We will start shortly. Feel free to relax and chat while you wait for class to begin. Our agenda for tonight’s seminar is to discuss Response to Intervention, Progress Monitoring, and Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Identification, as well as your role as a paraprofessional.

 Autism  Deaf-Blindness  Deafness  Emotional Disturbance  Hearing Impairment  Mental Retardation  Multiple Disabilities  Orthopedic Impairment  Other Health Impairment  Specific Learning Disabilities  Speech and Language Impairment  Traumatic Brain Injury  Visual Impairment

“The purpose of RTI is to identify those children who are struggling in school and to ensure that each of those children receive just the right instruction or intervention to be successful” (Mellard, McKnight, & Deshlar, 2007, p. i). Mellard, D. F., McKnight, M.A., & Deshler, D.D. (2007). The ABCs of RTI: A guide for parents. Retrieved from (See web site in course. The link cannot be included due to the platform for Seminars). School-wide screening or Individual screening Tiered Instruction – 3 tiers Progress Monitoring Fidelity indicators

 Results from yearly national, state, or district test.  Screening tests in the beginning, middle and end of the year, or  Both Example of Screening: Oral Reading Fluency Test

 Instruction is given in the general education classroom by a regular classroom teacher.  The focus is on student population. Core academic curriculum (dictated by state or district standards and school) in combination with adaptations and accommodations is made by general educators.  After monitoring, if very little progress is made, the teacher will consult with other professional to determine if the child needs to move up to tier 2 instruction. “Instruction occurs in tiers, or levels is called tiered instruction” (Mellard, McKnight, & Deshlar, 2007, p. 6). Mellard, D. F., McKnight, M.A., & Deshler, D.D. (2007). The ABCs of RTI: A guide for parents. Retrieved from (See web site in course. The link cannot be included due to the platform for seminars).

 Instruction and intervention are provided with an increased level of intensity  Tier 2 and Beyond consists of general education instruction plus the following intervention:  Small-group instruction (2-4 students)  3-4 intervention sessions per week (30-60 minutes per session)  Conducted by trained and supervised personnel (not the classroom teacher)  Conducted in and out of the general education classroom  9-12 weeks in duration (repeated, as needed) Bradley, R. (2007). Responsiveness to intervention (RTI): Reading and math standardized Tier 2 research- based intervention. Retrieved from National Research Center on Learning Disabilities website.

 The final tier consists of general education instruction plus an individualized intervention (special education instruction):  Individualized instruction (1-3 students)  4-5 intervention sessions per week (60-90 minutes per session)  Conducted by trained special education personnel (not the classroom teacher)  Conducted in and out of the general education classroom  One school-year in duration Bradley, R. (2007). Responsiveness to intervention (RTI): Reading and math standardized Tier 2 research- based intervention. Retrieved from National Research Center on Learning Disabilities website.

Teachers assess students academic performance throughout every tier, using brief measures, on a frequent basis  To determine whether children are profiting appropriately from the typical instructional program  To build more effective programs for children who do not benefit adequately from typical instruction Fidelity indicators help make sure that the material that is being used is appropriate for the student and is being used in exactly the way developers designed them to be used.

Paraprofessionals, or Paraeducators, can be a valuable part of Response to Intervention Teams by:  assisting classroom teachers and special educators with screening  assisting teachers with benchmarking and progress monitoring assessments  recording observations of behavior and learning strategies  entering assessment data into management system  serving as member of intervention team  collaborating with teachers to provide support for students  helping implement interventions  participating in school-wide professional development Laura B. Hauerwas, L.B. & Goessling, D.P. (2008). Who are the interventionists? Guidelines for paraeducators in RTI. Retrieved from (See web site in course. The link cannot be included due to the platform for seminars).

for attending tonight!