The article Response to Intervention (RtI): An IDEA Whose Time Has Come, as well as the article Differentiate Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit define response to intervention as a way for educators to respond to individualized student learning needs before referring a student for special education. Both articles agree that the goal of the RTI process is to provide interventions for a student before gaps occur in their learning that are too great to be closed.
The articles also both mention that RTI is structured based on pyramid structure. Interventions become more consistent and intensive as students move to the top of their tiered structure.
The article Response to Intervention (RtI): An IDEA Whose Time Has Come emphasizes the importance of TIER one instruction. The article mentions the use of using research based materials and providing professional development for teachers to ensure that lack of instruction is not a cause for students to be referred to special education.
The article Differentiate Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit discusses that RTI and differentiated instruction are not two different campus initiatives that lend themselves to student success, rather they are interconnected strategies that are best practices in the classroom. Differentiation is making sure that the needs of all the learners in the classroom are met, and RTI is a process that tracks and monitors that the differentiated needs of students are being accounted for.
RTI is a critical component of instruction. TIER one instruction is the most valuable part of the RTI process in my opinion. By providing research based instructional practices for all students, educators are ensuring that their students have had an opportunity to participate in meaningful learning experiences. Learning must be tracked and monitored; however, what the teacher does in response to that information is the most vital component of differentiated instruction. Students must have opportunities for small group instruction within the classroom to meet individualized learning needs. After students have had exposure to multiple ways to hear instruction, if they are unsuccessful in the classroom then it is at that point that they should move up the RTI pyramid structure.
The information gained from these articles will help me be a more valuable collaborator at future child study meetings at my campus. I plan to use and share the Ten Intervention Tips mentioned in the article Response to Intervention (RtI): An IDEA Whose Time Has Come the next time I hear a teacher needing additional strategies to reach a student.
RTI must be consistent, meaningful, and used to meet ALL student's needs in order to be successful.
Dermisky, S. (2010 ,October).
Differentiated Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct10/vol68/num02/Differentiated-Instruction-and-RTI@-A-Natural-Fit.aspx
Oliver, B. Rutherford, P. (2010, August). Differentiate Instruction and RTI: A Natural Fit.
