Reponse to Intervention

Response to Intervention: A Parent’s Guide

• RTI is a way of teaching that measures how students respond to instruction, and then if necessary, changes the instruction to make sure that each student is mastering the skills necessary for academic success
• RTI is not a program.  It is a change in the way teachers teach all levels of academic ability within their classroom
• RTI is a research-based process that involves: -textbooks that have been tested and proven to have a positive effect on student achievement -consistent on-going assessments which are a way  to keep track of student improvement and mastery – teachers and instructional aides working closely together to insure consistent teaching practices -data-based decision making which uses the information from the assessment to direct the instruction until the best method is found for each individual student.
• RTI is consistent.  Everyone teaches the same thing the same way.  Tests are presented the same so the results are valid and useful.
• RTI provides ongoing training for teachers so they understand, practice and can use the different data-based teaching resources.
• RTI involves families and the community.  Helping students practice learned skills makes a stronger student.

RTI Addresses Five Key Reading Skills 

• Phonemic Awareness – the ability to notice, think about, and work with individual sounds in spoken  words. (example: what is the last sound you hear in the word “CAT”)
• Phonics – an understanding that the written letter represents the sound a letter makes ( example: D- says /d/ as in dog).
• Fluency – being able to read text correctly and efficiently with appropriate expression.
• Vocabulary – words we are able to use in speech,  writing, and reading with correct meaning and understanding.
• Comprehension – the ability to understand the meaning of what is read.

RTI Adresses Six Math Strands

• Problem solving and reasoning
• Numbers and operations
• Algebraic concepts and processes
• Geometry
• Measurement
• Data analysis

RTI Team Members

• Team Leader- keeps meeting running, distributes materials, schedules continuing education, and monitors consistency of teaching practices.
• Classroom teacher representative of each grade level-implements intervention strategies, organizes materials for instructional aides,  and supports  data.
• Intervention teachers and staff- implement  intervention strategies,  collect and support data, and work closely with the classroom teachers.
• Special Education Teacher-knows the services provided through special education and specific educational disabilities, implements intervention strategies, collects and supports data, and works closely with the classroom teachers.
• RTI Team Approach

Questions the RTI team addresses:

• What is the ‘gap’ between a student’s performance and grade level peers before RTI interventions should be considered?
• Would individual instruction in the general  curriculum be enough to meet the student’s needs?
• What length of time would be considered adequate for an intervention to be considered a success or failure?
• How will the intervention data be collected and measured?
• Who will be responsible for designing and carrying out the intervention – How will progress be monitored and how often?

RTI and Parents

How do I know if my child is an RTI Student?
RTI is a school wide process. All students are included. Students will move in and out of the problem solving process as need dictates. Should the data indicate that your child would benefit from additional instruction, your child’s teacher will contact you by mail or telephone and explain why you child is being considered for the RTI intervention process.

What if I can’t understand the charts and data?
At any time questions arise, please contact the classroom teacher. He/she will be happy to go over all data and materials with you in person.

Will my child always be an RTI student?
No probably not. RTI is a school wide process. All students are included. Once an intervention has achieved success, the student will no longer need   RTI intervention.

RTI Terms Defined

• Intervention – a change in the teaching method or program to address an individual student’s needs.
• Baseline Data – information collected from tests and classroom assignments which is used to compare information during and/or after a change in instruction has been made.
• Research-Based Instruction – teaching with  materials that have been scientifically proven to achieve results.
• Progress Monitoring – a means of scientifically checking a student’s understanding of the material presented to him/her.  It is also used to study the success or failure of the teaching method being used.
• Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM)-a way to keep track of all students’ progress in certain subjects.
• Assessment – tests that provide information about a student’s abilities.