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RTI: Family Connections and Culturally

Responsive Assessment

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Components of RTI

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Family Connections

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Family Connections

• Cultural identity begins with those closest to you…family.

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Family Connections

• Culturally responsive practices are grounded in the understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity AND the ways educators respond to that diversity.

“Cultural diversity is never problematic in and of itself. It is the response of

individuals or institutions to diversity that can be problematic.”

(Barrera & Corso, 2003)

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“Skilled Dialogue”

Build interactions that are:• Respectful

– Honor the diverse identities

• Reciprocal– Request equitable mutual involvement

• Responsive– Honor connections across differences

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Beginning Skilled Dialogue

• Recognize the characteristics of others’ cultural identities. What do they value or devalue?

• Recognize characteristics of your cultural identities. What do you value or devalue?

• Evaluate your response to differences between your cultural identities and those of your students.

• Engage within 3rd Space.

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3rd Space• Seek ways to combine or complement seemingly

opposing perspectives.

Parent Perspective

3rd Space Teachers’ Perspective

“As long as he doesn’t burn the house down, I’m okay with the behavior”

Parent values self-reliance. Teachers are building relational skills. How can each be given a place in student’s instruction at home and at school?

Parent is inattentive to the child. Behavior must change in all situations.

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Why are Family Connections Important in

RTI?

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Assessment in RTI

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Rovira, L. (2010)

Universal Screening

Progress Monitoring

Diagnostic

Scope School-wide; often times, whole group administered

For Tier 1 classes, small groups, and individual students

For individual students in Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions

Uses Identify at-risk students

Monitor intervention effectiveness (curriculum and instruction)

Identify specific student deficits

Construct Broad index, using a standardized or benchmark assessment

Specific academic skills or behavioral targetsCan include classroom unit assessments

Specific academic domains

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Culturally Responsive Progress Monitoring Helps Educators:

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Assessment Considerations

• Engage the complete picture of the student’s funds of knowledge:– Language history– Parent and caregiver interviews– Observe use of native language and English

in natural settings– Consider what is valued in the culture

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Complete Language History

From: “Language Development Profile for Preschool English Language Learners” Ruth Reinl 2008

Environment How much time does child spend in this environment?

What languages are spoken and by whom?

Describe how the child communicates in this environment.

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The “Language Development Profile” was developed for preschool age English Language Learners.

What other questions would you add to the profile to create a more complete language history for school-age children?

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Assessment Considerations

• Inspect assessments in English for:

– cultural bias

– educational background bias

– linguistic demands vs. child’s stage of language development in English

• When possible, use “Dynamic Assessment” that measures ability to learn new material, rather than background knowledge.

• Incorporate qualitative and quantitative results.

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Quantitative AND Qualitative

QuantitativeKiana scored 29 words

per minute on the 1st grade DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency in March.

Benchmark for end of

year is 50, so she is considered “At Risk”.

QualitativeKiana has been in school in

Wisconsin for 2 months. Prior to that, she attended school in Peru.

On the DIBELS NWF assessment, she read individual sounds, then blended the words together.

Error patterns include:• Consistent error on short vowel

sounds of o and u. Many errors on other short vowels.

• Did not know sound for j. This is consistent with Spanish-speaking students, since j is pronounced /h/ in Spanish.

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Questions about Assessments

• Does the norm group for the assessment include ELLs?

• What impact could language proficiency have on the outcome?

• What impact could previous language experiences have on the outcome?

• Would an assessment in the student’s home language provide additional information about the skill set tested? (Refer to language history and relative language proficiency.)

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What additional processes could be put into place to:

• create/improve a systematic process for examining the specific background variables or ecologies of ELLs that impact academic achievement in our classrooms/school/district;

• gather information about student progress through informal and formal assessments; and

• ensure nondiscriminatory interpretation of all assessment data?

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How is RtI different for 4K and younger?

• “Recognition and Response”– Recognition=formal and informal

assessment that highlights needs in key developmental areas.

– Response=teachers, parents and specialists adjust instruction and interventions to build needed skills.

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Internet ResourcesRtI and ELLs• CREATE Brief: Response to Intervention and English Learners

– http://www.centerforinstruction.org/files/CREATEBrief_ResponsetoIntervention.pdf• National Center on Response to Intervention. “Cultural and Linguistic Diversity:

ELL– http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory

&id=42&Itemid=108 – http://www.rti4success.org/images/stories/pdfs/rti_cec_06.pdf– Skilled Dialogue: Weaving Webs of Connectedness Across Diverse Voices

and Identities http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200701/ai_n19433193/ – IDEA Partnership ELLs and RtI http://www.ideapartnership.org/index.php?

option=com_content&view=article&id=1419&catid=275&Itemid=111 – Madison Culturally Responsive Checklist http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/doc/disp-cadse-

cklst.doc

Young Dual Language Learners• Collaborating Partners Wisconsin. Dual Language Learners Resources

– http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/dual-language-learners-facts-and-tips.php– http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/dual-language-learners-resources.php

• Ballantyne, K.G., Sanderman, A.R. & McLaughlin, N. (2008). Dual language learners in the early years: Getting ready to succeed in school. http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/resabout/ecell/earlyyears.pdf

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Print Resources

• Garcia, E. and Frede, E. Ed. Young English Language Learners: Current Research and Emerging Directions for Practice and Policy. New York: 2010

• Espinosa, L. Getting it Right for Young Children from Diverse Backgrounds: Applying Research to Improve Practice. Washington, D.C.:2010

• Corso, R. and Barrera, I. Skilled Dialogue: Strategies for Responding to Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood. Baltimore, MD: 2003