RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

The purpose of this interdisciplinary paper is to describe Response to Intervention (RTI), or multi-tier systems of support, for early literacy to improve reading outcomes for students with or at risk for reading disability. First we review the current US policy on RTI for the purpose of early literacy intervention and for identification of reading disabilities. We situate this within recent efforts in developing countries supported by the World Bank and the Early Grade Reading Assessments. Then, we highlight a large experimental study we conducted with first graders and provide findings from a third grade follow up. We conclude with implications for research, practice, and policy

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

The purpose of this interdisciplinary paper is to describe Response to Intervention (RTI), or multi-tier systems of support, for early literacy to improve reading outcomes for students with or at risk for reading disability. First we review the current US policy on RTI for the purpose of early literacy intervention and for identification of reading disabilities. We situate this within recent efforts in developing countries supported by the World Bank and the Early Grade Reading Assessments. Then, we highlight a large experimental study we conducted with first graders and provide findings from a third grade follow up. We conclude with implications for research, practice, and policy

Characteristics of General Education Reading Interventions Implemented in Elementary Schools for Students With Reading Difficulties

The implementation of response to intervention requires interventions for struggling students be provided through general education prior to referral for special education. We surveyed elementary teachers (K-3) in one state to examine the characteristics of the supplemental reading interventions that their students receive through general education. Findings reveal differences between grade levels in the amount of time interventions are provided to students, the providers of the intervention, and the material selection for the interventions. No differences between grade levels were noted in the frequency of intervention or instructional group sizes. Three-quarters of the teachers reported providing the supplemental interventions to students in their class. The findings provide insight into the resources utilized by schools to implement supplemental interventions

Direct impact of mindset on reading-based outcomes in upper elementary students with reading difficulties

Mindset involves an array of beliefs related to the malleability of certain attributes, including intelligence. One’s growth mindset comprises a variety of cognitive and motivational factors (e.g., learning goals, effort beliefs) and the perception that skill attainment and outcome in any domain are tethered to personal effort. A fixed mindset encompasses goals, beliefs, and perceptions that skill level is not malleable or impacted by effort. Structural equation models tested investigated direct and indirect pathways of mindset and motivational variables (i.e., learning goals, effort beliefs) with reading outcomes (i.e., word reading, fluency, reading comprehension) in a diverse sample of fourth grade students (n = 408) with reading difficulties. Results revealed a direct impact of fixed mindset (−0.21 to −0.36) and effort beliefs (0.18–0.31) on all standardized, reading-based outcomes. There were no significant mediating pathways. Results are juxtaposed to other research in this area, and practical implications are discussed. Growth mindset appears a robust predictor of positive academic outcomes, and it may be beneficial to facilitate growth mindset in classrooms

Teaching phonological awareness to at-risk learners in kindergarten and first grade : an analysis of four training programs

Includes bibliographical references (pages [67]-70)The content of four phonological awareness training programs was analyzed according to six principles of effective instructional design related to teaching students at-risk for reading failure. The four programs analyzed were selected because they are readily available and are grounded, at least in part, by research. All of the programs were comprehensive, but showed some differences in skill emphasis. Three of the programs also provided strong components in the areas of scaffolding, integration of skills, conspicuously taught strategies, and judicious review. However, large differences were found in the format of each program. Adaptations related to improving instruction for at-risk learners are presented for each program.M.S. Ed. (Master of Education

Response to varying amounts of time in reading intervention for students demonstrating insufficient response to intervention

textTwo studies examined response to varying amounts of time in reading intervention for first-grade students demonstrating low levels of reading after previous intervention. Each study utilized a separate sample of first-grade students who (a) were identified as at risk in the fall of first grade, (b) were randomly assigned to either a research intervention or no research intervention in the fall of first grade, and (c) did not meet exit criteria after the fall intervention period. Study 1 used an extant database representing a cohort of first-grade students during the 2003–2004 school year. The students who participated in the research intervention in Fall 2003 and demonstrated insufficient response continued to receive the research intervention (one 30-minute session per day) in Spring 2004. Students who were randomly assigned to no research intervention in Fall 2003 and demonstrated insufficient response continued in this group in Spring 2004. Thus, extant data from the spring intervention for two groups of students were used for viii Study 1: (a) research intervention (one 30-minute session daily) and (b) no research intervention. The first-grade participants for Study 2 represented a cohort of students during the 2004–2005 school year. Students participating in the research intervention in Fall 2004 were assigned to receive two 30-minute sessions of research intervention per day in Spring 2005. Students who were randomly assigned in Fall 2004 to no research intervention continued in this group in Spring 2005. Thus, two groups of students were examined in Study 2: (a) research intervention (two 30- minute sessions daily) and (b) no research intervention. The results of the studies suggest a research intervention may improve student response. That is, more students in the research intervention demonstrated accelerated learning over time than in the no research intervention. However, student response to one 30-minute session of daily intervention was similar over time to response after two 30-minute sessions of daily intervention for these students. Increased time in intervention might not have been enough to improve student response for these students who demonstrated insufficient response to previous interventionsSpecial Educatio

Response to intervention: Treatment validity and implementation challenges in the primary and middle grades

The primary purpose of this chapter is to describe intensive multicomponent reading interventions for use in Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation within elementary and middle schools. In early elementary grades, RTI has a focus on prevention through effective classroom instruction and increasingly powerful early interventions to meet student needs. By contrast, in middle school, the focus of RTI shifts to remediation and the provision of interventions with the power to help more students to be able to read on grade level. First, we provide an overview of RTI and explain the notion of treatment validity within RTI implementation. Next, we describe a kindergarten study that illustrates how the intensity of delivery may impact expected outcomes at Tier 2 and then summarize research on extensive interventions for the primary grades. Then we summarize remedial interventions for older students and examine the percent of older students whose reading could be normalized by focusing on a newly developed intensive middle school remedial intervention that incorporates code- and meaning-focused instruction in a peer-mediated format. Finally, we will discuss RTI challenges and implementation issues

Relations between Reading and Writing: A Longitudinal Examination from Grades 3 to 6.

We investigated developmental trajectories of and the relation between reading and writing (word reading, reading comprehension, spelling, and written composition), using longitudinal data from students in Grades 3 to 6 in the US. Results revealed that word reading and spelling were best described as having linear growth trajectories whereas reading comprehension and written composition showed nonlinear growth trajectories with a quadratic function during the examined developmental period. Word reading and spelling were consistently strongly related (.73 ≤ rs ≤ .80) whereas reading comprehension and written composition were weakly related (.21 ≤ rs ≤ .37). Initial status and linear slope were negatively and moderately related for word reading (-.44) whereas they were strongly and positively related for spelling (.73). Initial status of word reading predicted initial status and growth rate of spelling; and growth rate of word reading predicted growth rate of spelling. In contrast, spelling did not predict word reading. When it comes to reading comprehension and writing, initial status of reading comprehension predicted initial status (.69), but not linear growth rate, of written comprehension. These results indicate that reading-writing relations are stronger at the lexical level than at the discourse level and may be a unidirectional one from reading to writing at least between Grades 3 and 6. Results are discussed in light of the interactive dynamic literacy model of reading-writing relations, and component skills of reading and writing development