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Learn all about Response to Intervention and the RTI resources that are available to help teachers support their struggling students in early elementary.
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a form of supplemental instruction provided in tiers. The goal of RTI is to provide support for struggling learners who do not require special education. It involves the “systematic implementation of a research-based intervention for the child who struggles – an evaluation of the child’s response to it – as part of a process of determining whether special education may be warranted” (Owocki 2010).
RTI was designed to reach struggling students in the regular classroom, thereby reducing the number of students who are referred to special education services (Hall, 2008).
As mentioned, RTI instruction is provided in tiers. Here are the three levels and what is involved for each one.
Tier 1 is the starting level with generalized instruction focused on group learning. It is made up of:
Tier 2 is designed for children who aren’t making progress in the classroom with regular instruction, and who have been Identified through universal screening measures (i.e. DIBELS, MAP, etc.). This instruction is offered, IN ADDITION TO, Tier 1 – ideally outside of regular reading instruction. It requires around 20-40 minutes of extra support by the classroom teacher or literacy specialist. Roughly 10-15% of students will benefit from this level of instruction.
In Tier 3, instruction usually occurs outside of the classroom by a specialist. Typically, this involves intense and individualized instruction. Approximately 5-10% of students will benefit from this level of instruction.
Universal Screenings help identify students for RTI. Examples of these screening formats include MAP, DIBELS, BAS, DRA, etc. These assessments are typically given three times a year.
Progress Monitoring helps guide instruction within the RTI model. They should assess skills/strategies targeted for intervention, show change over time, and be sensitive to small changes. These assessments do NOT use oral reading alone. And they may be given weekly to monthly.
Formative Assessments are used daily for decision making within the intervention and examines the reader “with consideration given to the wider context of the child’s life” (Owocki 9).
RTI’s main goals are to support students struggling in the classroom and to identify those students who would truly benefit from special education instruction. It is a crucial process to helping students succeed by identifying and providing the type of teaching from which they would benefit the most.
I’ve put together a simple PDF presentation that covers the basics of RTI for you to use with students, their parents, and/or other educators. You can download it for free here: FREE Response to Intervention (RTI) Guide – Back to School
If you’d like to see a sample RTI lesson, check out my post, USING RTI IN THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM.
And please visit my TpT shop if you’d like to see my complete collection of RTI resources, such as those shown here:
Be sure to take a look at these other posts on RTI that are available here on BabblingAbby:
These FREE resources are an instant download upon a confirmed subscription.
Abby is a former kindergarten and first grade teacher who channels her passion for education into creating engaging activities and resources for the kindergarten and first grade classroom. When not dreaming up or working on her next project, you’ll find her enjoying her family – most likely in her minivan on the way to a soccer field.
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