decisions;

• Develops and implements standards for reviewing and synthesizing education research; and

• Provides a public and easily accessible registry of education evaluation researchers to assist schools, school districts, and program developers with designing and carrying out rigorous evaluations.

Corey Layne, EdS2009 50









What Works Clearinghouse Standards for Studies.

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/Doc.aspx?docId=19&tocId=11





Beginning Reading






Differentiate Instruction

• multi-faceted customization done by the teacher.

• provides all types of learners with opportunities to both use innate strengths and to shore up weaknesses in a variety of experiences, activities, and assessments.


4 ways to differentiate instruction

• Differentiating the Content/Topic• Differentiating the Process/Activities• Differentiating the Product • Diffferentiating By Manipulating The

Environment or Through Accommodating Individual Learning Styles


Compacting the Curriculum

• (1) defining the goals and outcomes of a particular unit or segment of instruction,

• (2) determining and documenting which students have already mastered most or all of a specified set of learning outcomes

• (3) providing replacement strategies for material already mastered through the use of instructional options that enable a more challenging and productive use of the student's time.


Differentiating the Process

• varying learning activities or strategies to provide appropriate methods for students to explore the concepts.

• Graphic organizers, maps, diagrams or charts to display their comprehension of concepts covered

• Printable Graphic Organizers– http://www.teachervision.fen.com/graphic-

organizers/printable/6293.html2009 Corey Layne, EdS 71

Differentiating the Product


Differentiating by Manipulating Environment/Learning Styles

• Environment – change the lighting or sound levels, to eliminate visual

distracters, or to provide a more casual seating arrangement for students.

•


Differentiating by Manipulating Environment/Learning Styles

• Multiple Intelligence Theory– Ability to read, write, and communicate w/words.– ability to reason and calculate, to think things through in a logical, systematic manner. – ability to think in pictures, visualize a future result. – ability to make or compose music, to sing well, or understand and appreciate music. – ability to use your body skillfully to solve problems, create products or present ideas and

emotions. – ability to work effectively with others, to relate to other people, and display empathy

and understanding, to notice their motivations and goals. – ability for self-analysis and reflection–to be able to quietly contemplate and assess one's

accomplishments, to review one's behavior and innermost feelings, to make plans and set goals, the capacity to know oneself.

– ability to recognize flora and fauna, to make other consequential distinctions in the natural world and to use this ability productively–for example in hunting, farming, or biological science.


Strategies

Readiness / Ability

• Activities for each group are often differentiated by complexity. Students whose understanding is below grade level will work at tasks inherently less complex than those attempted by more advanced students. Those students whose reading level is below grade level will benefit by reading with a buddy or listening to stories/instructions using a tape recorder so that they receive information verbally.

• Varying the level of questioning (and consequent thinking skills) and compacting the curriculum and are useful strategies for accommodating differences in ability or readiness.


Strategies

Adjusting Questions • During large group discussion activities,

teachers direct the higher level questions to the students who can handle them and adjust questions accordingly for student with greater needs. All students are answering important questions that require them to think but the questions are targeted towards the student’s ability or readiness level.


StrategiesCompacting Curriculum

• Compacting the curriculum means assessing a student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes and providing alternative activities for the student who has already mastered curriculum content. This can be achieved by pre-testing basic concepts or using performance assessment methods. Students who demonstrate that they do not require instruction move on to tiered problem solving activities while others receive instruction.

Tiered Assignments

• Tiered activities are a series of related tasks of varying complexity. All of these activities relate to essential understanding and key skills that students need to acquire. Teachers assign the activities as alternative ways of reaching the same goals taking into account individual student needs.


StrategiesAcceleration/Deceleration

• Accelerating or decelerating the pace that students move through curriculum is another method of differentiating instruction. Students demonstrating a high level of competence can work through the curriculum at a faster pace. Students experiencing difficulties may need adjusted activities that allow for a slower pace in order to experience success.

Flexible Grouping

• As student performance will vary it is important to permit movement between groups. Student’s readiness varies depending on personal talents and interests, so we must remain open to the concept that a student may be below grade level in one subject at the same time as being above grade level in another subject.


StrategiesPeer Teaching

• Occasionally a student may have personal needs that require one-on-one instruction that go beyond the needs of his or her peers. After receiving this extra instruction the student could be designated as the "resident expert" for that concept or skill and can get valuable practice by being given the opportunity to re-teach the concept to peers. In these circumstances both students benefit.

Learning Profiles/Styles

• Another filter for assigning students to tasks is by learning styles, such as adjusting preferred environment (quiet, lower lighting, formal/casual seating etc.) or learning modality: auditory (learns best by hearing information) visual (learns best through seeing information in charts or pictures) or kinesthetic preferences (learns best by using concrete examples, or may need to move around while learning) or through personal interests. Since student motivation is also a unique element in learning, understanding individual learning styles and interests will permit teachers to apply appropriate strategies for developing intrinsic motivational techniques.


StrategiesStudent Interest

• Interest surveys are often used for determining student interest. Brainstorming for subtopics within a curriculum concept and using semantic webbing to explore interesting facets of the concept is another effective tool. This is also an effective way of teaching students how to focus on a manageable subtopic. Mindmanager / (http://Mindjet.com) and Inspiration are two very useful software applications that can facilitate the teacher in guiding students through exploring a concept and focusing on manageable and personally interesting subtopics.

Reading Buddies

• This strategy is particularly useful for younger students and/or students with reading difficulties. Children get additional practice and experience reading away from the teacher as they develop fluency and comprehension. It is important that students read with a specific purpose in mind and then have an opportunity to discuss what was read. It is not necessary for reading buddies to always be at the same reading level. Students with varying word recognition, word analysis and comprehension skills can help each other be more successful. Adjusted follow up tasks are also assigned based on readiness level.


StrategiesIndependent Study Projects

• Independent Study is a research project where students learn how to develop the skills for independent learning. The degree of help and structure will vary between students and depend on their ability to manage ideas, time and productivity. A modification of the independent study is the buddy-study.

Buddy-Studies

• A buddy-study permits two or three students to work together on a project. The expectation is that all may share the research and analysis/organization of information but each student must complete an individual product to demonstrate learning that has taken place and be accountable for their own planning, time management and individual accomplishment.


Strategies Learning Contracts

• A learning contract is a written agreement between teacher and student that will result in students working independently. The contract helps students to set daily and weekly work goals and develop management skills. It also helps the teacher to keep track of each student’s progress. The actual assignments will vary according to specific student needs.

Learning Centers

• Learning Centers have been used by teachers for a long time and may contain both differentiated and compulsory activities. However a learning center is not necessarily differentiated unless the activities are varied by complexity taking in to account different student ability and readiness. It is important that students understand what is expected of them at the learning center and are encouraged to manage their use of time. The degree of structure that is provided will vary according to student independent work habits. At the end of each week students should be able to account for their use of time.


Differentiated Instruction and RTI

• Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same class.

• Differentiation is an instructional model.

• Interventions are differentiated throughout all tiers of the model.


Assessment and RTIWe need to assess student progress to know if the instruction/intervention is effective.

• Assessments

– Summative and Formative Assessment

– CBM

– Benchmarks


Summative and Formative Assessment

• Summative assessments – way to gauge student learning at any point. What has the student learned or not?

– State assessments – District benchmark or interim assessments – End-of-unit or chapter tests – End-of-term or semester exams – Scores that are used for accountability for schools (AYP) and students (report card

grades).

• Formative assessment – is a part of the instructional process that provides information to adjust teaching and learning while it occurs. Students do not receive grades. This just a way to assess what they have or have not learned from instruction and determine the course of instruction.


Curriculum Based Measurement -CBM

• A method of monitoring a student’s educational progress through direct assessment of basic academic skills in basic reading, reading comprehension, reading fluency, mathematics, spelling, written expression, and phonemic awareness skills.


What is a probe?

• A timed worksheet.


CBM is

• Student is given a probe once a week or bi-weekly to see if the academic skill is improving or not

• Probes typically 1-4 minutes in duration

• Probes are pre-made. These probes can be purchased, obtained online (free), or made from course text.

• Probes have standard directions and scoring rules.

• Provides indicator of basic skills


Baseline Data

• Initial information taken on a skill or behavior.– Student’s skill level before intervention begins.

• Serves as the reference point for all future data collected on a student.


Benchmarks

• Definition: Students who are making expected progress in the general education curriculum and who demonstrate social competence

• Benchmark also describes those school-wide interventions that are available to all students – Effective instruction – Clear expectations – Effective student support – Periodic benchmark assessments – Universal prevention


Progress Monitoring

• Progress monitoring: scientifically based practice used to assess students’ academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class.


CBM in Reading

• This one is easy…do DIBELS• If you are interested in doing CBM reading

probes in addition to DIBELS, go to

• http://www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbmresources/cbmdirections/cbmread.pdf


Tier 1: Reading Screening

• Reading Probe:– Individually administered– Materials: A content-controlled reading passage.– Procedure: The student reads aloud as the teacher

listens and records errors.– Timing: 1 minute– Information obtained: words read correctly in one

minute.


CBM Reading: Sample Scoring

TRW=63 Errors=5 CRW=58


CBM in Spelling

• This will not be appropriate since spelling is not a very good indicator of written expression skills but it can be useful to use in your whole class or for individual students who are struggling with spelling.

• See JimWrightOnline.com


CBM in Written Expression

• Similar to using story starters for journal writing – only much faster

• For kindergarten, Written Expression is usually writing letters and maybe simple words. For some probes to measure early writing skills, go to www.interventioncentral.org


Guidelines for story starters• The story starter should be printed at the top of a lined piece of

paper before administering

• Use grade appropriate story starters

• Avoid starters that encourage list making

– The starter should be open ended to that “yes” or “no” answers would not work.

• Story starters, printable writing sheets, etc. http:www.sabine.k12.la.us/zes/writing/default.htm

• Some free stuff, some paid – worksheets, writing sheets www.teach-nology.com


Administering Writing Probes

• Have the materials ready– Student copy of writing probe with story starter– Copy of the standardized directions to read– Stopwatch– Pencils for students

• Distribute the writing probes to the student or students


Writing Probe Directions: • Read this verbatim every time even when you know the students know the

directions: – “I want you to write a story. I am going to read a sentence to you

first, and then I want you to write a short story about what happens. You will have 1-minute to think about the story you will write and then have 3-minutes to write it. Do your best work. If you don’t know how to spell a word, you should guess. Are there any questions?”

– Start the stopwatch – After 1 minute, say, “start writing” – Start stopwatch again to allow 3-minutes of writing. Monitor the

student or students to be sure they are writing, have their pencils, etc.

– If a student asks a question about their writing, tell them to just do their best.

– At the end of 3-minutes, say, “Stop writing” and collect the probes.


Scoring Written Expression CBM

• Scoring Options are

1. Total Words Count (incorrectly spelled words are counted)2. Total Letter Count (incorrectly spelled words are counted)3. Correctly Spelled Words Count 4. Correct Writing Sequences Count

Note: You must use the same scoring method each time you score a particular student’s writing probes so pick one you can stick with.

http://www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbmresources/cbmdirections.cbmwrit.pdf


1. Total Word Count Scoring:

• The score is the number of words written in the three minute time period

• Misspelled words are included as long as you can figure out that they meant.

• Numbers in numerical form are not counted (e.g. 5, 17)


Written Expression Total Word Count Scoring:

• Pros– Quick– Easy– Reliably correlates with

overall written expression skills

• Cons– Only a rough estimate of

writing fluency– No consideration for

spelling, punctuation, other writing conventions


Written Expression Total Word Count Scoring

Example: I woud drink water from the ocean ………………………….…..07and I woud eat the fruit off of……………………………….…....08the trees. Then I woud bilit a ………………………………….....07house out of tress, and I woud …………………………………..07gather firewood to stay warm. I ……………………………….....06woud try and fix my boat in my ………………………………..…08spare time. ………………………………………………………....02

Word Total = 45


2. Total Letter Count Scoring

• The score is the total number of letters written.

• Misspelled words are included as long as you can figure out that they meant.

• Numbers in numerical form are not counted (e.g. 5, 17)


Written Expression Total Letter Count Scoring

• Pros

• Quick• Easy• Takes longer words into

account in scoring so that a student who writes few words but tends to use longer words would have a low score on Word Count but a higher score on Letter Count.

• Cons– Still just looking at

writing fluency– Still not examining a

student’s mastery of writing


Written Expression Total Letter Count Scoring

Example: I woud drink water from the ocean …………………………….. 27and I woud eat the fruit off of………………………………….....24the trees. Then I woud bilit a ……………………………….…....23house out of tress, and I woud …………………………………..23gather firewood to stay warm. I ……………………………….....25woud try and fix my boat in my ………………………………..…23spare time. ………………………………………………………....09

Letter Total = 154


3. Correctly Spelled Words Scoring

• Only those words that are spelled correctly are counted in the score

• Words are considered separately, not within context of the sentence. So, in the sentence, “the boy red the book,” the word ‘red’ would be counted as correct even though it is not correct in the context of the sentence.


Written Expression Correctly Spelled Word Count Scoring

• Pros– Quick– Easy – Monitors, to some

degree, a student’s mastery of writing.

• Cons• Still not fully examining

a student’s mastery of writing conventions, only fluency and spelling


Written Expression Total Correctly Spelled Word Count Scoring

Example:

I woud drink water from the ocean ………………………….….. 06and I woud eat the fruit off of…………………………………......07the trees. Then I woud bilit a ………………………………….....05house out of tress, and I woud …………………………………..06gather firewood to stay warm. I …………………………….…....06woud try and fix my boat in my ……………………………..……07spare time. …………………………………………………..….....02 Correctly Spelled Words = 39


4. Correct Writing Sequences Count Scoring

• “Units” of writing and their relation to one another are scored• “Units” are sequential pairs of words and essential marks of

punctuation • Each writing sequence must be correctly spelled and be

grammatically correct. • The words in each writing sequence must make sense within

the context of the sentence. • A caret (^) is used to mark the presence of a correct writing

sequence.


Correct Writing Sequences Scoring • Two correctly spelled words in a row make up a correct

writing sequence. • Titles are included in the correct writing sequence count• Reversed letters are acceptable, so long as they do not lead to

a misspelling.• The first word, if spelled correctly, is considered a sequence in

its own• Necessary marks of punctuation (excluding commas) are

included in correct writing sequences.


• Example: • ^ Is ^ that ^ a ^ red ^ car ^ ? • Total correct writing sequences (as marked by

carets) is 6.


• Syntactically correct words make up a correct writing sequence

• Example: • ^ Is ^ that ^ a ^ red ^ car ^ ? • ^ Is ^ that ^ a ^ car red ?


• Semantically correct words make up a correct writing sequence

• Example: • ^ Is ^ that ^ a ^ red ^ car ^ ? • ^ Is ^ that ^ a read car ^ ?


• With the exception of dates, numbers written in numerical form are not included in the correct writing sequence count

• Example: • ^ The 14 soldiers ^ waited ^ in ^ the ^ cold ^ .• ^ The ^ crash ^ occurred ^ in ^ 1976 ^ .


Written Expression Total Correct Writing Sequences Count Scoring

Example:

^ I woud drink ^ water ^ from ^ the ^ ocean ……………...…… 05and ^ I woud eat ^ the ^ fruit ^ off ^ of……………………..…....05the ^ trees ^ . ^ Then ^ I woud bilit a ……………………….......04house ^ out ^ of trees, ^ and ^ I woud …………………………..04gather ^ firewood ^ to ^ stay ^ warm ^ . ^ I ……………….…....06woud try ^ and ^ fix ^ my ^ boat ^ in ^ my ………………………06spare ^ time ^ . ………………………………………………….....02 Correct Writing Sequences = 32


Correct Writing Sequences Scoring

• Pros– Yields the most

comprehensive information about a student’s mastery of written language

• Cons– More time consuming

than the other methods.


• Writing Probe:– Group administered.– Materials: story starter (e.g., If I had a million dollars…)

printed at the top of a blank page.– Timing: 1 minute to think, 3 minutes to write.– Scoring: words written or correct word sequences in

three minutes.

Tier 1: Writing Screening


Writing Example


Math CBM Probes• Math probes can be generated at

www.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs/tools/mathprobes/addsing.php

• You can make probes for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

• Probes can be generated for any level of complexity such as with or without regrouping, how many digits, etc.

• Probes can also be generated with a mixture of skills – very helpful in seeing where a student is in their abilities.


Math CBM directions: • Distribute the probes to the student or students

• Read this verbatim every time even when you know the students know the directions:

“The sheets on your desk are math facts.”

• (for single skill probes) “All the problems are [addition or subtraction or multiplication or division] facts.”

• (for multiple skill probes) “there are several types of problems on the sheet. Some are addition, some are subtraction, some are multiplication and some are division [as appropriate]. Look at each problem carefully before you answer it.”


Math Probe Directions• “When I say ‘start,’ turn them over and begin answering the

problems. Start on the first problem on the left on the top row [point to sample]. Work across and then go to the next row. If you can’t answer the problem, make an ‘X’ on it and go to the next one. If you finish one side, go to the back [if appropriate]. Are there any questions? … Start.”

• Start the stopwatch immediately.

• Make sure the students are working on the correct sheet, completing problems in the right order, and that they have their pencils, etc.

• After 2 minutes, say ‘stop’ and collect the probes. 2009 Corey Layne, EdS 122

Scoring CBM Math Probes• Wrong answer can receive credit. Event though you give

credit for a wrong answer, the student doesn’t know so you are not “encouraging” incorrect work.

• This scoring allows you to see small bits of growth in the student’s skills and sometimes identify where they are making their mistakes to guide intervention.


Scoring• Individual correct digits are counted as correct• Reversed or rotated digits are not counted as errors unless the change in

position makes them appear to be another digit (e.g. 6 and 9)• Incorrect digits are counted as errors• Digits which appear in the wrong place value, even if otherwise correct,

are scored as errors• “759” is the correct answer to this problem, but no credit is given since

the addition of the “0” pushes the other digits out of their proper place-value positions.

– Example: “759” is the correct answer to this problem, but no credit is given since the addition of the “0” pushes the other digits out of their proper place-value positions.

416 +343 7590


Scoring• In more complex problems such as advanced multiplication, the student is

given credit for all correct numbers that appear below the line.

• Example:

• Credit is given for all work below the line. In this example, the student earns credit for 9 correct digits.

120 x 32 240

360 600


Scoring• Credit is not given for any numbers appearing above the line (e.g.,

numbers marked at the top of number columns to signify regrouping).

• Credit is given for the two digits below the line. However, the carried “1” above the line does not get credit.

Example: 1 37+ 24 61

• Credit is given for the two digits below the line. However, the carried “1” above the line does not get credit.


Scoring• Credit is given for “place-holder” numerals that are included simply

to correctly align the problems. As long as the student includes the correct spacer, credit is given whether or not a “0” has actually been inserted.

• Credit is given for the “place holder” in both cases. When it is not actually written in, a space should be reserved as shown.

Example: 55 55 x 72 x 72 110 110120_ 12002310 2310

Credit is given for the “place holder” in both cases. When it is not actually written in, a space should be reserved as shown.


128

ScoringCount the number of digits correct and incorrect per minute (For all skills except long division, only digits below the line are counted).

If the child does not complete the full probe before time is up. . .

Digits Correct = Digits Correct Per Minute# of Minutes Timed For Probe

Example:30 Digits Correct = 10 Digits Correct Per Minute3 Minutes (e.g., 3rd grade)


129

Scoring Digits Correct:Addition and Subtraction Problems

• Each CORRECT digit in the answer is counted.

• Use a “Number to Number Matching” approach to score digits correct.

• Scoring a problem as correct or incorrect does not address a child’s gradual acquisition of skills across time.


Tier 1: Math Screening

• Math Probe:– Group administered.– Materials: Worksheet consisting of a series of

problems sampling the target skill(s) (e.g., sums to 5, double digit multiplication with regrouping).

– Timing: 2 minutes– Information obtained: digits correct in two

minutes.


Math Probe Example

• Total Digits: 38•Errors: 5 •Digits Correct: 33


Tier 1 Assessing all Students

• You have been provided evidence-based differential instruction in the general classroom setting. We need to find evidence you are progressing based on the current intervention.

• Math probe.

• Complete Graph



Graph



Session III


Synopsis of Tier 2

• Tier 2– Students experiencing academic and/or

behavioral difficulties

• (identified through progress monitoring data)– Instruction that uses established intervention

protocols – Frequent progress monitoring– Tier 1 strategies continue– Implemented for minimum of 6 weeks


Characteristics of Tier 2 Interventions

• Available in general education settings• Opportunity to increase exposure (academic engaged time) to

curriculum• Sufficient time for interventions to have an effect (10-30

weeks)• Often are “standardized” supplemental curriculum protocols

(K-3 Academic Support Plan)


Core Features

• Small Groups (e.g., 1:3, 1:5)

• 10-12 wks, 3-4x per wk, 30-60 min per session

• Scripted, specific interventions

• Point system for motivation

• Immediate corrective feedback

• More time spent on difficult activities

• More opportunities to respond

• Setting goals and self monitoring


How to create Tier 2 options?

• Staggering times during which similar curriculum is delivered– Reading Instruction delivered at different times by

different teachers• Offering same curriculum across multiple

times– High School example where student takes algebra

two consecutive periods, but gets credit for one period.


Remember:

• Increased opportunity to learn • Increased instructional time • Increased assessment

– Data collection and analysis – Data-based decision-making


Tier 2: What is a “Good” Response to Intervention?

• Good Response– Gap is closing

• Questionable Response– Rate at which gap is widening slows considerably, but gap is still

widening– Gap stops widening but closure does not occur

• Poor Response– Gap continues to widen with no change in rate.


For Example

• Skill Deficit: Reading Fluency• Intervention: Drill Sandwich



Progress Monitoring Tool:

• Dibels• AIMSweb• CBM – Reading Fluency Probe

(intervention central)


CBM: Oral Reading FluencyAdministration of CBM reading probesThe examiner and the student sit across the table from each other. Theexaminer hands the student the unnumbered copy of the CBM reading passage. Theexaminer takes the numbered copy of the passage, shielding it from the student'sview.

The examiner says to the student:

When I say, 'start,' begin reading aloud at the top of this page.Read across the page [demonstrate by pointing]. Try to read eachword. If you come to a word you don't know, I'll tell it to you.Be sure to do your best reading. Are there any questions?[Pause] Start.


The examiner begins the stopwatch when the student says the first word. If thestudent does not say the initial word within 3 seconds, the examiner says the wordand starts the stopwatch. As the student reads along in the text, the examinerrecords any errors by marking a slash (/) through the incorrectly read word. If thestudent hesitates for 3 seconds on any word, the examiner says the word and marksit as an error. At the end of 1 minute, the examiner says, Stop and marks the

student's concluding place in the text with a bracket ( ] ).


First Grade Level Probe

Jack camps. He is six. He likes the big woods. He livesoff the land. He follows a turtle. They are green. Theyare slow. They are fun. Jack calls the ducks. It is fun.They are blue. He watches them move. They fly in the sky.It is fun. He sees them swim. He swims too. Jack works forhis food. He sees a lake. He fishes. He got four fish. Hemakes a fire. He cooks fish. It is night. He can see thestars. It is fun


ScoringReading fluency is calculated by first determining the total words attemptedwithin the timed reading probe and then deducting from that total the number ofincorrectly read words.

The following scoring rules will aid the instructor in marking the readingprobe:Words read correctly are scored as correct:--Self-corrected words are counted as correct.--Repetitions are counted as correct.--Inserted words are ignored.

Mispronunciations are counted as errors.ExampleText: The small gray fox ran to the cover of the trees.Student: "The smill gray fox ran to the cover of the trees."


Scoring cont’d• Substitutions are counted as errors.ExampleText: When she returned to the house, Grandmother called for Franchesca.Student: "When she returned to the home, Grandmother called forFranchesca.

• Omissions are counted as errors.ExampleText: Anna could not compete in the last race.Student: "Anna could not in the last race.“

• Transpositions of word-pairs are counted as 1 error.ExampleText: She looked at the bright, shining face of the sun.Student: "She looked at the shining bright face of the sun."Words read to the student by the examiner after 3 seconds havegone by are counted as errors.








Interventions and Progress Monitoring- Data Collection (Activity)

• Review the data from the scenario. – Based on the current data, What does your team

recommend?


Scenario

Jocelyn is a 10th grade student. She attends Helpful High School where all students are provided with instruction through the curriculum. In September, she was identified as an at-risk student in writing based on her Standardized Test scores. Her English teacher differentiates instruction by providing her writing checklists. At a conference 7 weeks later, her writing samples were reviewed. Jocelyn continued to display difficulty writing only one paragraph for a 5 paragraph assignment. Jocelyn’s teacher discusses this information with her parents and recommends supplemental instruction. After 6 weeks, an analysis of her writing indicates limited improvement in writing quantity.


Break 15 minutes


Session IV


Synopsis of Tier 3

• Tier 3– Students participating in the Student Support

Team– Individualized assessment and interventions

(Intervention Manual)– More frequent progress monitoring– Tier 1 strategies continue– Time/intensity of supplemental instruction at Tier

2 increases


Tier 3

• Increased intensity of interventions (e.g., frequency of delivery, amount of time, duration, best validated)

• Individually tailored interventions • Instructional grouping of < 1:3 • Frequent progress monitoring measures • Delivered by general education with consultation

and collaboration by special education


Pyramid of Interventions – 3 Tiers of Instruction using academic

interventions


Problem-solving is:

A process designed to maximize student achievement

A method focused on outcomes

A method to ensure accountability and intervention evaluation

It is all about student progress


Collaborative Problem Solving

• The Problem-Solving Method is defined as a systematic and data-based process for identifying, defining, and resolving students’ academic and/or behavioral difficulties.


Problem Solving ProcessDefining problem/Directly Measuring Behavior

Analyze the ProblemIdentify the variables

that contribute to problem, then develop

a plan.

Implement PlanImplement the intervention as intended

Progress Monitor Modify as Necessary

Evaluate the Student’s Response to the

Intervention


Steps in the Problem-Solving Process

1. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION• Identify replacement behavior• Data- current level of performance• Data- benchmark level(s)• Data- peer performance• Data- GAP analysis

2. PROBLEM ANALYSIS• Develop hypotheses( brainstorming)• Develop predictions/assessment

3. INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT• Develop interventions in those areas for which data are available and hypotheses verified• Implementation support

4. Response to Intervention (RTI)• Frequently collected data• Type of Response- good, questionable, poor


Data Required for Problem Identification

• Current Level of Functioning• Benchmark/Desired Level• Peer Performance• GAP Analysis


Problem Identification:

• Data is essential:– Current level (Baseline for RTI)

– Benchmark level (Needed to determine rate of progress required)

– Peer level (Needed to determine Tier 1 or 2 intervention protocol)

– GAP (Needed to determine scope of work to be done and length of time required to do it)


Problem Analysis

• Why is problem occurring? • Facilitate Problem Analysis

– Skill vs performance– Develop Hypotheses– Which ones supported by data?

Note: Specific Hypotheses -must lead to interventions.

Link the assessment to intervention.


Hypotheses• Reasons why student is not able to do desired behavior

• Ensure it is not due to lack of instruction (e.g. frequent moves)


How Do We Confirm Hypothesis?

• Assessment– Observe student– Formal tests– Work samples– Intervention and Progress monitoring


Criteria for Evaluating Response to Intervention

• Is the gap between current rate or gap between slopes of current and benchmark closing? If yes, this is a POSITIVE RTI

• Is the gap parallel, closing but not meeting? If yes, this is a QUESTIONABLE RTI

• If the rate/slope remains unchanged OR if there is improvement but shows no evidence of closing the gap, then this is a POOR RTI


Problem Solving: Strengths

• Can be applied to the student, classroom, building, and district levels:

Student- academic problem

Classroom- discipline, returning homework

Building- bullying, attendance

District- over-/under-representation

Problem- problem common to students in building


Problem Solving: Potential Weakness Areas

• Applied consistently across students

• Treatment fidelity


No response to intervention.

Check the fidelity of the intervention implementation.


Strategies that improve fidelity: Follow-up by a consultant/support staff, other team member Presentation of student data illustrating response to intervention

Use graphs and charts to illustrate progress or no progress

Review of treatment implementation Frequency--range from daily to weekly initially

Teacher responsiveness to implementing interventions Understands the “need” for intervention Perceives self as possessing skills to implement (e.g.

professional development) OR

has the social support to implement while acquiring skills (e.g. lead or expert to consult)


Team Problem-Solving (Activity)


Elementary RTI ScenarioTylar is a second-grade student. Along with his classmates he was provided instruction

through the general education curriculum. Tylar In October he was determined to be at risk based on state testing at the end of his first grade year. Tylar’s teacher differentiates instruction according to his learning needs. Benchmark data taken after the first 4 weeks of school indicates that Tylar’s DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency falls in the “At-Risk” range. His teacher recommends Tylar to participate in an early intervention reading group 30 minutes twice per week. DIBELS is collected every two weeks to monitor his progress on the reading intervention. After 6 weeks, an analysis of Tylar’s progress monitoring data indicates limited improvement. There is improvement but shows no evidence of closing the gap.

What interventions have been used?

What is the current progress monitoring tool ? How much and how often is it used?

What Tier is Tylar in? Supporting evidence?

Determine as a team the next steps in the RTI model.2009 179Corey Layne, EdS

Tips for Effective Implementation


Recipe for Intervention Success

PREPARE • Identify and Use standard protocols for intervention• Develop all needed materials• Develop packets or put on a central web site• Determine graphing program



TRAIN

• Explain • Watch the teacher do it with the actual child before

you leave• Call or meet teacher after first day to problem solve


COLLECT DATA AND SUPPORT• Each week, graph intervention performance and do a

generalization check with the child.• Graphed feedback to teachers with generalization checks

for individual intervention once per week• Response-dependent performance feedback to sustain

implementation accuracy• Monthly CBM to track growth and enhance existing Tier

1 Programs or advise new Tier 1• Data to principal weekly. Summarize effects and integrity

of procedures.




USE DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS

• RTI successful if child performs criterion-level probe (from screening) in the instructional range. RTI unsuccessful if intervention sessions and criterion probe is not in the instructional range.

• Increase task difficulty for intervention if child scores at mastery on task during intervention sessions


Infrastructure for Implementation• Grade-level planning periods can be utilized• Special education “team” at school can be utilized• School Psych must be on-site 1 day/week• Developing master schedule for Tier 1, 2, and 3 intervention

times is useful• Integrate efforts with evaluation referral team efforts

(consider major reduction in meeting time and shift to intervention efforts!)


Materials needed• Computer and software to organize data• Student data imported. Clerical person to enter data on-site

for tier 1 screen only.• Color printer to print graphs + extra color cartridges• Probe materials, digital count-down timers• Intervention protocols, intervention materials (e.g., flashcard

sets, reading materials)• Access to copier and some assistance with copying


Guidelines for Implementers

• Use single trial scores for screening• Following screening, grade-wide graphs to principal• Return data to teachers within 48 hours with

personal interpretation at grade-level team meeting• Include principal in critical meetings• Involve teachers at all stages


Guidelines for Implementers• Learn about curriculum and instruction. • Integrate RTI with ongoing school and system reform efforts• Thoughtfully merge to subtract duplicate activities and to

enhance more comprehensive supplemental and core instructional support activities that may be in place

• Use RTI data to evaluate the value of ALL instructional programs or resource allocation decisions. Quantify bang for the buck using student performance data.


Great Teachers• Use data to identify where

more/different/less instruction is needed• Have as a goal to accelerate all learning of all

children• Proactively address barriers to learning • Take responsibility for learning that occurs in

the classroom• Are confident and ready to collaborate in the

classroom• Appreciate childhood and children (a little

humor, lots of patience, enthusiasm)2009 189Corey Layne, EdS

Web Evidenced-Based Practices• So, how do you know what practices are evidenced-based? The United States

Department of Education has created a guide that walks people through the process of finding evidence-based practices, “Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence.” http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/rigorousevid/index.html

• The following websites present examples of evidenced-based interventions. They are, for the most part, organized by subject matter and grade-level. They do not provide an exhaustive list of all available interventions; however, they are the current thinking around what works for students.

• What Works Clearinghousehttp://www.whatworks.ed.gov/

• Best Evidence Encyclopediahttp://www.bestevidence.org/

•



Tools on the Web• What Works Clearinghouse The What Works Clearinghouse

(http://www.w-w-c.org/) established by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, and the public with a central, independent, and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/


Tools on the Web

• The Promising Practices Network web site highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.

http://www.promisingpractices.net/


Tools on the Web

• Blueprints for Violence Prevention is a national violence prevention initiative to identify programs that are effective in reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse. http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/index.html


Tools on the Web

• The International Campbell Collaboration offers a registry of systematic reviews of evidence on the effects of interventions in the social, behavioral, and educational arenas.

http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/Fralibrary.html


Tools on the Web

• Social Programs That Work offers a series of papers developed by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy on social programs that are backed by rigorous evidence of effectiveness.

http://www.excelgov.org/displayContent.asp?Keyword=prppcSocial


Tools on the Web

• Intervention Central http://www.interventioncentral.org/

• US Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/rigorousevid/rigorousevid.pdf

• Wrights Law http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/art/ld.rti.discrep.htm


Tools on the Web

• National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities http://www.ldanatl.org/pdf/rti2005.pdf

Documents

Response to Intervention (RTI): A Practical Guide for All Educators Educational Resource Services Corey Layne, EdS 20091Corey Layne, EdS