Barbara A. Marinak, Ph.D. Mount St. Mary’s University

 Implications of CCSS for students with specific learning disability  Humanizing RTI for the purpose of nurturing expertise and collaboration

Intervention or Instruction?

Intervention or Instruction

 While catalyzed by special education legislation, RTI is essentially a model of school reform with widespread implications for how all school personnel are prepared and how they implement instruction. (Richards, Pavri, Golez, & Canges, Murphy, 2007).

 Common Core State Standards are radically redefining what it means to be a proficient reader and writer.  Special education teachers must be trained in CCSS core expectations.

 Students with specific learning disability must be included in effectively differentiated core reading instruction and daily intervention aligned to the CCSS.

 Assess comprehensively. Narrowly focused assessments lead to limited interventions. For example, assessing and intervening in a reading sub skill such as rate, nonsense word recognition, or phonemic awareness results in minimal gains in the sub skill and no gains in reading comprehension. IES, 2009

 Must utilize diagnostic and formative assessments that reflect the complexity of core reading. Example: QRI-5

 Students with specific learning disability must receive comprehensive instruction delivered by highly effective teachers and interventionists.  Methodologically prioritize and bundle CCSS Example: inferencing, guided listening, compare/contrast

 Highly effective educators are: ◦ Are responsive to students’ needs ◦ Are willing and able to differentiate ◦ Emphasize higher order thinking in questioning, discussion, and tasks ◦ Are reflective and energized by instructional collaborations that bridge the methodological divide

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Attributes AnacondaReticulated Python African Python Indian PythonBoa Constrictor Where do they live? How do they have babies? What do they look like? How do they catch their prey?

 Need to view intervention as the opportunity to provide more explicit instruction with challenging texts and rigorous responding opportunities  Persistent eye on core!

*represents time spent with grade level rigor

 Intervention cannot be considered effective unless it provides for greater levels of proficiency in core.

 Advocates for students with specific learning disability must push back against the notion that a single number derived from a CCSS terminal assessment can represent a student's college/career readiness.

 Be simple  Be concrete  Be unexpected  Be credible  Encourage emotions  Share stories Made to Stick (Heaths)

 Create and communicate a systematic and comprehensive vision for RTI- with input from stakeholders.  Avoid decision paralysis.  Listen to how the vision is being discussed and interpreted by the stakeholders. Clarify confusion/misconceptions.

“ We need to stop thinking about kids in silos and focus our efforts on effective reading instruction… everywhere.” Ellen Fogelberg, Literacy Director Evanston District 65 Evanston, Illinois  All literacy professional development is conducted by district reading specialists.  School psychologists receive on-going PD from reading specialists.  School psychologist do literacy case studies.

RTI can become dehumanizing by overemphasizing data and underemphasizing the educators working on behalf of students.  Personalize communication about struggling readers by holding face-to- face discussions. Reserve for scheduling.

 Honor incidental collaboration.  Actively listen before offering suggestions or making a decision.

Advocate for RTI by taking actions that are consistent with your vision.  Classroom teachers always speak first.  Promote commitment to students by honoring all expertise at the RTI table.

Feelings inspire people to act.  Be sure to link the efforts of teachers and interventionists to the gains made by students.  Attribute growth to the specific actions of the team working on their behalf.

Share the stories of everyone who is working consciously and consistently on behalf of struggling readers.  Articulate the attributes of instruction that caused students to gain in proficiency.

 For example, growth in monitoring meaning can be attributed to standardizing a prompting protocol for clarification.

 Effectiveness can be replicated only if it is defined and understood.

 RTI presents a unique opportunity for on-going professional learning during what is sure to be a nomadic journey.

Effective instructors are proximal - at all times- to teaching and learning.