Response to Intervention Ideas to Empower Students to Take a Role in Their Own Intervention Plans Jim Wright

Response to Intervention 2 Inference: Moving Beyond the Margins of the ‘Known’ “An inference is a tentative conclusion without direct or conclusive support from available data. All hypotheses are, by definition, inferences. It is critical that problem analysts make distinctions between what is known and what is inferred or hypothesized….Low-level inferences should be exhausted prior to the use of high-level inferences.” p. 161 Source: Christ, T. (2008). Best practices in problem analysis. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp ).

Response to Intervention 3 Examples of High vs. Low Inference Hypotheses High-Inference Hypothesis. The student is ‘just lazy’ and would do better if he would only apply himself. Known Unknown Low-Inference Hypothesis. The student has gaps in academic skills that require (a) mapping out those skill gaps, and (b) providing the student with remedial instruction as needed. Known Unknown An 11 th -grade student does poorly on tests and quizzes in math. Homework is often incomplete. He frequently shows up late for class and does not readily participate in group discussions.

Response to Intervention 4 Big Ideas: Similar Behaviors May Stem from Very Different ‘Root’ Causes (Kratochwill, Elliott, & Carrington Rotto, 1990) Behavior is not random but follows purposeful patterns. Students who present with the same apparent ‘surface’ behaviors may have very different ‘drivers’ (underlying reasons) that explain why those behaviors occur. A student’s problem behaviors must be carefully identified and analyzed to determine the drivers that support them. Source: Kratochwill, T. R., Elliott, S. N., & Carrington Rotto, P. (1990). Best practices in behavioral consultation. In A. Thomas and J. Grimes (Eds.). Best practices in school psychology-II (pp. 147=169). Silver Spring, MD: National Association of School Psychologists..

Response to Intervention 5 Student Motivation Levels Are Strongly Influenced by the Instructional Setting (Lentz & Shapiro, 1986) Students with learning or motivation problems do not exist in isolation. Rather, their instructional environment plays an enormously important role in these students’ degree of academic engagement. Source: Lentz, F. E. & Shapiro, E. S. (1986). Functional assessment of the academic environment. School Psychology Review, 15,

Response to Intervention 6 Student academic problems cause many school behavior problems. “Whether [a student’s] problem is a behavior problem or an academic one, we recommend starting with a functional academic assessment, since often behavior problems occur when students cannot or will not do required academic work.” Big Ideas: Academic Delays Can Be a Potent Cause of Behavior Problems (Witt, Daly, & Noell, 2000) Source: Witt, J. C., Daly, E. M., & Noell, G. (2000). Functional assessments: A step-by-step guide to solving academic and behavior problems. Longmont, CO: Sopris West, p. 13

Response to Intervention 7 Definitions of ‘Motivation’ “…motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of behavior.” Source: Motivation. (2007). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 13, 2007, from “Motivation is an internal state that activates, guides and sustains behavior.” Source: Educational psychology. (2007). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 13, 2007, from logy#Motivation “Motivation is typically defined as the forces that account for the arousal, selection, direction, and continuation of behavior.” Source: Excerpted from Chapter 11 of Biehler/Snowman, PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO TEACHING, 8/e, Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Response to Intervention 8 Unmotivated Students: What Works The relationship between the two factors is multiplicative. If EITHER of these factors (the student’s expectation of success on the task OR the student’s valuing of that success) is zero, then the ‘motivation’ product will also be zero. 1.the student’s expectation of success on the task 2.the value that the student places on achieving success on that learning task Motivation can be thought of as having two dimensions: Multiplied by Source: Sprick, R. S., Borgmeier, C., & Nolet, V. (2002). Prevention and management of behavior problems in secondary schools. In M. A. Shinn, H. M. Walker & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp ). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. ……………… 10 X 0...………… 0 ……………… 0 X 10...………… 0 ……………… 10 X...………… 100

Response to Intervention 9 Childhood and Beyond Longitudinal Project 3 cohorts of children (about 250 children per cohort) were followed across elementary, middle and high school. (Children were recruited from 4 middle-class school districts in the midwest.) In the subject areas of math, language arts, and sports, students were asked each year to rate their competence in the subject and their valuing of it. Source: Jacobs, J. E., Lanza, S., Osgood, D. W., Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Changes in children’s self-competence and values: Gender and domain differences across grades one through twelve. Child Development, 73,

Response to Intervention 10 Childhood and Beyond Longitudinal Project: Some Findings Ratings of both competence and value declined for all 3 subject areas (math, language arts, and sports) for boys and girls as they grew older. Girls rated themselves lower in competence in math throughout school— until grade 12, when boys and girls converged in their ratings (because boys’ ratings declined faster than did girls’ ratings). Across all grade levels, boys rated themselves significantly less competent than did girls in language arts. Not surprisingly, boys’ and girls’ valuing (enjoyment, liking) of a subject area correlated with perceived ability. Generally, boys and girls who rated themselves as lowest in ability also rated their valuing of the subject area as lowest. Source: Jacobs, J. E., Lanza, S., Osgood, D. W., Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Changes in children’s self-competence and values: Gender and domain differences across grades one through twelve. Child Development, 73,

Response to Intervention 11 Our Working Definition of ‘School Motivation’ For This Workshop The student puts reasonable effort into completing academic work in a timely manner.

Response to Intervention 12 Intervention Responsibilities: Examples at Teacher, School-Wide, and Student Levels Signed agenda ‘Attention’ prompts Individual review with students during free periods Lab services (math, reading, etc.) Remedial course Homework club Teacher School-Wide Take agenda to teacher to be reviewed and signed Seeking help from teachers during free periods Student

Response to Intervention 13 Sample ‘Student Intervention Contract’

Response to Intervention 14 Promoting Student Involvement in Secondary School RTI Intervention Team Meetings Train students in self-advocacy skills to participate at intervention team meetings (can be informal: e.g., conversation with Guidance Counselor) Provide the student with different options to communicate needs, e.g.,: –Learning needs questionnaire –Personal interview prior to meeting –Advocate at meeting to support student Ensure student motivation to take part in the intervention plan (e.g., having student sign ‘Intervention Contract’)

Response to Intervention 15 When Interventions Require Student Participation... Write up a simple ‘Intervention Contract’ that spells out –What the student’s responsibilities are in the intervention plan –A listing of the educators connected to parts of the intervention plan that require student participation--and their responsibilities –A contact person whom the student can approach with questions about the contract Have the student sign the Intervention Contract Provide a copy of the Intervention Contract to the student and parents Train the student to ensure that he or she is capable of carrying out all assigned steps or elements in the intervention plan

Response to Intervention 16 If the Student Appears Unwilling to Follow Through With the Plan… 1.Verify that the student has the necessary skills to complete all steps or elements of the intervention plan without difficulty. 2. Check that all adults who have a support role in the student’s personal intervention plan are carrying out their responsibilities consistently and correctly. 3.Hold an ‘Exit’ conference with the student--either with the entire RTI Intervention Team or with the student’s ‘adult contact’. It is recommended that the student’s parent be at this meeting. 4.At the ‘Exit’ meeting: Review all elements of the plan with the student. Share the evidence with the student that he or she appears able to implement every part of the personal intervention plan. Tell the student that he or she is in control—and that the intervention cannot be successful unless the student decides to support it. Tell the student that his or her intervention case is ‘closed’ but that the student can restart the plan at any time by contacting the adult contact.

Response to Intervention Secondary RTI Teams & Student Mental Health Services

Response to Intervention 18 Secondary RTI & Linkage to Student Mental Health Services “From our perspective, it is time to take a close look at all the pieces [that make up school mental health services]. To date, there has been no comprehensive mapping and no overall analysis of the amount of resources used for efforts relevant to mental health in schools or of how they are expended. Without such a "big picture" analysis, policymakers and practitioners are deprived of information that is essential in determining equity and enhancing system effectiveness. The challenge for those focused on mental health in schools is not only to understand the basic concerns hampering the field, but to function on the cutting edge of change so that the concerns are effectively addressed.” Source: Center for Mental Health in Schools. (n.d.). Mental health in schools: An overview. Retrieved on June 30, 2008, from

Response to Intervention 19 Secondary RTI & Linkage to Student Mental Health Services “Systemic changes must weave school owned resources and community owned resources together to develop comprehensive, multifaceted, and integrated approaches for addressing barriers to learning and enhancing healthy development. Moreover, pursuit of such changes also must address complications stemming from the scale of public education in the U.S.A. Currently, there are about 90,000 public schools in about 15,000 districts. Thus, efforts to advance mental health in schools also must adopt effective models and procedures for replication and ‘scale-up.’" Source: Center for Mental Health in Schools. (n.d.). Mental health in schools: An overview. Retrieved on June 30, 2008, from

Response to Intervention 20 Secondary RTI & Linkage to Student Mental Health Services: Recommendations Establish “formal linkages with agencies to enhance access and service coordination for students and families at the agency, at a nearby satellite clinic, or in a school-based or linked family resource center” (Adelman & Taylor, 2001, p. 18). NOTE: RTI Teams can be the catalyst to set up and sustain these linkages. Create district-level (or school-level) multi-disciplinary ‘mental health unit’ that organizes personnel with expertise in youth and mental health issues to coordinate intervention plans. (This team can coordinate with RTI Teams as needed.) Source: Adelman, H., & Taylor, L. (2001). Mental health in schools: Guidelines, models, resources, & policy considerations. Los Angeles: Center for Mental Health in Schools. Retrieved on July 2, 2008, from

Response to Intervention 21 Starting RTI in Your Secondary School: Enlisting students in intervention plans As a team: Talk about strategies to prepare students to be self-advocates and to attend RTI Team meetings. Discuss ways to motivate students to feel comfortable in accessing (and responsible FOR accessing) intervention resources in the school.