Penn State York Summer Institute

Location: Penn State York Summer Institute Discussion Forum

Discussion: Chapter 4

Category: Discussion Forum / Successful Approaches to RTI

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juliebwise	Chapter 4 Jun 12 2011, 11:23 PM EDT The Comprehensive Intervention Model: A Systems Approach to RTI Post reply Do you find this valuable? Keyword tags: book chapter
KristenOliver	1. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 20 2011, 6:44 PM EDT In chapter 4 the book discusses the Comprehensive Intervention Model. On page 93 the book says that "The CIM proffers that teachers are the catalyst for continuous school improvement and that scripted packages and kits are counterproductive to teacher and student development." I think this is important because many times districts feel as though a new program is going to "fix" any issues there may be in reading and math. The book reminds us many times that an effective teacher can make more of an influence on students than an effective program. Teachers who care about their students and strive for their success are what make students care about learning and successful. On page 113 the book reminds us how important professional development is to success. Professionals sharing their views and strategies with each other creates a more cohesive school for students to learn in. The book reminds us that we need to have leadership inside the school holding us accountable for continuing to implement programs instead of just being trained and left to solve problems on our own. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
maggiehallman	2. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 20 2011, 7:56 PM EDT Chapter 4 is full of information about the CIM. I was particularly interested in the section on Comprehension Focus Interventions. (104-106) There are 3 types of comprehension units. Being a language arts teacher, I was most intrigued by the genre unit and the strategy unit. Although they have the same 4 phases; preparatory, reading, group book discussion and writing, they are different in their focus. It was hard for me to tell exactly how long each would take. I think that for an intervention, this process would be beneficial in accordance with the regular language arts class. I was also interested in the assessment wall for progress monitoring. This seems like a concrete way to keep track of each student. This way no student can "fall through the cracks" as they sometimes do. Along with the wall, the triage team has the ability to assess transfer students. This seems like a logical idea. This way all students are assessed. A CIM school requires a 100% commitment from everyone in the school. The professional development of the school team seems to be quite extensive. I am looking forward to checking out the website mentioned on page 113 in order to find out more about this model. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
megsnell	3. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 20 2011, 9:10 PM EDT As a reading specialist, these 2 quotes really spoke to me... ..."RTI is viewed as a schoolwide effort that changes perceptions and practices regarding struggling readers, thus influencing the literacy achievement of the entire school." (88) Very powerful! I must have read this quote from Marie Clay 10 times! "...inappropriate reading programs might lead students to practice inappropriate processing, day after day, year after year. As a result, these students develop highly practiced inappropriate response systems, which become very resistant to intervention" (91). This really brings home the point that we need to look at the teacher and the instruction and not just the student. Another powerful statement--"Teaching and learning are reciprocal processes, and any change within a school begins with change within the teacher" (92). When teachers change from within, and not because change is imposed on them through a district initiative, there is less chance of a cynical attitude (referred to in the Lipson presentation) developing. I like that the CIM is comprised of a portfolio of evidence-based interventions that rely more on teacher judgment and decision making rather than scripted kits and programs. I'm not sure how I feel about the limited amount of interventions, though. Which intervention do I choose for a fifth grader who lags behind in decoding / encoding? I plan to spend some time on the website to learn more about the interventions. I was also interested in the assessment wall described on page 108. This is something our RtII leadership team discussed implementing. I've seen them used in the primary grades, but I work in an intermediate school. Has anyone used an assessment wall successfully at those grade levels? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
allisonwhing	4. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 20 2011, 9:48 PM EDT This chapter focused on looking at RTI as a systems approach, meaning that it is a schoolwide effort. The school culture is structured to promote teacher collaboration and comprehensive approaches for student learning. One of the biggest things that stood out to me in this chapter is that it requires teachers to really look at their own instruction when students are not successful and work together with colleagues to come up with solutions that will best meet student needs. It was also interesting to note that the authors argued for giving teachers opportunities within the school day to grow professionally by observing, interacting, and learning from their colleagues. A schoolwide approach means making sure teachers speak a common language in regards to how struggling readers are perceived as well as the type of instruction they receive. I really liked how the authors emphasized that for RTI to be effective, teachers should make professional decisions about their students, rather than rely on programs. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
kasibuchanan	5. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 20 2011, 10:20 PM EDT \| Post edited: Jun 20 2011, 10:23 PM EDT Chapter 4 focuses on strategies and interventions that teachers can use to improve student comprehension and learning through a CIM (Comprehensive Intervention Model) approach. Reading this chapter, I focused on how I could apply this literacy intervention approach to my science classroom. On page 97, the authors provide a daily framework for incorporating RTI strategies into an elementary classroom. I'm curious how a daily middle school and high school schedule using RTI approaches might look in comparison. On page 98, the authors suggest that students who need additional help beyond the Tier One phase should work with intervention specialists either in small groups or individually. How often should this type of instruction happen at this level? This chapter also provided various CIM interventions that work for struggling students. The intervention that I was most interested in was the Content Focused Group (CFG) for content units since this intervention could work in conjunction with my science content curriculum. My school currently offers struggling students a science intervention program, but it does not seem as comprehensive as the one discussed on page 106 of the book. While my school's intervention program does help my science students with understanding the science content, it does not focus on reading comprehension strategies, understanding non-fiction text structure, or writing practice within the science content area. I wonder if these areas could be added into my school's present program to even better assist my struggling students? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
staceyabupp	6. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 2:16 PM EDT In Chapter 4, one of the main ideas I walked away with is the thought that general education teachers are responsible for all students under the RtII model. The authors stated that the discrepancy model that has been used since Learning Disabled became a category in the 1970’s has been used as a “catch all” for any student that did not learn using the regular curriculum. However, I think it was so crucial to not expect teachers to keep every student and teach them without training. In the Comprehensive Intervention Model, one component is professional development. Other parts of the framework include differentiated instruction that is high-quality, a portfolio of research-based intervention, and collaboration between teachers. In the author’s RTI model, they include four tiers with the fourth tier being special education. I think this is an important concept because so often tier 3 is often considered special education. One thought that came to mind is that I am so lucky to be able to work with students in the primary grades because it is the prime opportunity to work with students to improve their literacy skills. I felt the framework for scheduling found on page 97 would be a wonderful tool for general education teachers to use because one of the biggest questions surrounding RtII is: Where is the time to implement this? With the framework, teachers are provided with an outline that incorporates small group intervention time into the day. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
crystalfreed	7. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 2:36 PM EDT This chapter identified five factors contributing to literacy difficulties. It also discussed the tiers to RTI and gave examples. Our district uses the tiers and luckily has a lot of interventions in place for our students. It is really a benefit to see our students grow due to the interventions that our specialists provide our students. It was beneficial that this chapter discussed all of the interventions available. In my classroom, I use guided reading plus. This intervention is really important and valuable for students that are struggling with reading and writing. We also have a few of the other ones offered that are powerful. It would be great to have all the interventions available, however with budget cuts and the loss of positions; it is difficult to provide everything for the students. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
stevepatrick	8. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 7:21 PM EDT Chapter 4 focused mostly on the aspects and main points of the comprehensive intervention model. It discussed how this model needs to be used systematically and as a layered intervention tool rather then a linear model. Much of what was presented was background information of why this model came to fruition and how to apply it within the framework of reading and writing workshops. I was amazed and how the LD population has significantly decreased after implementation of this model and I gained some ideas for structuring how I conduct my reading and writing workshops, primarily in the areas of managing small group instruction and what the other students in the room should be doing, based upon research, while I'm attending to my small group. I specifically liked the section on comprehension focus interventions, because this is where I feel my students struggle the most, and it showed me that I need to incorporate more book discussion and involve more literature outside of our core program that relates to similar genres and assists in developing further background knowledge. Based on the chapter, I'd also like to create a new graph that tracks student progress for both formative and district wide assessments and use something similar to the wall for progress monitoring in my classroom. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
BarbaraPeachey	9. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 7:44 PM EDT After listening to Linda Dorn this morning, reading chapter 4 meant so much more. I truly appreciate the great detail provided in chapter 4 regarding the set up for a Comprehensive Intervention Model. On page 93, the authors state, "..CIM proffers that teachers are the catalyst for continuous school improvement..." That's both an empowering and terrifying statement. Fortunately, the authors clearly spell out the necessary elements for a successful CIM. The tiered approach with the notion of layering makes a lot of sense, and is a model which fully addresses student needs. On page 96, the authors address the second wave of literacy defense that occurs at the 4th-12th grade levels. They suggest schools redesign their literacy programs in three significant ways. I see our school taking action on the first 2, differentiated instruction and reading in the content areas, but we are moving backwards when it comes to number 3, small group interventions and one-to-one instruction. When our full time reading specialist retired a year ago, her position was eliminated. So now, there are no small group interventions other than those that the classroom teacher does within the confines of his or her own room. Our most struggling readers deserve more than this. The model is great, but we need the staff to make it work effectively in order for our students to reap the rewards. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
nancyschnelli	10. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 9:07 PM EDT The concept of this chapter really resonates with me. I am always asking, "why?" With CIM we are looking to identify and "cure" the cause, not mask the symptoms. If a student is not achieving, it is not the student's fault, but the instruction that is dissected. The question is asked, what am I, or the teacher involved with the student, doing that can be changed to obtain more successful results. I love this. In other words, the teacher is the source of change and decision making. I have a hard time understanding how we are so quick to blame the student when he or she is not the one with knowledge of learning. My largest concern for the CIM model of RTII to be implemented into schools is the idea of on-going, regular professional development. Just like anything else, without knowledge and understanding the implementation of any concept is doomed before it starts. If a district is coming from multiple directions and there is little consistency, any school/district wide effort becomes a mish-mash of ideas that can only lead to confusion and dissent. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
KristinDonnellyGreen	11. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 9:54 PM EDT On page 92 It is once again stated the importance of the teacher being the "expert".I really agree with the statement about teaching and learning being a reciprocal process and that any change within the school needs to begin with a change within the teacher....so true but what an awesome responsibility we have as a classroom teacher. It is so important for educators to constantly refine our teaching to meet the needs for ALL our students! Post reply Do you find this valuable?
devonbetz	12. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 10:08 PM EDT " As a reading specialist, these 2 quotes really spoke to me... ..."RTI is viewed as a schoolwide effort that changes perceptions and practices regarding struggling readers, thus influencing the literacy achievement of the entire school." (88) Very powerful! I must have read this quote from Marie Clay 10 times! "...inappropriate <nobr>reading programs</nobr> might lead students to practice inappropriate processing, day after day, year after year. As a result, these students develop highly practiced inappropriate response systems, which become very resistant to intervention" (91). This really brings home the point that we need to look at the teacher and the instruction and not just the student. Another powerful statement--"Teaching and learning are reciprocal processes, and any change within a school begins with change within the teacher" (92). When teachers change from within, and not because change is imposed on them through a district initiative, there is less chance of a cynical attitude (referred to in the Lipson presentation) developing. I like that the CIM is comprised of a portfolio of evidence-based interventions that rely more on teacher judgment and decision making rather than scripted kits and <nobr>programs</nobr>. I'm not sure how I feel about the limited amount of interventions, though. Which intervention do I choose for a fifth grader who lags behind in decoding / encoding? I plan to spend some time on the website to learn more about the interventions. I was also interested in the assessment wall described on page 108. This is something our RtII leadership team discussed implementing. I've seen them used in the primary grades, but I work in an intermediate school. Has anyone used an assessment wall successfully at those grade levels? " The two statements you quote from the chapter ARE powerful! As a fellow reading specialist, those two statements made me stop in my tracks and reread as I was skimming through everyone's responses! I wasn't going to choose Chap 4 as on of the two chapters to read this week, but maybe now I will. Thanks for bringing both those statements to my attention! Post reply Do you find this valuable?
rose_spangler	13. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 21 2011, 10:25 PM EDT On pg. 96 Dorn and Henderson write about schools redesigning their literacy programs to differentiate, place emphasis on comprehension in content area classes, and provided interventions including small group and 1:1 instruction. I feel fortunate to have spent the first eight years of my teaching career in special education. I feel that it has prepared me to meaningfully implement differentiated instruction, since my learning support classroom was a revolving door of intermediate grades 4,5, and 6. I also know what is is like to work with small groups of students and/or 1:1 with intervention and supplemental materials. After eights years, I transferred to a regular education classroom. We are departmentalizing this year, and I feel my new focus can be on the comprehension in content areas, since I will be responsible for teaching science and social studies, along with reading. The layered aspect of intervention (in the classroom) has always made sense. Removing students to supplement core instruction never sat well with me. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
patriciaking	14. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 6:01 AM EDT \| Post edited: Jun 22 2011, 6:05 AM EDT Long before the RTI initiative, when IST was first implemented, there was a belief in the educational world that IST would delay or prevent the placement of students in special education. Some teachers even felt that we were doing harm to students because we weren't intervening early enough. This chapter does an excellent job of clarifying what benefits RTI would have for students as early as Kindergarten and First grade. By identifying areas of difficulty and implementing interventions early within the regular classroom setting, the success rate of all students will dramatically improve and decrease the placement of these students unnecessarily in a more restrictive placement. Even if students are placed in a small group or 1:1 setting in a tier two or tier three level, they have greater chances of being released from services within a shorter period of time. All of this is accomplished just by intervening and providing good needed instruction within a general education setting. The way the "intervention" and "layered" approaches are described are quite informative. The layered approach makes sense although collaboration is needed among teachers to make this approach effective. Our district now has collaborative meeting times three times within a six day cycle. For those of us who are doing small group interventions in a general education setting, the collaborative meeting times would be a great time to discuss a "layered approach" in order to boost student achievement. I am very interested in the assessment wall (p.108-110) for progress monitoring purposes. Being part of our building's data team, I think this sounds like a great way to observe student performance and movement between performance levels. We currently have all student information in Tetra data, but at a glance, we can observe this info as a group and discuss current trends within our building without looking at a computer screen. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
MadelynnRiedel	15. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 6:09 AM EDT After hearing Linda Dorn yesterday, I wanted to learn more by reading the chapter she co-authored, specifically focusing on the CIM systems approach. This chapter brought it all together for me. She wrote of changing the school culture, having on-going professional development and using expert teachers in collaboration with one another. The quote on page 91, "teaching and learning are reciprocal processes," once again stressed the need to look inward first in order to help struggling readers. She compared the tier 3 and tier 4 approaches to intervention. The main difference is the 4 tier is layered and focuses on how the student responds to intervention. If it's not working for the student, adjust the teaching. Makes lots of sense to me. I plan to use the great reference section following this chapter. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Jessitracy	16. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 10:03 AM EDT Chapter 4 discusses how important it is for schools to identify the underlying causes that may be contributing to the problems in your school. It talks about how the most common structures for implementing a RTI method is the 3 Tiered Framework. The classroom teacher plays an important role in using data and classroom observations to place students in the appropriate intervention. In this chapter an example of a Tier 1 Elementary Classroom Framework is given. Interventions that can be done by the classroom teacher are described in this chapter also. One example given is Guided Reading Plus, which I found to be very beneficial in my own classroom. Formative assessment and assessment walls are also an important factor to monitor the progress of students. Our school district has implemented many aspects of RTI. The 3 Tiered Framework helps guide the interventions for our students. Our PLC time allows the classroom teachers and reading specialists to discuss the students’ progress and identify students that may need a different intervention. I feel our elementary building has been very successful using various parts of RTI to identify students that need extra support. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
jenniferstrobeck	17. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 2:04 PM EDT I liked reading the part of the chapter that discussed the dynamic interventions in a layered 4 tiered framework. The presenters this week have made it very clear, the most important thing going on in our classrooms is the core classroom program must be strong with clear expectations and goals for the students. Tier 2 is small group with intensity that relates to group size and expertise and duration in this group depends on student need. Tier 3 is the 1 on 1 such as Reading Recovery. Tier 4 is the referral process after the student has received intervention in layers 1, 2, and 3. My school is implementing RTI in grades 1 and 2 and we use a 3 tier model. Our Tier 1 is core instruction with the teacher, our Tier 2 is myself, the reading specialist, and our Tier 3 students work with the learning support teacher. Our groups are dynamic and interactive and we have RTI meetings to discuss our progress monitoring and track our student progress. The chapter also discussed guided reading plus , which is used at my school in grades 1 and 2 during guided reading by the classroom teachers and reading specialist with Title 1 groups. The things I would like to try next year discussed in this chapter are assisted writing and comprehension focus interventions. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
SlatonM	18. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 2:22 PM EDT I read chapter 4 in order to learn more about CIM. Dr. Dorn suggested that professionals ask a few key questions to determine how their school perceives the struggling reader. My school may have to make a huge shift from the viewing the struggling reader as “the Title I teacher’s job” when we begin RtII in the fall. In all of the presentations, the first line of defense has been Tier I, good classroom teaching for ALL students. This chapter also discussed the “layered approach” which Dr. Dorn discussed in her presentation. The graph on page 95 is a great visual. I will be sharing this with my classroom teachers along with the quote "The layered framework views all teachers as intervention specialists, including classroom teachers ..." Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Almqukat	19. RE: Chapter 4 Jun 22 2011, 2:46 PM EDT After hearing Linda Dorn speak yesterday morning I really was excited to read chapter 4 and continue learning about her research on RTI intervention. I think the section that drew my attention the most was the Assessment Wall for Progress Monitoring on pg. 108. Two years ago at my school we had an assessment wall for our first graders, my grade level partner and I would update the assessment wall monthly with the students independent reading level. We had a short coding system and looked at the kids and how they could be grouped for guided reading. Afterwards we would have conversations on the students growth and spent time taking a look at the "bubble" kids who were making slow and steady progress. While using the assessment wall I felt like the information we had gained and the conversation we had were not valuable enough for the time it took to update it each month. After reading this chapter I wish we had extended the assessment wall into the second and third grade. I think of the powerful conversations we could have had about trends across the grade levels, student progress and what the teaching team as a whole did to provide support to the kids who need it the most. I also feel like it could have been a great resource for getting students ready for the PSSA's and help assist them reach the proficient/advanced level. Overall, I feel we started the assessment wall at our building and didn't use it to it's full potential. The conversations we had and the use of the data wasn't as powerful as it could have been due to not including enough people and other grade levels. I think we should do it again and see how we can build upon it to make it more affective! Post reply Do you find this valuable?