Response to Intervention (RTI): What Teachers of Reading Need to Know

I found this article to be extremely interesting. The article is about the RTI model which
is also known as Response to Intervention. According to RTI Action Network, RTI is a multi-tier
approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs.
The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in
the general education classroom. Struggling learners are provided with interventions at
increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. RTI simply helps learners learn
on the level that suites them the best.
The article starts by stating that 80% of students identified for special education struggle
with literacy. That is an extremely large number of students that teachers need to be aware of.
The article continues and states the RTI in theory which can provides an answer to why the RTI
model was developed. RTI was developed because of the many problems with the discrepancy
model for identifying students with learning disabilities. In 1977, a learning disability was
defined as a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability. The articles next
section was The Law and it identifies the 2004, Public Law 108-446 which introduced RTI
language. It states that states cannot be required to use the discrepancy model for identifying
learning disabilities but may permit the use of a process based on the childs response to
scientific, research-based intervention. The article moves on to the RTI process.
The RTI process can be broken up into five different steps. The first step consists of
Universal literacy practices being established. Prevention begins with universal literacy
screenings to identify students who could be at risk. The second step is when scientifically valid
interventions are implemented. When students do not meet benchmarks, they need additional
instruction. The third step is when progress of students receiving intervention instruction is

monitored. RTI requires that progress-monitoring data are continuously collected as students
receive interventions. Step four is when the teacher will administer individual interventions for
students who continue to struggle. Students who continue to struggle despite receiving initial
intervention instruction will require more intense, targeted interventions. The final step consists
of the decision-making process to determine eligibility for special education services occurs
when necessary. In the last step, a team of school-based professionals and the students parents
review all data to determine whether the student is eligible for special education services.
Lastly, the final section of the article is titled, RTI in Real Life: Making a Difference for
Mark. The section is about how a team including Donisha, a reading teacher, Julie, a special
educator, Carol, a second grade teacher, and Sandra, a school psychologist, worked
collaboratively within an RTI model to assist a student named Mark. The article breaks down the
different steps that were used to help Mark. They include, step 1: universal literacy practices are
established, step 2: scientifically valid interventions are implemented, step 3: process of students
receiving intervention instruction is monitored, step 4: individualize interventions for students
who continue to struggle, and lastly step 5: decision-making process to determine eligibility for
special education services. I personally believe in the RTI model because it incorporates both
assessment and intervention so that all students can benefit from it.
This article meshes with what we are learning in our Reading in the Elementary class
because we are currently learning how to create a lesson plan and use tiers to make reading
groups. It is important to have leveled reading groups because it creates a welcoming
environment for all students. Students will not feel judged or overwhelmed in a group that
contains readers who are all on the same level. I think that readers should have the opportunity to
express themselves in a comfortable environment that aides in their development. We are also

learning how to develop lesson plans in a reading classroom. I think it is important to understand
that all of the readers in the class might not be on the same exact level. RTI allows teachers to
develop a plan to reach out to all students.
The two section that applied to me were the steps section and the definition section. I
thought that the steps section applied to me because I didnt know there were five steps that went
into the RTI model. I thought it was simpler than it really was. As I was reading through the
steps, I found that they were rather detailed. I enjoyed looking through them because I felt like I
learned about what really goes into the RTI process. The second section that I felt applied to me
was the definitions section. As I have said before, I did not know a lot about the RTI model
before this article. I knew little details but not the whole process. The definitions provided me
with explanations on what each RTI word meant. I liked reading through them because it gave
me a better understanding of the RTI model.