Explanation of a Theory- RtI

Derrick Bushon

Doctoral Student- Eastern Michigan University

EDLD 794

December 5, 2010

Instructional strategies used by teachers continue to be a topic of school reform and improvement as focus remains on increasing student achievement. The presentation and instructional process is diverse for the student and classroom as a whole. The teacher needs to differentiate student levels and provide specific instructional methodology for a diverse learning group of students. One specific study of nine instructional strategies was conducted in 2001. "We used a research technique referred to as meta-analysis. A meta-analysis combines the results from a number of studies to determine the average effect of a given technique. " (Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, 2001, p. 4). The instructional strategies provide teachers with a number of methods and ideas leading to effective teaching and improved student achievement.

Marzano cautions that these “high-yield” strategies may mislead teachers and administrators as to the effectiveness on achievement. Teachers should rely on their knowledge of their students, their subject matter, and their situations to identify the most appropriate instructional strategies. The list was highly limited in perspective. Effective pedagogy involves a variety of interacting components. (Marzano, 2009) The interacting components related to instructional strategy are needed interventions, a measured response to the interventions, and a form of differentiated instruction. While it is critical to lesson planning and instructional strategy development, the teacher must have a measured knowledge of individual student ability levels and what intervention or approach to instruction to use.

The intervention and response to the intervention is a three-tiered approach tied to specific student needs and measured for outcomes. To explain this theory one must have a basic knowledge of the components. An intervention is a change in learning or behavioral approach to attempt to improve performance and achieve progress. The progress is monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction by individual student or the class groupings. The intervention is research-based and proven to be effective for most students. The tiered approach provides increased intensity of intervention for each measured level and is used to continue intervention or return the student to the classroom upon successful demonstration of achievement or progress. Clarification of the model for response to intervention (RtI) is critical. A worthwhile place to start is to attempt to offer some clarity about what is being proposed as the multi-tier service delivery model that uses RTI as its recurrent scheme to design interventions, monitor progress, and make both small-scale and large-scale decisions about students (Kovaleski, 2007).

In a multi-tiered model of intervention, services are provided on a continuum for all students, differentiated instruction is provided as needed, and overall prevention is an emphasis. To provide interventions on a continuum, the strength of interventions must be considered. (Danielson, Doolittle & Bradley, 2007). School-based instruction teams must balance the needs of the student, in terms of strength, with the resources available (Daly, Martens, Barnett, Witt & Olson, 2007). The instructional strategies in conjunction with the intervention methodology provide diverse and differentiated plans as well as measured outcomes for student success.

In special education there are two varying approaches to the research of response to intervention. The standard protocol approach of the Individuals Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) group refers to the use of research-principled curricula and evidence-based, class-wide programs at Tier 1 and small-group tutoring accompanied by scripted protocols at Tier 2. It is top-down because the nature of instruction is researcher-determined (Fuchs, Fuchs, & Stecker, 2010). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) group versions of problem solving are bottom-up. They rely on the experience and innovation of the practitioner to recreate standard practice by extending or combining it with other practices to personalize it for each student and circumstance. Problem solving frequently takes the form of differentiated instruction at Tier 1 and behavioral consultation at higher tiers.

The basis for the RTI programs are often discussed as Tier 1 and 2 in general education while reserving the Tier 3, or highly intense interventions for special education students. Tier 1 should be considered as differentiated instructional in intent. The Tiers 2 and 3 are then reserved for interventions requiring behavioral improvement (Fuchs, Fuchs & Stecker, 2010). The concepts and theories for student improvement will continue to be researched and debated as part of the search for improvement in student achievement and progress.

References

Daly, E. J., III, Martens, B. K., Barnett, D., Witt, J. C., & Olson, S. C. (2007). Varying intervention delivery in response to intervention: Confronting and resolving challenges with measurement, instruction, and intensity. School Psychology Review, 36, 562-581.

Danielson, L., Doolittle, J., & Bradley, R. (2007). Professional Development, Capacity Building, and Research Needs: Critical Issues for Response to Intervention Implementation. School Psychology Review, 36(4), 632.

Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L. S., & Stecker, P. M. (2010). The blurring of special education in a new continuum of general education placements and services. Exceptional Children, 76(3), 301.

Kovaleski, J. F. (2007). Response to intervention: Considerations for research and systems change. School Psychology Review, 36(4), 638.

Marzano, R. J. (2009). Setting the record on high-yield strategies: Watching your work adopted by educators across the nation is flattering, but not if it's widely misinterpreted. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(1), 30.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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This work is licensed by Derrick Bushon under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.

Last edited by Derrick Bushon on Dec 10, 2010 3:35 pm -0600.