Module 4 : Tiered Instruction

1. Module 4: Tiered Instruction Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development Unit 3, Session 3

2. What Causes a TI Model to Fail? 4.3.3

3. Session Overview • Unit 3, Session 3 Questions: • What makes TI challenging for schools? • What considerations need to be made in order to avoid failure of a literacy plan? • Unit 3, Session 3 Objectives: • Understand what can cause a TI action plan to fail • Consider strategies for avoiding failure

4. Warm-Up: Assessing the Pitfalls • Rate the 11 pitfalls (Hall) according to which ones you think your school is in the most danger of running into as it implements TI

5. What Makes TI Challenging? • Enormity of the process • Affects every teacher • Includes drastic changes in philosophy and practice • Creation of a plan • Collection of useful materials • Teacher literacy knowledge • Scheduling & staffing • Assessment

6. Reasons for Failure • Poor sense of overall purpose & goal • Lack of faculty cooperation • Too much reliance on special education for delivery instead of collaboration • Weak leadership • Limited teacher training/professional development • Not enough assessment data (student & program)

7. Purpose In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Feel like you “have to” Frustration with/reluctance to change current practices Unclear TI goal and mission/not communicated Lack of knowledge about TI (philosophy & process) Unfamiliarity with school’s literacy plan • Focus on helping students • Willingness to change practices to suit their needs • Clear goals and mission communicated to faculty • Understanding of TI (philosophy & process) • Understanding of school’s literacy plan

8. Cooperation In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Teachers each create their own plans without collaboration Common planning time is not provided Too much reliance on special education services • Teachers collaborate & share resources to ensure instructional consistency • Common planning time is available for collaboration • Special education advises regular education

9. The Role of Special Education In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Special education teachers are expected to deliver all literacy instruction General education teachers do not take advantage of special education expertise Special education staff are stretched thin as they participate in TI • Special education teachers advise regular education teachers • Special educators are seen as expert literacy resources • Assistance with Tier 2 & Tier 3 is provided with consideration of staffing ability

10. Leadership In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Inconsistent administrative support Lack of strong, noticeable presence during planning & implementation Poor communication with faculty about decisions, questions & concerns Inadequate professional development opportunities • TI supported and directed by the administration • Clear presence through the process of planning & implementation • Open communication with faculty about decisions, questions & concerns • Dedication to ongoing professional development

11. Professional Development In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Inadequate initial TI training Infrequent opportunities for general education literacy training Professional development that does not directly apply to the current school needs • Initial training in TI (process & philosophy) • Ongoing opportunities for literacy training in general education • Answering the needs of the teachers as they arise in implementation

12. Assessment Data In functional TI programs: In struggling TI programs: Unclear assessment procedure Sporadic data collection Lack of consideration for appropriate assessment for each tier of intervention Lack of teacher knowledge about assessment Decisions made without data-driven basis • Clear assessment procedure • Data collected on a regular basis • Different modes & frequency of assessment at each tier • Teacher training in assessment • Data are used in decision making

13. Ways to Avoid Failure • Keep faculty informed of decisions • Provide time for planning & collaboration • Have a clear & realistic vision of the role of special education in your literacy plan • Form a strong leadership team • Provide ongoing, relevant professional development • Make assessment meaningful

14. Wrap-Up • Things to Remember: • The implementation of a literacy plan can be overwhelming. • Dedication to the process is important to maintain unity and consistency of purpose. • Weakness in any aspect of your literacy plan can be avoided by communication and immediate productive, and constructive problem solving.

15. Wrap-Up Activity • Choose the two pitfalls that you think are the most likely to occur and hinder the implementation of TI. • Identify what strategies the school community can put into place in order to avoid making these mistakes.

16. For Next Time • What can be done to avoid failure by… • Administrators? • Literacy/RTI team? • Classroom teachers? • Literacy specialists/special education instructors?

17. References Fuchs, L, & Fuchs, D. (2006). A Framework for building capacity for responsiveness to intervention. School Psychology Review, 35(4), 621626. Hall, S. (2010). Create your implementation blueprint: Avoiding implementation pitfalls. Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/GetStarted/Develop/ar/Create-Your-Implementation-Blueprint-Avoiding-Implementation-Pitfalls Hall, S. (2010). Create your implementation blueprint stage 6: Sustainability. Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/GetStarted/Evaluate/ar/Create-Your-Implementation-Blueprint-Stage-6-Sustainability