Building the Case for Multi-Tiered Instruction

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. John Sculley, 1987

What is Multi-Tiered Instruction? Systematic, data driven organization Smart use of resources Differentiation: more options EARLY INTERVENTION Accountability New ways for adults to work together A response to ever increasing diversity

First, getting it straight: Is a system of organizing general education curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of all students Integrates all supplementary support programs in order use resources more efficiently Applies to all students in a school Can exist without using Response to Intervention Is an evaluation procedure identified in the IDEA for identifying children as having learning disabilities Is a special education procedure that is limited to assessment Applies only to children suspected of having LD Cannot be implemented without a system like MTI in place Multi-Tiered InstructionResponse to Intervention

Why? One size doesn’t fit all We don’t have enough resources to intervene one by one We miss kids We wait too long to intervene

Because reading is normally distributed......a substantial number of students will need ongoing reading instruction through much of their schooling

We can’t intervene one by one... Overall, national longitudinal studies show that more than 17.5 percent of the nation's children--about 10 million children--will encounter reading problems in the crucial first three years of their schooling" (National Reading Panel Progress Report, 2000). In a 500 student school: 400 students will do fine with a good core curriculum 75 students will need systematic, ongoing specialized instruction 25 students will need intensive, individualized intervention

We miss kids... We over-identify some children Boys Language minority Economically disadvantaged We under-identify some children Girls

We wait too long to intervene...and it really matters because: Reading makes you smarter Every week a child is not reading, the chance there will be long term negative effects increases: Reading Cognitive Motivation

Reading makes children smarter: “This is a stunning finding because it means that students who get off to a fast start in reading are more likely to read more over the years, and, furthermore, this very act of reading can help children compensate for modest levels of cognitive ability by building their vocabulary and general knowledge. In other words, ability is not the only variable that counts in the development of intellectual functioning. Those who read a lot will enhance their verbal intelligence; that is, reading will make them smarter.” Cunningham and Stanovich, 1998

What did he say? Those who read have more: Vocabulary General Knowledge When you learn more, your brain and intellect develops Shaywitz, Fletcher, Dweck, etc. This is more important for those with poor backgrounds or less innate ability Reading and the Brain

Early reading can change a child’s future: Reading is a key to vocabulary development Vocabulary is the lynchpin of comprehension, prior knowledge and many cognitive skills

Implications for vocabulary development:  ESTABLISHED READERS: Learn about 3000 words per year by reading  POOR READERS: Could learn words per year if provided explicit vocabulary instruction

Implications for vocabulary development Independent Reading %tile Minutes Per Day Words Read Per Year ,358, ,823, ,146, , , , , , , , Adapted from Anderson,Wilson, and Fielding (1988).

The Matthew Effect For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. (Matthew 25:29) In other words, good readers get smarter while poor readers fall farther and farther behind.

Stanovich on the Matthew Effect: "Slow reading acquisition has cognitive, behavioral, and motivational consequences that slow the development of other cognitive skills and inhibit performance on many academic tasks... to put it more simply -- and sadly -- in the words of a tearful nine-year-old, already falling frustratingly behind his peers in reading progress, ‘Reading affects everything you do.’ " (Adams, 1990, pp ).

Reading skill forms self concept: “When kids are hesitant, disfluent, inaccurate, slow and labored in reading, that is very visible to their peers and remember the peers, the other kids, again look at reading as a proxy for intelligence. It doesn’t matter if this kid is already a genius and can do algebra in the second grade, reading produces particular perceptions. Better said, lousy reading produces a perception of stupidity and dumbness to peers and clearly to the youngster who is struggling. That is the shame. There are very visible differences between kids who are doing well with print and youngsters who are struggling with print. They feel like they’re failures; they tell us that.” Reid Lyon, Children of the Code, 2006

We wait too long to intervene...and it matters If intervention does not occur before age 7: 75% of children will continue to struggle throughout school (Adams, 1990) Approximately 75% of students identified with reading problems in the third grade are still reading disabled in the 9th grade. (Shaywitz, et al., 1993; Francis et al., 1996)

What about developmental readiness? More on Reading and the Brain

Cocktail party: I believe... I doubt... I am concerned about...

So What? How does this research about early learning and the brain change your thinking about Kindergarten? What practices would change in your school in grades K-3?

So... we adopt a new way of thinking about: Kids Curriculum Time Teamwork

TIER I: Research-Based Core Instruction & Screening for ALL students TIER II: Strategic Intervention & Progress Monitoring TIER III: Intensive Intervention & Progress Monitoring ~80% of Students ~15% ~5% 3-Tiered Continuum (Walker, 1996) The Multi-Tiered Model: