Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 MODULE 4: TIERED INSTRUCTION Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development Unit 3, Session 3

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 WHAT CAUSES A TI MODEL TO FAIL? 4.3.3

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Session Overview  Unit 3, Session 3 Questions:  What makes TI challenging for schools?  What considerations need to be made in order to avoid failure of a literacy plan?  Unit 3, Session 3 Objectives:  Understand what can cause a TI action plan to fail  Consider strategies for avoiding failure 3

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Warm-Up: Assessing the Pitfalls  Rate the 11 pitfalls (Hall) according to which ones you think your school is in the most danger of running into as it implements TI 4

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 What Makes TI Challenging?  Enormity of the process  Affects every teacher  Includes drastic changes in philosophy and practice  Creation of a plan  Collection of useful materials  Teacher literacy knowledge  Scheduling & staffing  Assessment 5

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Reasons for Failure  Poor sense of overall purpose & goal  Lack of faculty cooperation  Too much reliance on special education for delivery instead of collaboration  Weak leadership  Limited teacher training/professional development  Not enough assessment data (student & program) 6

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Purpose In functional TI programs:  Focus on helping students  Willingness to change practices to suit their needs  Clear goals and mission communicated to faculty  Understanding of TI (philosophy & process)  Understanding of school’s literacy plan In struggling TI programs:  Feel like you “have to”  Frustration with/reluctance to change current practices  Unclear TI goal and mission/not communicated  Lack of knowledge about TI (philosophy & process)  Unfamiliarity with school’s literacy plan 7

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Cooperation In functional TI programs:  Teachers collaborate & share resources to ensure instructional consistency  Common planning time is available for collaboration  Special education advises regular education In struggling TI programs:  Teachers each create their own plans without collaboration  Common planning time is not provided  Too much reliance on special education services 8

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 The Role of Special Education In functional TI programs:  Special education teachers advise regular education teachers  Special educators are seen as expert literacy resources  Assistance with Tier 2 & Tier 3 is provided with consideration of staffing ability In struggling TI programs:  Special education teachers are expected to deliver all literacy instruction  General education teachers do not take advantage of special education expertise  Special education staff are stretched thin as they participate in TI 9

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Leadership In functional TI programs:  TI supported and directed by the administration  Clear presence through the process of planning & implementation  Open communication with faculty about decisions, questions & concerns  Dedication to ongoing professional development In struggling TI programs:  Inconsistent administrative support  Lack of strong, noticeable presence during planning & implementation  Poor communication with faculty about decisions, questions & concerns  Inadequate professional development opportunities 10

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Professional Development In functional TI programs:  Initial training in TI (process & philosophy)  Ongoing opportunities for literacy training in general education  Answering the needs of the teachers as they arise in implementation In struggling TI programs:  Inadequate initial TI training  Infrequent opportunities for general education literacy training  Professional development that does not directly apply to the current school needs 11

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Assessment Data In functional TI programs:  Clear assessment procedure  Data collected on a regular basis  Different modes & frequency of assessment at each tier  Teacher training in assessment  Data are used in decision making In struggling TI programs:  Unclear assessment procedure  Sporadic data collection  Lack of consideration for appropriate assessment for each tier of intervention  Lack of teacher knowledge about assessment  Decisions made without data-driven basis 12

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Ways to Avoid Failure  Keep faculty informed of decisions  Provide time for planning & collaboration  Have a clear & realistic vision of the role of special education in your literacy plan  Form a strong leadership team  Provide ongoing, relevant professional development  Make assessment meaningful 13

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Wrap-Up  Things to Remember:  The implementation of a literacy plan can be overwhelming.  Dedication to the process is important to maintain unity and consistency of purpose.  Weakness in any aspect of your literacy plan can be avoided by communication and immediate productive, and constructive problem solving. 14

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 Wrap-Up Activity  Choose the two pitfalls that you think are the most likely to occur and hinder the implementation of TI.  Identify what strategies the school community can put into place in order to avoid making these mistakes. 15

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 For Next Time  What can be done to avoid failure by…  Administrators?  Literacy/RTI team?  Classroom teachers?  Literacy specialists/special education instructors? 16

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 3 References Fuchs, L, & Fuchs, D. (2006). A Framework for building capacity for responsiveness to intervention. School Psychology Review, 35(4), 621  626. Hall, S. (2010). Create your implementation blueprint: Avoiding implementation pitfalls. Retrieved from Implementation-Blueprint-Avoiding-Implementation-Pitfalls Hall, S. (2010). Create your implementation blueprint stage 6: Sustainability. Retrieved from Implementation-Blueprint-Stage-6-Sustainability 17