Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a three-tiered model intended to prevent students who struggle in the general classroom setting from failing. RTI involves identifying the underlying reasons for the student’s difficulties (learning and/or behavioral) and providing appropriate levels of support through intervention and instruction.

RTI allows for rapid response and timely intervention so that students receive the help they need when they need it. It is intended to prevent students from being incorrectly identified as having disabilities, helping to ensure that schools appropriately support each student who requires some level of intervention.

How does RTI work?

RTI generally includes three levels, or tiers, of intervention. Tiers 1 and 2 take place in the general education classroom while Tier 3, the most intensive level, is for students who require special education services to address identified disabilities.

According to the RTI Action Network, there are four components to the RTI model:

1. High-quality, research-based classroom instruction for all students
2. The use of a multi-level system that ensures instruction and intervention are appropriate to individual students
3. The use of screening to identify those students who might be at risk of failure and continuous monitoring of student learning to determine progress as well as effectiveness of the intervention methods used
4. Parental involvement, to ensure that parents are informed about their child’s progress and the instruction and interventions their child receives, the staff providing instruction and support, and the academic and/or behavioral goals for their child

Can RTI be used with English learners?

It is often the case that English is the only language of instruction available to English learners, or that schools simply cannot offer a full range or programming or resources to these students. Many ELs also arrive in schools with limited or interrupted prior schooling and require programming tailored to their learning needs.

For RTI to be used successfully with ELs, schools must have:

1. Programming for English learners that is known to be sound and properly resourced, and is proven to be effective.
2. Educators and school leaders with a sound understanding of English language and content learning.
3. Teachers who productively incorporate cultural diversity into the learning environment.

The most effective RTI models for English Learners are those that include the use of a student’s native language and respect for students’ cultural backgrounds and differences.

What can schools do to increase the effectiveness of RtI with English learners?

1. Understand their “communities of learners.” Schools can develop an empathetic and knowledgeable understanding of their students’ sociocultural, linguistic, academic, and cognitive backgrounds, and construct their learning environment accordingly.
2. Provide increased professional development for school leaders, teachers, and specialists to provide them with a better understanding of their communities of learners, and promote sound instructional programming and practices, especially for struggling learners.
3. Implement daily ESL instruction by trained ESL teachers to provide ELs with a continuum of English language development.
4. Provide content instruction by teachers that are trained to teach English learners.
5. Build on student’s home language strengths in instruction and outreach and secure bilingual and bicultural support whenever possible.
6. Develop a system-wide approach to evaluating the English learning environment and assessing English learner performance.

CELE’s work in a number of areas can help schools and districts identify and work with struggling learners. We offer professional development for school leaders, general classroom teachers, and specialists in:

• Second language principles, practices, assessment, and literacy development (in Massachusetts, commonly referred to as Category 1, 2, 3, & 4 trainings)
• Understanding and working with communities of learners
• Identifying and Working with English Learners with Learning Differences and Learning Disabilities
• Working with struggling learners
• Professional Learning Communities that address issues often at the root of struggles in the classroom, such as English Language Learning, dual language learning in early education and care settings, and the impact of poverty on schooling

For more information these services, contact us directly.

Where can I learn more about RTI?

• Transforming Schools for English Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders, Dr. Debbie Zacarian (Corwin Press, 2011)
• National Center on Response to Intervention
• RTI Action Network
• Cultural Considerations with Response to Intervention Models, Klinger, J.A., Edwards, P.A. (January/February/March 2006). Reading Research Quarterly.
• Cultural Considerations and Challenges to Response-to-Intervention Models Position statement by the Equity Alliance.

RTI Resources