Week 4- Assignment #1

At first glance, after reading the articles on assessment and intervention last week (and having never heard of RTI or anything of its type before), it seemed to me that RTI is mainly instituted to help identify and assess students who may be having difficulties in literacy areas and may require special education services. It seemed to be very lengthy and rigorous and the process wasn’t so clear to me regarding what exactly RTI entailed and what its ultimate goal was. What really clarified it for me were the videos depicting its implementation in Iron Springs Elementary School, which explained to me how RTI was a tiered approach that involves ALL students, not just those who displayed struggles in class.

It, of course, worked as a tool to identify students who didn’t respond to the Tier 1 section of RTI and were subsequently supplemented with Tier 2 intervention, which is more individualized and conducted in smaller groups, and, if necessary, will be placed in to Tier 3, which is even more intensive an individualized. How the intervention works is that while the regular instruction/intervention is implemented in Tier 1, the model allows for identification based on the tier the individual students is on. What I found amazing was how the instruction was so individualized that for the student who was lagging behind, his learning opportunities which will allow him to catch up to his peers doesn’t make him lose out on time spent in the general education class but is rather extended and even more individualized to help him practice and solidify skills. If a students falls into tier 3 of intervention and is still struggling, the assessment aspect of RTI helps identify where the specific issues lie and if he or she requires special education services. So it really isn’t only about identifying learning disabilities, but trying to avoid the whole scene if possible by providing tiered instruction and early intervention.

What struck me as the most crucial aspect of the RTI program was the constant collaboration and teamwork amongst all those involved in the literacy education of the students, from the principal to the teachers to the aids and specialists. Like Principal Goshorn stated, “Literacy is everyone’s business” and the RTI program relies upon the collaboration and team effort to determine if a child requires Tier 2 or 3 intervention, or what steps are necessary to help the students succeed. I would love to learn more about the Tier 1 process and what exactly falls into that category and what steps are actually taken to confirm a learning disability if a student is struggling in a Tier 3.