Presented by Julie A. DeCook ELL Program Support Teacher School District of Janesville WITESOL Conference October 9, 2009

Journeys like artists, are born and not made. A thousand differing circumstances contribute to them, few of them willed or determined by the will—whatever we make think. ~Lawrence Durrell

The Planets Aligned Disproportionate RtI in Law Standards -Based Reporting Curriculum Renewal Process Formative & Common Assessment Grading & Reporting Diversity- Focused Staff ELL Program Support More

Together Everyone Achieves More  Leadership from Special Education & Instructional Services  Ownership by Buildings & Central Office  Cross-district, Cross- specialty Collaboration

Steps in the Process  Opportunity to Learn  Interventions  Pre-Referral Considerations  Referral & Evaluation

Questions, Questions, and More Questions Post-It Activity  Opportunity to Learn  Interventions  Pre-Referral Considerations  Referral & Evaluation

Opportunity to Learn= AccessibleComprehensibleMeaningful Instruction In the Universal Classroom

AccessibleComprehensibleMeaningful Differentiation Cultural Relevancy Formative Assessment Linguistic Accommodations Teacher-Ownership of Learning Multiple Opportunities to Learn Talent Development

Cultural Relevance “Mirror, mirror on the wall, do I see myself at all?”

Proportionate Representation  Gifted Programming & Talent Development  Special Education Referrals & Identifications  Disaggregated Achievement Data  Disciplinary Data  Attendance Data

Opportunity to Learn What’s Working Well for You?

Intervention Issues  Research/Evidence-Based Interventions  Ecological Validity  Population Validity  Fidelity of Implementation

Intervention Selection & Progress Monitoring Issues  What is the expected trendline for growth?  Population-based trendline vs. standards- based trendlines.  Time it takes to acquire full proficiency vs. “fixing” gaps through 6-8 week interventions.

Models of RtI  Standards-Based: is the student meeting expected benchmarks for his/her grade-level?  Problem-Based: is the student making comparable/expected/appropriate progress in relation to “true peers”?

Intervention & Progress Monitoring What’s Working Well for You?

Prerefferal Considerations  Native language proficiency & literacy  Dominant language proficiency & literacy  Limited formal or interrupted schooling  Migrant Status  Refugee Experience  Schooling Practices in Native Country  Cultural and linguistic transfer issues  Health and Developmental History  Current Health: Vision & Hearing  Slow progress or no progress?

Prereferral Considerations  Are difficulties typical of “true peers” or red flags?  Do difficulties show across types of activities, content areas, skills, and languages?  Has the student had adequately supported English learning environments?  Have ELL strategies/interventions been successful?  Are there any red flags in the student’s schooling history? (Especially if outside the U.S.)

Referral  Dominant Language  Language of Instruction

Prereferral/Referral Considerations What Wisdom Do You Have to Share?

Essential Questions Per Tier to Ensure Appropriate Instruction of ELLs

Our Questions and Understandings thus Far

The Journey Continues