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Strategies to help students solve word problems using modified schema-based instruction

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Teaching Autistic Students to Solve Word Problems in Math

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Teaching Autistic Students to Solve Word Problems in Math

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Teaching Autistic Students to Solve Math Word Problems | OAR

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In the past three months, how many times have you had no choice but to use cash to make a purchase? Or tell time using an analog clock? Although you have undoubtedly made purchases, it is likely you used a card or smart device, especially if the purchases were made online. To check the time,

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Keeping Math Skills on track during summer for students with Autism

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Keeping Math Skills on track during summer for students with Autism

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Thinkster math to help students with Autism succeed in math and figure out each students unique math students

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Which school subject has led to more parental gray hairs than all other subjects combined?

It’s not too hard to guess that the answer is math.

Math can be a struggle for any child, but students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often encounter some unique challenges where math is concerned.

Now that it’s summertime, it can be tempting to let math practice fall by the wayside, and leave the stress of dealing with it until the new school year starts up again in the Fall. But as ASD parents, you also know that consistency is key, both to keeping math skills on track— and to keeping frustration and meltdowns to a minimum when math class is back in session.

I created Thinkster Math to help every child succeed in math, and we do often work with children with autism. I asked two of our online tutors, Yvonne and Sabrina, to share some insights into what has worked for them in their sessions with these students. These are tips that parents can apply over the summer as well. Here is some of what they said:

1. Make real-world connections

For children on the spectrum, some of the more abstract concepts in math can present a problem. As concrete, black-and-white thinkers, it can be hard for them to understand a nebulous idea that doesn’t have an obvious practical application.

Sabrina told me the story of one student with ASD who would routinely let her know, in no uncertain terms, when he felt a lesson was “pointless.” Each time, she would help him see the real-world importance of that particular concept, and that would aid in his understanding and motivation.

Throughout the summer, try to make those connections for your child whenever you can. Let him/her pay for items at the store, and practice adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing in the process. Or take your child to a local museum of science to let them experience the way math affects technology and science in a hands-on way.

2. Provide extra positive reinforcement

All kids benefit from positive reinforcement in math, but the additional challenge of decoding social cues makes clear positive feedback even more vital for students on the spectrum.

Yvonne shared a story about a student she works with who thrives on praise given animatedly and excitedly. Every single time Yvonne praised her multiple times each session, she got a “Thank you very much, Miss Yvonne!” This kiddo was motivated to keep working.

Don’t be sparing in your praise of your ASD child’s math progress. Provide your child with some math work to practice over the summer, and then make a huge deal out of every success – it’ll inspire him/her to keep up the good work.

Don't miss out on our special offer.
Click here to find out more

3. Introduce changes slowly

Change is inevitable, but it’s also hard for children on the spectrum to deal with sometimes. Unfortunately, math class is full of changes—new concepts, new approaches to solving problems, new methods of teaching—and that can make learning even more difficult.

Yvonne recommended introducing changes slowly and gradually. If your child’s previous teacher used a lot of videos to teach math concepts, and you know next year’s teacher will use a lot more student work on a smartboard, start discussing the change with your child over the summer. Get him/her a whiteboard or tablet to start getting familiar with writing on a board or with the apps that might be used. That way, when it’s introduced in school, your child will already be comfortable with it.

4. Provide individualized attention

Ultimately, every student has different math needs. Some children are visual learners, while some are more hands-on. Some have trouble with geometry but fly through algebra or vice versa. And within those categories, each student has concepts that seem harder or easier to them, just depending on how they’re wired.

The very best way to help your child with autism succeed in math is to get them one-on-one attention, to ensure that their unique, specific math needs are being met. Whether that means working with them yourself, getting a private tutor, or finding an online program that customizes its tutorials around assessments of their unique strengths and weaknesses, it’s the most important piece of the puzzle. And getting your child that individual math help over the summer will help them maintain the math skills they’ve already worked so hard to develop and be ready to jump into the next school year with a minimum of upset.

So take your kids to the museum this summer. Tell them how incredibly awesome they are, and help them prepare for any changes that next year will bring. And most importantly, figure out what their unique math needs are, and provide that one-on-one attention that’ll help them thrive now, next year, and for the rest of their life.

This article was featured in Issue 89 – Solutions for Today and Tomorrow with ASD

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We hope you enjoyed this article. In order to support us to create more helpful information like this, please consider purchasing a subscription to Autism Parenting Magazine.

Choosing the Best Educational Option For Your Autistic Child

Strategies for Teaching Children With Autism

Can Visualizing and Verbalizing® Help with Reading Comprehension?

Five Ways to Avoid Handwriting Regression Over Summer

A Special Educator’s Thoughts on Inclusion and Friendship

When Nature is Nurture: Structured Outdoor Learning

Eight Handwriting Strategies for Children with Autism

Building Emotional Health in Children with Pathological Demand Avoidance

What Multisensory Practices Can Mean for Reading

Autism Reading Comprehension: Tips and Teaching Strategies

Digital Learning Survival Guide for Children with Autism

Life with Maggie, Before College Algebra

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Simple Ways to Help a Child With Autism Master Math

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The intricacy of math may be overwhelming for any student, some autistic students may even encounter unique challenges with it. A simple guide on how to master math.

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Focus on 5:  Ideas for Math Instruction for students with Autism

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Focus on 5:  Ideas for Math Instruction for students with Autism

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Resources, tips, and materials to help teacher and student with autism in elementary school

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Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

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Math Strategies for Autistic students

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Teaching math to students with autism is a serious and complex task, but we're confident that you can overcome it using our unique math strategies.

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Activities that benefit students on the spectrum

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If you're getting ready to teach math to a student with autism, you'll soon discover that there will be a lot of exciting, a-ha moments, as well as a few challenges along the way. However, employing specific strategies and getting to know your child on an academic level can help make the experience enjoyable for both of you and help you overcome any obstacles like a pro.

This page provides useful information that can benefit anyone who is teaching math to a child with autism. You'll discover why some students with autism excel in math, what to look for in a math curriculum, and how Time4Learning can help your student with autism succeed.

Autism and Math

Evidence in the last few years has suggested that children with autism may have certain cognitive strengths in mathematics. A study published in Biological Psychiatry in 2013 seems to coincide with that theory.

Researchers found that certain parts of the brain in children with autism are activated when solving math problems, and that they tend to use different approaches when solving these problems when compared to students without autism. In the study, the children with autism used decomposition when solving addition problems twice as much as the typically developing students in the study. This strategy involves breaking down each problem into smaller problems to find the answer.

How to Teach Math to a Child With Autism

Since Autism Spectrum Disorder is so wide-ranging, there really isn't one particular method to teach math to students with autism. As with students in general, each child has his or her own preferred way of learning, with their own individual strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know your child on various levels will give you better insight as to what teaching method will work best.

Time4Learning's online curriculum provides visual representation and grouping, which is similar to the use of physical manipulatives in the classroom which are often beneficially used by children on the spectrum. As many students on the spectrum see and understand things physically and literally, it helps to display an actual representation of the number of items you are adding, subtracting or multiplying. As students transition into the older grade levels which introduce word problems, Time4Learning also provides families with additional free tools.

Teaching math to students with autism can be aided by following these strategies:

Identify your child's interest and use it to teach math concepts.

Capitalize on their visual-spatial learning style by using multimedia teaching tools.

List out math facts so your child can easily refer to it whenever they need.

Teach math concepts through visual examples and pair them with verbal instructions for those that are partially verbal or non-verbal.

Make teaching math fun by playing games with flash cards, apps, or an online curriculum.

Use technology to help those students whose fine motor skills aren't as developed.

Provide praise as often as possible to keep students motivated.

Use multiple-choice format rather than yes or no questions.

Math Curriculum for Students With Autism

When teaching math to students with autism, math curriculum choice is critical. Finding a math curriculum for students on the spectrum doesn't need to be a taxing chore. Employing proven and research-backed strategies can help make the teaching and learning process for both parties less stressful and a lot more enjoyable.

When trying to find the ideal math curriculum for students on the spectrum ask yourself:

What are my child's math learning strengths?

Can I modify the math curriculum to focus on those strengths?

How does the math curriculum address my child's areas of weakness?

Answering these questions will give you a huge advantage when looking through math programs for students with autism.

How Time4Learning Curriculum Helps Students with Autism

Time4Learning is an award-winning, online curriculum that has received the distinction of being a Certified Autism Resource by IBCCES. Our interactive curriculum teaches students through engaging lessons using a student-paced approach, which includes access to multiple grade levels at a time. This ensures a strong foundation and closes gaps that may have been missed in previous grade levels.

The fun, interactive nature of Time4Learning appeals to students with autism since it offers a visually appealing presentation that captures their attention and motivates them to learn. Lessons and activities are brief, usually no longer than several minutes, and parents have the option to have their children redo activities, skip specific lessons, and more. Just as well, parents having access to the answer keys for tests and quizzes in Time4Learning assists them in aiding their intuitive math students, without having to review the lessons themselves.

Time4Learning's math curriculum offers activities that benefit students on the spectrum with these key features:

Student-paced, online learning program delivers customized instruction.

Focuses on fundamental math concepts to help develop strong math skills.

Brief lessons, activities and practice opportunities focus on core content to ensure mastery and retention.

Designed to allow students to progress at their own pace with the option to redo activities and retake tests.

Automated record keeping allows parents to track student progress and quickly identify problem areas.

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Teaching math to students with ASD can be easier and simpler than you thought! Use the right math curriculum to tap into their learning strengths.

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What can teachers do when universal or core instruction is not enough?

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What can teachers do when universal or core instruction is not enough?

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Professional development that supports teachers in closing the achievement gap for struggling students

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Teaching Mathematics to Struggling Learners

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This video is hosted as part of the 2018 STEM for All Video Showcase: Transforming the Educational Landscape at: http://videohall.com/p/1211

Please join the conversation during this event May 14-May 21, 2018

The mathematics achievement gap for struggling students is well-documented. Teachers often ask, “What do I do when universal or core instruction is not enough?”
The Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics at the University of Northern Iowa combined forces with experts in the fields of mathematics and special education to answer this question. This team addressed the need for professional development that supports teachers in closing the achievement gap for struggling students. The resulting professional development, Teaching Mathematics to Struggling Learners (TMSL), builds mathematics content knowledge and increases understanding and implementation of research-supported instructional and assessment strategies, specific to mathematics-intensive intervention.
The Common Core Content Standards and the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice provide a firm foundation for universal or core instruction. The TMSL program focuses on intensive instruction when universal or core instruction is not enough. 
The TMSL program implements the following Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recommendations:

Interventions should include instruction on solving word problems that are based on common underlying structures
All students should be screened to identify those at risk for potential mathematics difficulties, and interventions should be provided to students identified as at risk
Intervention materials should include opportunities for students to work with visual representations of mathematical ideas, and interventionists should be proficient in the use of visual representations of mathematical ideas
Instruction provided during interventions should be explicit and systematic
Interventions at all grade levels should devote about 10 minutes in each session to building fluent retrieval of basic arithmetic facts

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High Quality Math Instruction

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Page 4: Instruction

Effective instruction is a cornerstone of the RTI framework. As we discussed earlier, many but not all students who receive high-quality core instruction will succeed in the general education classroom. When teachers implement high-quality instruction at the primary level, inadequate instruction can be ruled out as a reason for students' poor mathematics performance. Students who do not respond to this instruction should receive more intensive supports. Read on to find out more about high-quality instruction and how instruction is intensified at each of the three tiers of support.

High-Quality Instruction

A key feature of RTI mathematics is high-quality instruction. High-quality mathematics instruction involves the combined implementation of:

Standards-based curriculum: The content and skills believed to be important for students to learn. Many states have adopted the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), which are composed of Mathematical Practices and grade-level standards. Additionally, the CCSSM:

Build upon the strengths of current state standards

Are informed by instructional practices used in other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society

Are evidence-based

Are aligned with college and work expectations

Are clear, comprehensible, and consistent

Embrace rigorous content and require the application of knowledge through higher-order skills

Encourage the use of real-world problems

Evidence-based practices (EBPs): Strategies or practices proven through research to be effective for teaching mathematical concepts and procedures. The use of EBPs is mandated by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These federal laws require teachers to use, to the greatest extent possible, academic and behavioral practices and programs grounded in scientifically based research. Beyond the issue of legal obligation, however, is the fact that EBPs significantly increase the prospects of student achievement and learning. Among the benefits of using EBPs:

Increased likelihood of positive student mathematics outcomes

Increased accountability because there are data to back up the selection of a practice or program, which in turn facilitates support from administrators, parents, and others

Less wasted time and fewer wasted resources because educators start off with an effective practice or program rather than attempting to select one through trial and error

Increased likelihood of being responsive to learners' needs

Higher probability of convincing students to try a practice or program because there is evidence that it works

For Your Information

To implement high-quality instruction, teachers need to create a classroom environment conducive to learning. They can accomplish this by establishing a comprehensive behavior management plan that clearly outlines rules and procedures. They should hold high expectations for all students and use a range of instructional strategies and supports. Further, teachers are more likely to create successful learning experiences when they consider factors related to working with diverse students, such as:

Cultural diversity: Instruction might be confusing to students if their cultural experiences or background knowledge are different from or inconsistent with those of their teacher.

Linguistic diversity: Mastering academic content might be difficult for students who are not proficient in English.

Students with exceptionalities: In the event that a disability affects a student's learning, the teacher might need to make instructional adjustments to help that student to succeed. Similarly, gifted students might require different instructional opportunities like enrichment activities or accelerated learning.

Socioeconomic diversity: Students might not have access to additional educational resources and supports outside of school.

Increasingly Intensive Levels of Support

All students receive core instruction in the general education classroom, also referred to as Tier 1. Those who do not respond adequately to this instruction receive supplemental support at Tier 2. The small percentage of students who continue to struggle after receiving supplemental support might require more intensive, individualized support at Tier 3.

Tier 1: Core Instruction

Instruction at the primary level, or Tier 1, refers to the high-quality core mathematics instruction (described above) that all students receive in the general education classroom for 45-90 minutes each day. This might be provided as whole-group instruction or through the use of flexible grouping strategies, for instance cooperative learning groups, paired instruction, or independent practice. A few of the evidence-based strategies that can be used to teach mathematics at this level of support can be found in the box below.

Evidence-Based Practice

Definition

Explicit, systematic instruction

This strategy involves teaching a specific skill or concept in a highly structured and carefully sequenced manner.

Visual representations

This strategy involves creating an accurate representation of the mathematical quantities and relationships described in the problem, sometimes referred to as a schematic representation or schematic diagram.

Schema instruction

This strategy involves teaching students the underlying structure, or schema, of word problems and giving them a method for solving that problem type.

Metacognitive strategies

These strategies enable students to become aware of how they think when solving mathematics problems. More specifically, metacognitive strategies help students learn to plan, monitor, and modify their mathematical problem-solving approach.

Approximately 80% of all students are expected to respond to Tier 1, or core instruction. Those who do not respond-as indicated by progress monitoring data-receive supplemental instruction at Tier 2.

More information about high-quality mathematics instruction and evidence-based practices that can be implemented at the primary level can be found in the IRIS Module:

Tier 2: Supplemental Intervention

In addition to core instruction, students not making adequate progress at Tier 1-approximately 15% of the class-receive supplemental instruction that aligns with that core instruction. Typically, in elementary schools a standard protocol is used to provide this additional instruction, which makes it easier to ensure accurate implementation or fidelity, assuming that school personnel receive adequate training and ongoing support. Likewise, in middle and high schools, a standard protocol might be used; however, many of these schools choose instead to implement a problem-solving approach.

Supplemental, or Tier 2, intervention is delivered either by the classroom general education teacher or another trained educational professional like a mathematics interventionist or mathematics coach. The specific details of this delivery varies for elementary and middle and high school.

Brad Witzel discusses the importance of not ending an intervention too soon as well as of providing intervention that meets the needs of individual students (time: 1:27).

Brad Witzel, PhDProfessor of Special Education

Winthrop University

Transcript: Brad Witzel, PhD

Most interventions have a beginning and ending. Some are designed for four weeks; others are designed for eight weeks. There really is no magic time that an intervention is needed for a specific student to catch on. Some students need to have longer interventions than others. They may even come in a group of eight, maybe brought in for a Tier 2 intervention, and they have the same general content need. However, Student A needs a lot more time to establish that intervention and make sense of it. Don't set up intervention times that are designed for real short durations. If you set up an eight-week intervention time, make sure that you have some extra weeks set aside in there so the student can continue with that intervention.

Therefore, you've got to be flexible enough within this group to work with different student needs. I think some people hear that you've only got eight students in the class and they go, "Oh, what a dream life that would be." But you really don't have a group of eight students. You have eight individuals going through that intervention. Some schools will immediately turn to computers, but I don't think that's exactly the answer yet. I still want to see a lot of teacher-student interaction and forced activity by the student. Because we don't just want them to obtain and answer questions. We want them to truly have reasoning in mathematics, and at this point it's hard to establish reasoning on a computer interface.

For Your Information

Because scheduling at the middle and high school levels is complex, the RTI team should carefully consider how to provide supplemental instruction in a way that makes sense given their school's resources. Among the issues the team might wish to consider:

When to provide supplemental support: Instead of an elective, during a free time, before or after school, within the core instruction class.

How to create additional time for supplemental support: Shaving five minutes off of each period, reducing transition times between classes.

How students will earn credits: Will they receive credits for supplemental support classes, and, if so, how many? Will they be able to accrue enough credits to graduate on time?

For students who require additional instructional support, David Allsopp suggests considering the students' needs and being planful. By doing so, school personnel can better ensure that students get the support they need while at the same time taking required courses. He also discusses making sure that the supplemental intervention is appropriate and adequate for the student to be successful in the core instruction (time: 1:30).

David Allsopp, PhDAssistant Dean for Education and Partnerships

University of South Florida

Transcript: David Allsopp, PhD

One way to think about it is, if we know coming in that we have a subgroup of students coming in 9th grade who are going to need more-intensive levels of support in mathematics, we need to look at the minimum they're going to need in order to graduate and how does that relate to their goals after high school? Is their goal to go to college? Is their goal to start a career? Then, in terms of looking at the four years, where might they best take the courses in mathematics that they will need? If they're in a state where they have to have Algebra and Algebra 2 to graduate then where might we have kids taking those courses? Now, the second piece is how do you construct supplemental instruction? And is that a course? Many high schools conceptualize it as they've got to take a course in remedial math, and then they get to take algebra. But what we oftentimes see is that that remedial course really isn't what that student needs in terms of being successful in Algebra 1 or being successful in Algebra 2. It might make sense to think about, if we're going to engage students in the core content, how might we engage students in that course content while at the same time using time to provide more supplemental support?

To make certain that the intervention can be correctly tailored to meet specific learning needs, students should be homogeneously grouped according to whatever their area of difficulty happens to be. For example, students who struggle with addition problems that involve regrouping should be placed together, as should students who have difficulty with fractions. To meet the needs of all of these students, schools can purchase a variety of supplemental programs to use for Tier 2 intervention.

Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized Intervention

A small percentage of students who do not respond to Tier 2 intervention-approximately 5% of all students-will require even more intensive, individualized intervention. In the case of elementary students, intervention should be provided in small groups of 1-3 students for at least 20 minutes each day, whereas middle and high school students should receive intervention in small groups of 1-5 students for an entire class period. Instruction at this level is individualized based on the student's needs. To individualize instruction, teachers can begin with the standard protocol used at Tier 2 and adapt it by making quantitative changes (e.g., changing the frequency of intervention, reducing group size). If the progress monitoring data indicate that the student is not responding, teachers can make increasingly intensive changes to the intervention by making quantitative or qualitative changes -such as those listed in the table below in order of increasing intensity-or using a combination of these changes.

Change

Definition

Changing the dosage or time

This means changing the:

Frequency of intervention, for example by increasing the number of weekly intervention meetings from two sessions to four sessions

Length of instructional sessions, for example by increasing the length of individual intervention sessions from 30 minutes per session to 45 minutes per session

Duration of the intervention, for example by increasing the number of weeks the intervention lasts from 10 to 20

Change the learning environment

Teachers can change the learning environment by:

Reducing group size (e.g., from six students to four)

Grouping students with similar abilities (i.e., homogenous grouping) rather than grouping students of varying abilities (i.e., heterogeneous grouping)

Reducing classroom distractions like noise, and by otherwise promoting academic engagement

Combine cognitive processing strategies with academic learning

Teachers need to incorporate cognitive processing strategies to address deficits in:

Memory

Self-regulation

Attribution

Modify delivery of instruction

This can be accomplished by altering:

Instructional approach

Student response

Teacher feedback

When delivered through the general education program, this instruction is typically offered by an individual who specializes in providing and designing individualized interventions. Alternatively, intensive, individualized intervention may be provided through special education services.

For Your Information

To qualify for special education services, students must meet certain criteria: 1) The student must have a disability, and 2) that disability must significantly affect his or her educational performance. Click here to learn more detailed information about RTI and the learning disability identification process.
RTI and the learning disability identification process
The RTI approach provides educators with a wealth of information about a student's academic performance under increasingly intensive levels of instructional support. These data can be used as part of the process to determine whether a student has a learning disability and is eligible for special education services. The eligibility process consists of three basic steps:

Referral

Evaluation

Determination of eligibility for special education

Referral

When a student does not respond adequately to supplemental instruction (i.e, Tier 2), school personnel might refer him for special education services. School personnel should meet with parents to review the student's performance (e.g., progress monitoring data, work samples) to decide whether an evaluation for special education services is warranted.

Evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to rule out other possible factors that could account for the student's poor mathematics performance, and, in turn, to indicate whether the student does in fact have a learning disability (LD). Factors to rule out include:

A lack of appropriate math instruction

Vision or hearing loss

A low level of English proficiency

An environmental or cultural disadvantage

Low motivation

Situational trauma (e.g., the death of a parent)

Ruling out these factors will require school personnel to make use of multiple sources of information, including school records, parental reports, and vision and hearing screenings. The existence of other disabilities-intellectual and developmental disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or emotional or behavioral disorder, among them-also needs to be ruled out as an explanation for the student's poor mathematics performance. The assessments described below can be used to rule out such factors.

Intelligence test (abbreviated version)

Adaptive behavior scales to assess communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills (if warranted by the intelligence test)

To eliminate intellectual and developmental disabilities as a cause of learning problems

Speech and language screening

To eliminate speech or language impairments as a cause of learning problems

Behavior checklists (parent and teacher)

To eliminate an emotional or behavioral disorder as a cause for academic failure

Though they often begin by administering the assessments noted in the table above, the IEP team can request additional assessments to gain further information. Because the student's progress monitoring data can serve as a measure of achievement, an achievement test is often not included in the evaluation. However, the specific measures required as part of this evaluation vary by state.

Determination of Eligibility for Special Education

Once the evaluation process is complete, the IEP team and the parents meet to review its results. If the team determines that the student meets the criteria established by the state for a learning disability, the student will receive more intensive, individualized intervention (i.e., Tier 3). Before this intervention can begin, however, an individualized education program (IEP) must be developed to address the student's learning needs.

For Your Information

The formal process for referring a student for an evaluation and determining whether she meets the criteria for special education services requires school personnel to communicate with parents in order to:

Request referral to evaluate the student for special education services (can be initiated by parent or school personnel)

Provide written prior notice of the action the school is taking or refusing to take (e.g., evaluating or determining that there is not enough evidence to proceed)

Inform parents of their procedural safeguards and their legal rights and protections under IDEA

Invite parents to participate in the IEP planning process

For more information on the special education process, view the IRIS Module:
(Close this panel)
To learn more about intensifying instruction at Tier 3, view the IRIS Module:

Comparison of Instruction at Each Tier

The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of the features of instruction at each level of support.

Who receives instruction?

Students not adequately responding to Tier 1 instruction

For middle and high school, students who have been identified in earlier grades or through the universal screening

Students not adequately responding to Tier 2 intervention

Who provides instruction?

General education teacher

General education teacher or other trained professional

Intervention specialist or special education teacher

How is instruction delivered?

Whole group

Cooperative learning groups

Paired instruction

Independent practice

Elementary: In small groups of 3-5 students

Middle and high school: Up to 15 students

In homogenous groups determined by skill

Elementary: Individually or in groups of no more than 3 students

Middle and high school: Individually or in groups of no more than 5 students

How long is the instruction provided?

Elementary: 15-40 minutes, 2-5 days/ week; 10-16 weeks

Middle and high school: One class period; 5 days per week; number of weeks varies

Elementary: A minimum of 20 minutes daily for students in a general education program; for students receiving special education services, the length of the instructional period is individualized; 10-16 weeks

Middle and high school: One class period; 5 days per week; length varies

If special education, determined on an individual basis

Note: The length of the instructional period may be dependent on the instructional program being implemented.

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Effective instruction is a cornerstone of the RTI framework. As we discussed earlier, many but not all students who receive high-quality core instruction will succeed in the general education classroom. When teachers implement high-quality instruction at the primary level, inadequate instruction can be ruled out as a reason for students' poor mathematics performance.

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Activity-Based Learning Strategies in the Mathematics Classroom

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Activity-Based Learning Strategies in the Mathematics Classroom

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Giving students the opportunity to think for themselves so learning is an active and creative process

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Math Education practices for students with disabilities and other struggling learners

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Math Education practices for students with disabilities and other struggling learners

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Case studies of schools trying to improve math education for struggling learners and challenges that schools face serving students with diverse needs

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Teaching practices that work for students and specific accommodations

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Imagine writing a set of driving directions. You'd list the steps, detailing when to turn right and left. But would this work for someone who is not able to differentiate between left and right?

In a case like this, we'd have to strengthen our directions to meet this person's special needs.

We can do the same when it comes to teaching math.

There is not a single, surefire approach for teaching math to students with learning disabilities. However, a good rule of thumb is to use evidence-based teaching practices that work for all students-and then make the necessary, specially designed adjustments so students with learning disabilities have the support to get where you're asking them to go.

You might find that you improve outcomes for all students in the process.

With support from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University has assembled a set of best practices to help math educators meet the needs of struggling learners and students with learning disabilities. Here are a few highlights:

Explicit Instruction

Highly structured and thoughtfully sequenced teaching can improve the ability of all students-including students with learning disabilities-to learn mathematical concepts across grade levels.

Key elements of this strategy include:

Clearly identifying the skills or concepts needed to complete an activity

Connecting activities to what students have already learned

Giving precise instructions

Scaffolding instruction so students have a chance to practice their emerging math skills and gradually solve whole problems

Encouraging students to verbally describe their strategy and rationale when solving a problem

Visual Representations

Providing students with an accurate visual depiction of a math problem's quantities and relationships can help them reflect on their own understanding and solve that problem.

Because students with learning disabilities do not use this strategy on their own, it's important for teachers to provide them with visual representations, which can include:

Number lines

Strip diagrams

Pictures/illustrations

Graphs/charts

Graphic organizers

In addition, there is evidence that using visual representations to solve word problems can help students with learning disabilities make significant gains in math achievement.

Schema Instruction

Word problems can be difficult for most students-especially students with learning disabilities. Teaching students how to identify word problem types based on their structure (i.e., schema) can help. Studies have shown that students are more successful at solving word problems when they identify word problem types than when they learn to only identify keywords in the problem.

The four basic types of word problems are:

1. Additive schemas (addition and subtraction)

2. Multiplicative schemas (multiplication and division)

3. Ratios/proportions

4. Combined schemas (multistep problems)

Using explicit instruction strategies can be effective in teaching students to use schemas. In addition, students might find multiple correct ways to use schemas to solve the same problem.

Metacognitive Strategies

Without teacher intervention, students with learning disabilities might use math strategies inconsistently or not at all. Teaching students metacognitive strategies (those that build awareness of mathematical thinking and problem-solving strategies) can help them focus on what's relevant and solve the problem.

Teachers can work with students to develop skills in these areas to build their metacognitive math abilities:

Planning: Students make decisions on what the problem is asking them to do and the best strategy for solving it.

Monitoring: Students check to see whether their strategy is working while they solve a math problem. They ask whether the answer makes sense.

Modifying: Students adjust their strategy when their approach is not working.

While there is not a single strategy that works for teaching math to struggling learners, it's a good idea to start with solid and proven teaching practices that work for all students and add specific accommodations for students with learning disabilities to level the playing field and ensure that all of your students have an opportunity for math success.

These strategies were adapted from the Iris Center's resource, What Evidence-Based Mathematics Practices Can Teachers Employ? Also see our research-based resource, Mathematics Interventions: What Strategies Work for Struggling Learners or Students With Learning Disabilities?.

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Math success for students with learning disabilities and struggling learners starts with solid teaching practices combined with necessary, specially designed teaching adjustments.

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Math Resources & Interventions for Students with disabilities

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Math Resources & Interventions for Students with disabilities

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<Math-related activities, materials, and resources for teachers

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Math Resources and Interventions for Students with Disabilities

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Math Resources and Interventions for Students with Disabilities

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Strategies for teachers to support struggling math students

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Any student can become an expert mathematician through hard work and continuous practice. One of the challenging parts of being an educator is teaching to the wide range of abilities in the classroom. In this article, we'll explore eight strategies that will help struggling math students. Plus, download free resources to assist you in supporting all math learners!

As you walk down the hallway of an elementary or middle school, it is not uncommon to overhear students' say: "I can't do math," "I will never have to use this," or "math is too hard." While the underlying causes for these phrases are diverse and might include past adverse experiences in math class or the messaging they hear from adults in their life, they are clear indicators that the students who are struggling are most in need of our help and encouragement in the math classroom.

Luckily, there are lots of strategies that math teachers can use to support struggling students.

A common misconception is that math is black and white; you either can do it or you can't. In reality, math offers plenty of room for students to explore, experiment, and unveil the patterns from which operations, rules, and mathematical phenomena are derived.
Download the 5 Strategies to Help Struggling Math Learners Tip Sheet now. Download the Helping Struggling Learners in Math Tip Sheet now.
Before Implementing Math Strategies for Struggling Students

Getting to know each student on an individual level is a fruitful first step in opening up students in order for them to be more receptive to the research-based strategies that work . Students who feel heard and understood are more willing to take risks in the classroom.

Engage with your students about their stories. How did they get to where they are? How do they feel about being behind in math? Are they aware exactly how far behind they are? Are they willing to take a risk again, given that risk-taking might not have worked out for them in the past?

As a team of teachers, it is essential to provide consistent messages indicating that school is a safe space school where students do not need to keep their defensive walls up. In my experiences, it has been this messaging that has opened students up, so that we could use the strategies below to build conceptual understanding, math skills, and problem-solving abilities.

8 Strategies to Help Your Struggling Math Learners

Strategy 1: Provide Rich Problem Contexts
I am a huge advocate and believer in every student being exposed to discovery-based learning in math. Rich contextual situations enable students to make connections between the classroom and the world around them by bringing real world scenarios into the classroom. At the same time, students are able to develop skills for decontextualization and recontextualization in order to make sense of the numbers they are working with.

Struggling students need to participate in these kinds of activities so that they can see and hear proficient math reasoning from their peers. Experiencing rich mathematical contexts along with their more proficient peers exposes struggling students to their classmates' proficient problem solving strategies and verbalization of proficient peer thought processes. Observing the way their more proficient peers use prior knowledge to solve current challenges and persevere in problem solving will help struggling students to improve their approach to engaging with rich contextual problems.

Strategy 2: Provide Explicit Instruction

Having just championed the need for rich contexts and discovery activities in the math classroom, this type of instruction by itself may not work for chronically struggling students. Explicit instruction can be used to model how to solve target problems step by step. I believe struggling students should be exposed to experiential learning, but they may get lost without follow-up.

Explicit instruction can be provided in full class mini lectures, intervention classes, or by using differentiation strategies in the main classroom. (An upcoming post will address this, so stay tuned!) Moments of explicit instruction can be supported by providing handouts to students and hanging posters around the classroom which help students remember what was discussed. The combination of explicit instruction and visual reminders minimizes the cognitive demand for struggling students allowing them to engage more meaningfully in discussions and activities throughout class.

Strategy 3: Decode Word Problems

It is not uncommon for struggling math students to also be struggling readers. These students usually need explicit instruction in the reading of word problem s involving strategies such as reading aloud, rereading, and highlighting important words. Explicit instruction for the reading of problems enables students to understand their underlying structure, choose appropriate operations and models to solve the problem, and develop strategies to represent their solution.

I find that when students understand a modeling strategy, they are more able to interpret word problems and choose an operation to solve. After students decontextualize the problem by representing it with a bar model, they are able to choose an operation to write an expression or equation all while also sharpening their reading skills. Using the models for addition and subtraction problems versus multiplication and division problems can help them conceptualize the problem.

Strategy 4: Practice Basic Facts

Struggling students should spend a few minutes every day working on their arithmetic basic facts. Ten minutes a day in homeroom, at the end of math class, or as a station in a series of math activities will help them build speed and confidence. There are many excellent applications and web tools available. If you have access to technology for this, use it!

If your district provides a subscription-based service, use it; however, if it doesn't, there are free online apps for basic facts. If you don't have technology available, flash cards (homemade or store bought) and partners will also do the job!

Strategy 5: Use Mnemonics

My staff and I conducted a survey asking special education students what they believed helped them improve by large margins on state assessments. One common theme amongst students' responses was that their teachers had provided them with strategies that were memorable because they were outlined by an acronym.

Here are some problem-solving strategies you might want to consider using with your students: RIDE, TINS, STAR, and FAST DRAW. These problem-solving strategies, along with the "infamous" PEMDAS, can be an easy way for students to latch onto a problem and come up with a solution.

The download for this post is a teacher tip sheet that includes these problem solving mnemonics and explains what their acronyms spell out.

Strategy 6: Make Math

Did you know that students' brains developmentally are not prepared to begin abstract thinking until they are 14-15 years old? Without the use of pictures or manipulatives math becomes a collection of memorizing magical tricks. Especially for struggling students, it is imperative to make thinking, patterns, and principles visible.

Get creative with the things you have around the classroom in order to begin each problem with a hands-on exploration. Concrete tools like pattern blocks, snap cubes, centimeter cubes, or household items allow students to move things around, easily explore, and make note of patterns. Next, begin introducing pictorial representations of these three-dimensional objects. Drawing pictures enables students to transfer their hands-on strategies onto paper which they can draw anywhere, including on high stakes tests!

Finally after practicing with drawing and labeling their pictures, guide students to generalize and abstract their thinking. Is there a pattern that is used every time? Challenge students to express their actions with operations, numbers, and variables. Each student will move through these stages, concrete, iconic, abstract, at their own pace allowing for natural differentiation and continuous progression towards abstract thinking.

Strategy 7: Multiple Strategies

It is quite possible that the standard method that you as a teacher are most familiar with will sound like a foreign language to some students. When students are able to contribute their own ideas and solution strategies, diverse and creative ways of problem solving are revealed. When considering something like division, some students may have the "lightbulb go off" when they think about repeated subtraction, others may think about taking one away each time by separating objects into groups, while others may easily make sense of long division.

It is in the best interest of every student to incorporate and explain multiple strategies for arriving at solutions. If a student shares a method that veers from the way you may have expected students to solve, respond with curiosity and allow the student to explain. The greatest moments of pure joy in a classroom are when students make sense out of a topic while listening to a peer's explanation.
Strategy 8: Carefully Sequence Diverse Examples
Hand in hand with strategy seven, is the sharing of these various strategies in a carefully sequenced order. Students move through their personal math journey, advancing from hands-on manipulatives to two-dimensional drawings to abstract written notations, at different speeds. As a result, on a single problem it is quite possible that each phase of understanding will be demonstrated in the students' approaches to solving.

By first sharing the most concrete and easy to follow solution strategy, you are able to ensure that your struggling students can understand a pathway to the solution. By advancing to strategies with increasing complexity, students are able to make connections between a method they are comfortable with and one that is just outside their understanding. Hearing and seeing their peers' solutions aids struggling students in moving through the progression of strategies to promote accuracy and efficiency in problem solving.

In Summary

One of the characteristics of a great math teacher is to be able to reach students where they are no matter what level that may be. All eight of these strategies are helpful when addressing the needs of all math learners and prove to be especially important for our learners who have the most room to grow.

Download these math strategies for struggling students as a helpful tip sheet and share it with the teachers at your school! You may also find the resources below to be beneficial in helping struggling math learners. Grab them now.

BONUS RESOURCE S TO HELP STRUGGLING STUDENTS

5 Ways to Enhance Math Instruction

Using Appropriate Tools by Grade Level

Math Test-Taking Strategies Kit

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8 Math Strategies for Struggling Students

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Any student can become an expert mathematician through hard work and continuous practice. One of the challenging parts of being an educator is teaching to the wide range of abilities in the classroom. In this article, we'll explore eight strategies that will help struggling math students.

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Overview of RTI components and common areas of concern to address

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Math Strategies For Struggling Students - CORE Learn

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Video Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics

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Video Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics

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RTI for K-6 Students

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Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades: Introduction

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List of Math Intervention strategies before teaching a lesson either in small group or whole-class

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Mathematics has potential to inspire wonder and foster creativity. It is far deeper than counting and arithmetic; math can provide irrefutable proof of grand ideas and predict new scientific discoveries.

As educators usher in a new generation of future problem solvers, a challenge to overcome today relates to current math proficiency levels. But fear not! No matter where students are on their math journeys, there are strategies educators can use to maximize and accelerate their growth.

What Is Math Intervention?

In the broadest terms, math interventions are ways to help students who are behind in their math learning. However, for many educators, the meaning of math intervention is the support provided to students who are two or more grade levels behind in a math topic. Many schools offer dedicated classes-frequently with fewer students and more than one teacher-to support students who would benefit from intensive math intervention.

Tier 2 Intervention and Tier 3 Intensive Intervention

The strategies described in this article can serve as Response to Intervention (RTI) math strategies. However, they do not differentiate among the needs for a multi-tiered system of supports for interventions within the core classroom (Tier 1), as supplemental intervention through differentiated instruction (Tier 2), or as intensive intervention that can occur in either the core classroom or in a traditional pull-out classroom (Tier 3).

Tier 1: Students receive research-based instruction within their core classroom.

Tier 2: Students receive targeted supplemental intervention using differentiated instruction.

Tier 3: Students receive individualized, intensive intervention within their core classroom or in a pull-out model.

All students have different learning needs. What works for one student may not work for another, and what works for a particular math skill or problem may not work for another. Moreover, the supports that your students need may look different depending on classroom capacity or the organization of specialized intervention support within your school or district. Feel free to try the ideas below, adapting them to your individual students.

Planning Lessons for Students Who Are Struggling

Explore this list of math intervention strategies before giving a lesson, as they can be used in whole-class or small-group math instruction and guide what problems to use in the first place.

Strategy 1: Account for Student Strengths

So your student doesn't like math? Or maybe doesn't seem to make any progress with the topic you're teaching? Well, what do they like? Account for the whole student. Ask about their family, hobbies, and entertainment. Maybe there's a class they particularly love or even a previous math topic that interested them. Consider creating an interest survey where students share their feelings about math, which can extend to what interests them outside of math, too. Look for ways to connect what your students love to the math topic that's confounding them.

This can also be an opportunity to introduce students to new ideas and subjects that they didn't even know would be of interest to them. If your math program includes videos or simulations, encourage your students to explore. If it doesn't, there are still plenty of free options online. Listen to your students and figure out what personally engages them so you can tap into what they care about.

This isn't a simple task for you, the teacher! You may need to research details about your students' interests and seek out the mathematical connections. It may help to browse our full library of free resources, including math activities that relate to fashion, sports, business, and art, to name a few.

What works for one student may not work for another, and what works for one math topic may not work for another.

Strategy 2: Use Schema-Based Instruction

Word problems can leave students across all grade levels wondering where to even start. The combination of parsing English and manipulating mathematical concepts can be daunting, especially for multilingual learners. One evidence-based strategy is to create a schema, or an underlying blueprint or structure that you can introduce students to and continually revisit when working through word problems. For example, consider the following word problems:

Alice has 81 fish that she has to place evenly into 9 buckets. How many fish are in each bucket?

Rosario wants to hang 25 artworks into 5 galleries so that every gallery has the same number of artworks. How many artworks go in each gallery?

A pet shelter has 18 cat treats that it wants to give out evenly to the 6 cats in the shelter. How many treats will each cat get?

All of these problems can be described using a schema that describes the general concept of division:

Total ÷ Groups = Number per group

Once you have a schema, you can refer back to it to help students illustrate problems and adapt new word problems to the same schema. It may help to draw the schemas, create posters for the ones that appear most frequently, or-if your students are ready-see if they can define their own schemas.

Strategy 3: Peer Tutoring

Want to know one of the best ways to learn math? Teach it. Seriously; ask math teachers of all stripes, and they can attest that having to explain an idea to others makes them learn it more soundly than they ever thought possible. This can be a scary strategy to employ when the students don't seem to have mastered a concept yet themselves, but plenty of learning can happen through the teaching process. Having students talk to each other about math fosters rich math conversations. It also helps students identify classmates who are strong counterparts in terms of helping them when they're stuck.

Pair students up and have them teach a concept to each other. Be sure to give them tools to tutor another student even if they're struggling themselves. For example, you could provide (or have students create!) cards with numbers, equations, images, or vocabulary terms. The "tutor" can select the cards, and the "tutee" can sort them and form rules that describe all of the cards in each group. After 5-10 minutes, have students reverse roles: the tutor becomes the tutee. Not only does this strategy improve math understanding for both students; it bolsters confidence and attitudes about math, to boot!

If your students could use some practice with division, try out the card sort activity below, which comes from Math 180, our math intervention solution for students in Grades 5 and up.

Strategy 4: Practice Fact Retrieval

Part of what stops a lot of students from progressing in math is frustration over not knowing and constantly getting stuck on math facts. After all, if you can't quickly add and multiply, how can you be expected to solve larger problems that rely on those facts?

Modern evidence suggests that math facts should not be the focus of lessons and are improved through general practice. However, some evidence shows that setting aside some time for practicing math facts-around 10 minutes per day-can reap large dividends in terms of confidence in math class and growing in math competency beyond fact fluency. There are endless ways to practice math facts with students, including video games, board and card games, and the strategy that follows: Cover-Copy-Compare.

Fact fluency can also be thought about in the context of problem solving. When solving math problems, don't quickly correct an arithmetic error and move on. Instead, spend time on it and have students discuss their thought processes. Consider employing Number Talks, five- to fifteen-minute conversations around computation problems that are solved mentally, which are great at getting students to work naturally on their fact fluency and speed of recall.

Strategy 5: Cover-Copy-Compare

This is an intervention that offers a specific evidence-based activity to practice fact retrieval. In preparation, create a worksheet with around 10 math facts. Have the list of sums or products (for example) lined up along one side of the paper. Let students study the facts and, when they're ready, cover the lined-up numbers and try to recreate the list. When they're done, compare the list they generated to the original list.

Mark the facts correct or incorrect. If any are incorrect, repeat the procedure of covering, copying, and comparing until all the facts are solved correctly. This task helps create a definable and manageable goal for students-get all of the facts correct-no matter their current math abilities. You can differentiate the task by having students answer orally instead, which has the added benefit of being quicker. This routine improves math accuracy both across general education and special education, and can apply to math ideas beyond just math facts! For example, this strategy could be used to build fluency with greater than or less than symbols.

Strategies to Use While Teaching

Try this list of math interventions while giving a lesson, as they can be tools to help individual students-or even full classes!-who seem to be stuck on a problem.

Strategy 6: Employ Metacognitive Strategies

Research has shown time and time again that if you can get students to think critically about their own mathematical thinking, there is an opportunity to grow. On the surface, the problem may seem to be an understanding of math concepts, but the deeper problem may in fact be the students' mindsets.

Encourage students to tell their own math stories. What was math like in their household and in previous classes? Intentionally draw your students' attentions not just to what the math concepts are, but how they feel about them. Have students pause to reflect on how they feel and what thoughts are crossing their minds. Are they thinking thoughts like "I'll never get this" or "There's nothing I can do about it?" Present ways to combat this thinking, such as taking a break, asking for help, or brainstorming a new strategy to try.

Strategy 7: Verbalize Thought Processes

Research shows that the most successful math interventions are explicit and systematic. One way to do that is to verbalize thought processes. In other words, as students think about how to solve a problem, probe them to say what they are thinking aloud. It is important here to listen patiently and without judgment even if their mathematical language is inexact or their reasoning is imperfect. When you hear the full process, it can help you identify specifically how to intervene. Perhaps they understand a larger idea but get stuck on the arithmetic. Or perhaps they understand what a problem is asking but shut down as soon as they encounter a fraction.

It can work the other way, too. As you solve a problem, verbalize your thought process. Let students see the steps you take to work through a problem and model precise mathematical language and reasoning.

Strategy 8: Fast Draw

Fast Draw is a learning strategy devised by Cecil D. Mercer and Susan P. Miller around 30 years ago to help students with learning disabilities in solving math word problems. The letters of Fast Draw are a mnemonic for the steps:

Find what you are solving for: Look for the question mark and underline what you are trying to solve for.

Ask yourself what information is given: Read the whole problem and look for what information is already provided.

Set up the equation: Write the equation with numbers and symbols in the correct order.

Tie down the equation: Say out loud what the operation is and what it means. If you can, solve the problem. It may help to draw pictures.

Discover the sign. Find the sign and say it out loud.

Read the problem. Say the problem out loud.

Answer the problem, or draw.

Write the answer to the problem.

Here's a resource from James Madison University that provides details on each step, along with examples. Students struggling in mathematics often become passive when faced with word problems, and Fast Draw offers a concrete strategy that can help them become active and work through word problems on their own. The strategy not only helps bolster math achievement, but math attitudes, too, especially for students with learning disabilities.

Strategy 9: Use Multiple Representations

Multiple representations are important well beyond math intervention. They help students perceive math concepts in different ways and form important generalizations. However, they can serve a more targeted purpose for a student who needs targeted help. Showing math representations in different ways gives students a variety of mental models to consider, making comprehension more likely. In other words, it helps students "see" the math, even when one representation confuses them. The card sort activity from Strategy 3: Peer Tutoring is one way you can prepare specific multiple representations for students to compare.

Even concepts that seem simple to you can be complex to your students. Since everybody without visual impairments is a visual learner, lean into multiple visual representations to demystify ideas. But be intentional in which representations you show. If the representations are hard to interpret or come across as disconnected, you risk confusing students more!

***
Looking to unlock mathematical learning in the students who need it most? Explore our math intervention programs for students in Grades 5-12.

Math 180 is a program designed to boost math achievement for students in Grades 5 and up. Explore the ways it's been used in classrooms and how it can help all students accelerate their math learning.

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Try these strategies out to optimize your small group instruction time in the math classroom.

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Get the truth about fixed vs. growth mindsets and try our strategies to foster an environment where students feel empowered to learn.

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Get our free Math Intervention eBook today.

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These math intervention strategies for struggling students provide lessons, activities, and ideas to support Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 math students...

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Page 11: Effective Instruction at Tier 2

After eight weeks of Tier 1 instruction, Mrs. Hernandez's progress monitoring data reveal that four students-DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya-are not making adequate progress. Although these students will continue to receive high-quality, Tier 1 instruction from Mrs. Hernandez, she has determined that they would benefit from supplemental Tier 2 intervention and continued frequent progress monitoring.

High-Quality Instruction

Just as with Tier 1, Tier 2 instruction should be of high quality. The implementation of high-quality Tier 2 instruction may vary from school to school but is typically delivered in small groups ranging in size from three to five students. However, all schools should implement supplemental interventions, which are based on research-validated instruction, for at least 30 to 45 minutes three to five times a week, depending on the ages of the students. School personnel may need to be creative to identify instructional time for Tier 2 intervention. Two options to consider are:

Taking time from two consecutive classes (e.g., 15 minutes from social studies and 15 minutes from science)

Taking time from "specials" (e.g., music, library, art)

In addition to the 90 minutes of core reading instruction provided by Mrs. Hernandez in the general education classroom, DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya will receive 30 minutes of Tier 2 intervention with Ms. Washington, the reading specialist. Because Rosa Parks Elementary chose to use the standard protocol approach, the identified struggling readers will receive a standard research-validated instructional program provided in a small-group format. Ms. Washington will provide all four students with the same, empirically validated intervention, which will address all five components of high-quality reading instruction. The schedule below depicts the amount of time she will spend on each of the components.

For Your Information

In some cases, a larger percentage of general education classroom students may require Tier 2 intervention than would be expected. When this occurs, school professionals should reexamine the quality of the Tier 1 services and make changes accordingly.

Tier 2 intervention may be provided by the general education teacher or by another trained instructor, within or outside the general education classroom. If Tier 2 intervention is provided by someone other than the general education teacher, collaboration between the teachers is particularly important so that the intervention program is aligned with Tier 1 instruction. For example, Ms. Washington will identify additional, supporting instructional resources (e.g., letter/ sound cards, word cards, strategies specific to working with English Language Learners, and progress monitoring assessments) to supplement the Tier 1 comprehensive core reading program. She will also use these resources to provide extra practice opportunities for students receiving Tier 2 intervention. For instance, if students have worked on the /a/ sound during Tier 1 then the same skill should be reviewed and reinforced during the Tier 2 intervention. The sample lesson activity (below) shows how Ms. Washington's Tier 2 lesson will reinforce one of the skills taught by Mrs. Hernandez during Tier 1 instruction.

Tier 2 Intervention

Remember, teachers who provide Tier 2 interventions should:

Provide instruction with modeling

Check that students are doing the activity correctly

Have students demonstrate what they are doing

Have students repeat instructions

Provide corrective feedback to individual students

Provide multiple examples

Phonemic Awareness: Here is an example of how Ms. Washington uses phonemic awareness.
Say the parts of a word then put them together and say the word. The parts are /m/ /a/ /n/.
Ms. Washington holds up a finger as she says each sound so that she has three fingers up when she finishes.

That word is "man." Let's try another word.
The parts of this word are /p/ /a/ /t/. The word is "pat. "

She gives her students further practice by asking them to say the following blended words after she says the individual sounds.

mat cat map pan

tap tack tan
nap

Now look at the table below and compare the phonemic awareness lessons between Tier 1 and Tier 2. Although the lessons seem similar, Tier 2 provides a more intense level of instruction. This is achieved by providing additional attention, focus, and support, and by adjusting the pace of the lesson to match students' needs. For example, where a Tier 1 lesson might have students practice on three different sounds, a Tier 2 lesson might start with one sound and gradually progress to the second and third sounds once students can demonstrate their understanding of each previous sound. Students have multiple opportunities to participate and respond, and Ms. Washington is able to provide immediate corrective feedback.
Phonemic Awareness Phonemic Awareness
As indicated in the table above, small-group activities for Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction appear to have comparable content. However, Tier 1 teachers most likely will not have as much time with their struggling students during small-group instruction (5-20 minutes) as teachers will have during Tier 2 small-group instruction (30-45 minutes). Tier 1 teachers will have to prioritize what the struggling students need to learn or practice during Tier 1 small-group instruction. Therefore, the Tier 1 teacher may be able to cover only one or two core reading components during this short time. Subsequently, because Tier 2 intervention is for a more extended time, the Tier 2 teacher should be able to address most, if not all, of the five components during the intervention.

Listen to Thea Woodruff discuss Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction (time: 0:32).
View Transcript
Transcript: Thea Woodruff, PhD

They really should look very similar and provide the students with more practice opportunities that are consistent across the two instructional times. You want some consistency across what kids are doing, so you are reinforcing the same skills and having them practice them. Especially with struggling readers, you're wanting to be consistent in the instruction that you're providing across these different interventions. If you're doing different things, it's going to be difficult-especially for struggling readers-to grasp on to the activities and learn how to do them and get as much out of them if you're not being consistent.

Frequent Monitoring

Ms. Washington is responsible for conducting the weekly progress monitoring of those students receiving Tier 2 instruction, which typically lasts 10-12 weeks. However, she and Mrs. Hernandez are responsible for collaborating and making decisions about the students' instructional needs. At the end of the 10-12-week period, they also are responsible for determining, whether individual students should receive Tier 1 instruction only, whether they should continue to receive another round of Tier 2 intervention, or whether they need more the intensive intervention provided by Tier 3.

The table below offers a brief summary of some options for Tier 2 intervention.

Tier 2 Intervention Options

Who receives instruction

Students who are not making adequate progress with Tier 1 instruction.

Amount of daily instruction

Instruction may vary, depending on the age of the student, from 30-45 minutes per day (+ Tier 1):

Younger students (e.g., kindergartners) have shorter attention spans and might require shorter amounts of time (e.g., 30 minutes)

Older students are able to attend for longer amounts of time (e.g., 30-45 minutes)

When instruction is provided

Scheduling options for Tier 2 could include:

Taking time from two consecutive classes (e.g., 15 minutes from social studies and 15 minutes from science)

Taking time from "specials" (e.g., music, library, art)

In the event that a large percentage of students requires Tier 2, the teacher might need to schedule more than one Tier 2 intervention period per day.

Duration of instruction

10 weeks-20 weeks:

The number of weeks may vary, but a minimum of 10-12 weeks is recommended.

Students may need an additional round of Tier 2 intervention.

How instruction is implemented

Instruction should be implemented with teacher/ student ratios of 1:3-1:5.

Frequency of progress monitoring

At least one time every 1-2 weeks

Who provides instruction

Trained personnel may include:

General education teacher

Reading specialist

Paraprofessionals

Other personnel

Where students are served

Within or outside the general education classroom

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IRIS | Page 11: Effective Instruction at Tier 2

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After eight weeks of Tier 1 instruction, Mrs. Hernandez's progress monitoring data reveal that four students-DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya-are not making adequate progress. Although these students will continue to receive high-quality, Tier 1 instruction from Mrs. Hernandez, she has determined that they would benefit from supplemental Tier 2 intervention and continued frequent progress monitoring.

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Monitor Progress of Tier 2 Students

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References

Click the "References" link above to hide these references.

Fuchs, L. S., Deno, S. L. & Mirkin, P. K. (1984). Effects of frequent curriculum-based measurement on pedagogy, student achievement, and student awareness of learning. American Educational Research Journal, 21(2), 449-450.

Fuchs, L S., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. L. (1989a). Effects of alternative goal structures within curriculum-based measurement. Exceptional Children, 55(5), 429-438.

Johnson, E., Jenkins, J., Petscher, Y., & Catts, H. (in press). How can we improve the accuracy of screening instruments? Learning Disabilities Research & Practice.

Mathes, P. G., Denton, C., Fletcher, J., Anthony, J., Francis, D., & Schatschneider, C. (2005). The effects of theoretically different instruction and student characteristics on the skills of struggling readers. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(2), 148-182.

McMaster, K. L., Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L. S., & Compton, D. L. (2005). Responding to nonresponders: An experimental field trial of identification and intervention methods. Exceptional Children, 71(4), 445-463.

Vaughn, S., Linan-Thompson, S., & Hickman, P. (2003). Response to instruction as a means of identifying students with reading/learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 69(4), 391-409.

Vaughn, S., Mathes, P., Linan-Thompson, S., Cirino, P., Carlson, C., Pollard-Durodola, S., Cardenas-Hagan, E., & Francis, D. (2006). Effectiveness of an English intervention for first-grade English language learners at risk for reading problems. Elementary School Journal, 107(2), 153-180.

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Best Practice for RTI: Monitor Progress of Tier 2 Students

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Click the "References" link above to hide these references. Fuchs, L. S., Deno, S. L. & Mirkin, P. K. (1984). Effects of frequent curriculum-based measurement on pedagogy, student achievement, and student awareness of learning. American Educational Research Journal, 21(2), 449-450. Fuchs, L S., Fuchs, D., & Hamlett, C. L. (1989a).

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a video of tier 2 instruction occurring within a grade level lesson - Google Search

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Page 7: Tier 2 Components

Students who require Tier 2 intervention are those who did not respond adequately to the high-quality instruction provided in the general education classroom (i.e., Tier 1). This tier of RTI usually involves more intensive targeted intervention and frequent monitoring.

Targeted Intervention

Targeted intervention involves providing a standard, validated instructional program to students in a group typically consisting of no more than five students. This intervention should be provided by someone who has received extensive training in the intervention program and may be implemented by general education teachers, paraprofessionals, reading specialists, or other qualified individuals. No matter who delivers Tier 2 intervention, the general education teacher should share responsibility for the instructional planning and the decision-making process for these students.

For more information on Tier 2 reading instruction, view the IRIS Module:

Frequent Monitoring

The individual providing Tier 2 instruction needs to continue to monitor student progress. The procedures and measures used for progress monitoring in Tier 2 are the same as those used in Tier 1. This phase of intervention should be provided for a minimum of 10 weeks, during which it is recommended that the Tier 2 instructor continue to plot each student's scores on his or her existing progress monitoring graph. The instructor should draw a dotted vertical line to indicate when Tier 2 intervention begins. This will allow school personnel to compare the progress made during the different tiers of intervention. Click here to see an example of a graph containing both Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions.
LaToya's CBM Graph
Example of a graph that contains both Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervention

This graph shows LaToya's Tier 1 and Tier 2 data. The dotted vertical line indicates when Tier 2 intervention begins. It is common practice to draw a dotted vertical line on a graph to indicate the point at which instruction or intervention changes.

RTI Tier Decision Process

In addition to the two methods of evaluating student progress discussed in the Tier 1 section (i.e., performance level, rate of growth), a third method can be used to evaluate student progress. This method consists of using performance level and rate of growth in conjunction and is the preferred means for determining whether students are responding adequately to Tier 2 intervention. Research demonstrates that using both criteria provides a better picture of how students are responding to Tier 2 intervention than does either criterion alone.
dual-discrepancy approach
The use of twin criteria, performance level and rate of growth, to evaluate student progress.

Research Shows

The use of both criteria, performance level and rate of growth, was shown to be the most reliable means of distinguishing between students who respond to instruction and those who do not.
(McMaster, Fuchs, Fuchs & Compton, 2002)

Unlike the IQ-achievement discrepancy model, the use of both criteria (performance level and rate of growth) to determine academic progress avoids gender bias or the overrepresentation of specific ethnic groups in special education services.
(Speece, 2005)

To assess progress, teachers need to examine students' CBM data at the end of the predetermined Tier 2 monitoring period (a recommended minimum of 10 weeks). Teachers will examine both performance level and rate of growth for only the Tier 2 portion of the graph and will decide whether students are making progress based on the following guidelines:

Students are making adequate progress if their scores are at or above the established criterion for either performance level or rate of growth

Students are not making adequate progress if their scores fall below the criteria for both performance level and rate of growth

The table below summarizes this decision making process.

It is important to note that there is no set sequence for the evaluation of performance level and rate of growth. For the purposes of this module, an order has been imposed on this process (see steps below) because experience indicates that it is more common for students to meet their performance-level expectations (i.e., benchmark) than to meet their rate-of-growth expectations (i.e., slopes). In effect, evaluating performance level may first reduce the amount of work teachers have to do to make tier decisions.

As they evaluate how their students respond to Tier 2 intervention, teachers should do the following:

Step 1: Evaluate the performance level for each struggling student.

If a student's performance level meets or exceeds the relevant benchmark

If a student's performance level does not meet the benchmark go to Step 2

Step 2: Evaluate the rate of growth.

If a student's slope meets or exceeds the established rate of growth

If a student's slope does not meet the established rate of growth provide Tier 3 intensive, individualized instruction

In Summary

If the student's performance level is equal to or greater than the established benchmark or if the student's rate of growth (slope) is equal to or greater than the specified rate of growth (e.g., 1.8 on the first-grade Vanderbilt University WIF probe), the student is responding adequately to instruction.

On the other hand, if the student's performance level and rate of growth are less than the specified criteria, more intensive instruction is warranted.

For Your Information
Communicating with Students
When they view their academic growth in an easily understood format (e.g., on a graph), students can see the relationship between their effort and their progress. Graphs:

Offer students a visual representation of their progress

Demonstrate that hard work pays off

Motivate students to maintain their efforts or to work harder

Communicating with Parents
CBM data are an excellent resource to use when communicating student progress to parents. During a parent-teacher meeting, teachers can clearly demonstrate:

How the student is progressing compared to his or her past achievement

What goals the student is expected to meet by the end of the school year

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Students who require Tier 2 intervention are those who did not respond adequately to the high-quality instruction provided in the general education classroom (i.e., Tier 1). This tier of RTI usually involves more intensive targeted intervention and frequent monitoring. Targeted intervention involves providing a standard, validated instructional program to students in a group typically consisting of no more than five students.

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RTI Tier 2 Interventions are small groups. These groups are formed based on specific skills not mastered from Tier 1 instruction. Since they are formed around "skill mastery," these groups are temporary; they meet only until a specific set of skills are mastered.

Assessments (formal and anecdotal) from Tier 1 instruction help teachers identify students needing more support. In a targeted RTI Tier 2 interventions group, it's extremely important that instruction is not s-l-o-w-e-r. Or, LOUDER.

If students didn't understand the concepts in Tier 1 instruction, they need a totally different approach. Small groups are ideal settings for changing the tempo of instruction.

Elements of Effective (Intervention) Lessons

The following strategies are really best-practices for all instruction, but they will help you make the most of your RTI Tier 2 intervention time:

1. Short, frequent sessions. Take a cue from the caveman and keep it quick.

My son has ADHD and "severe dyslexia." After a long journey, we finally got a diagnosis and moved to a new school at the tail-end of 1st grade. As the dust was settling that first summer, he had a LOT of catching up to do! He had just missed the most critical year of literacy instruction; it was tempting to fill every available hour. His school provided summer school that met 3 hours/day, 3 days/week. But, I chose a different path.

I hired our babysitter to tutor him 1 hour/day, 5 days a week. I felt that one hour a day, five days a week, would be optimal; Mark would get a lot of practice, but still have plenty of time to play, create, and do all of the things that make his brain explode with excitement! That proved to be the right path. He was reading "at grade level" within a few short months.

Our brains were designed for primitive survival. In the wild, there is no such thing as intense, sustained attention for a long period of time. There is only survival. The "intense, sustained attention" is only needed in short bursts. In fact, exercise-science is confirming this is true for our bodies, as well. Research shows that short bursts of cardio-vascular exercise are healthier than long, sustained sessions.

Humans' environments have evolved light-years since we were living in caves. But, our brains have not evolved nearly as much. Our brains still very much prefer short sessions. The key to master is short, frequent, sessions.

2. Alternate activities. Change it up to keep the brain engaged.

Back to the story about my son... (Sorry, to drone on about my son, but I think stories are most effective...)

That summer, I chose to focus on his top 3 "bottlenecks" for learning: decoding/phonics, handwriting, and basic math facts. (All three of these functions are a result of a "working memory" deficit.) I chose three programs to help us target each of these three areas. During every tutoring session, my son spent 20 minutes working with three programs: a decoding/spelling program, a carefully chosen handwriting program (Handwriting Without Tears is far-and-away the best way to teach handwriting), and a math-facts computer game.

Each program required a different "output": The handwriting session was a paper-and-pencil drill. The spelling/decoding program was "hands-on" with magnetic letter tiles. The math program gave him a chance to work on the computer. Consequently, each 20-minute session was using different parts of his brain.
Changing the "output" or "modality" of instruction is key to avoiding the "s-l-0-w-e-r and LOUDER" trap that is so common in intervention.
3. Keep the Pace Moving.

In our media society, the pace has to be fast to keep all learners engaged. Learners who need RTI Tier 2 interventions, however, are more likely to have attention challenges; their minds are more likely to wander, get bored, and loose motivation quickly.

To handle this pressure, let a timer lead. Timers are neutral third parties; students don't argue with a timer. Timers also add a sense of urgency, which boosts students' engagement.

Timers also keep us on pace. I know I'm guilty of turning a "mini-lesson" into a waaaay-too-long lecture. I started using timers to challenge myself to keep "mini-lessons" mini.

This is a good time to remind ourselves that we must expect the bad days. Avoid the power-struggles. Avoid self-imposed guilt. Let bad days be. The timer will ensure that the torture does not last too long... for your students and for you!

One word of caution: you don't always want to push the pace. If a student is "in the zone," happily making progress, and doesn't want to stop, let him go. During these periods, emotions are positive and the brain is ripe for learning! Take advantage whenever you can.

4. Use the Power of Peer Discussions

Peer pressure is incredibly powerful, and that's not always a bad thing. A substance abuse counselor once told me, "If I am having trouble reaching an adolescent in a one-on-one therapy session, I will send them to group therapy. There is no greater influence in an adolescent's life than their peers, and group therapy is very successful in reaching our toughest kids!"
If group discussions can help teens break drug addictions, imagine the impact they can have on RTI Tier 2 interventions?
When students are hesitant, reluctant, and unsure if they can trust you, peers can have a big influence in turning that trust around! See my article, Make Your Job Easier by Harnessing Positive Peer Pressure, included in the appendix, for specific guidelines on hosting effective classroom discussions.

5. Sit. Stand. Lie on the floor.

Whatever it takes. Over the years, I have had many parents and teachers ask me to tell their child (or students) that they should be sitting at a table or desk to learn best.
Sorry. I can't do that.

There are times when a specific "posture" is important. For example, working on a flat surface when writing or tracking text for reading allows the hands to relax and work most efficiently with the eyes. However, in both of these situations, the child could be standing, or kneeling at a low table, or sitting on a large ball, or using a lap desk. My son went through his battery of tests, it was over the course of several visits. Each time, the evaluators noted that he preferred to stand and actually performed better while standing.

The body should be free to do what the body needs to do. Afterall, if the body is not comfortable, it will block the pathways to learning.

Success with RTI Tier 2 Interventions

Making students feel "safe" is the primary goal for all learning environments. RTI Tier 2 interventions are an extra opportunity to connect with a student and provide some personal attention, feedback, and encouragement.

If all has been successful with your targeted intervention group(s), students will return to the classroom for Tier 1 instruction, along with their peers. Maybe they'll come back to another Tier 2 session in the future. Maybe they won't.

If challenges continue, then RTI Tier 3 interventions are the next step. They are targeted, 1-1 instructional sessions. You can find more information on Tier 3 at the link below.

To your students' success!

Susan Kruger, M.Ed.
Author of SOAR ® Learning & Soft Skills
Founder of www.studyskills.com

RTI: Response to Intervention Menu

See more information on RTI: Response to Intervention at the links below:

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RTI Tier 2 Interventions:Elements of Effective Intervention Lessons - Study Skills by SOAR Learning

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It's extremely important that RTI Tier 2 interventions are not s-l-o-w-e-r. Or, LOUDER. Students need a totally different approach. Small groups are ideal for changing the tempo of instruction.

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How to help students in Tier 1

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Feel free to skip this section if you're familiar with the definition of RTI.

If you aren't familiar or want a refresher, RTI focuses on early and continuous identification, assessment and assistance of students who have learning and behaviour needs.

Although the term is widely used across North America, other regions have similar approaches and standards under different names.

Regardless, the intervention process should be ingrained in each classroom management plan. That's because it starts with you delivering high-quality instruction and monitoring how each student processes it.

Those who perform poorly or display concerning classroom habits are candidates for small-group or individual interventions. These are typically aimed at addressing trouble spots and building underdeveloped prerequisite skills to accelerate learning.

Depending on the intensity of intervention, and your school's resources, special educators and dedicated interventionists may involve themselves. You may also have to inform a student's parents in extreme cases, offering updates about progress and the methods you're using.

There isn't a universal RTI process, but most schools and districts divide it into three stages. You can learn about these stages below, or skip to tier-based strategies.

The Three RTI Tiers

Tier 1: High-Quality Instruction and Proactive Assessment

Think of the first RTI tier as everyday teaching. It's consistently delivering differentiated and scientifically-based instruction. This helps ensure that student struggles aren't a result of improper teaching methods. If you don't already use them, some popular practices include:

In the context of RTI, high-quality instruction also involves providing supplemental learning opportunities based on assessment results.

Let's say you finish marking a math quiz, and notice several students struggle to multiply decimals. In class, give a task related to decimals and multiplication, discussing and modeling key steps and concepts with those students beforehand.

This is just one approach you can take.

Regardless, you shouldn't spend more than two months providing extra instruction to help a student enhance the same skillset. If he or she doesn't show measureable improvement, it may be time for the second RTI tier.

Tier 2: Targeted Intervention

Maintaining the first tier's style of classroom instruction, the next stage uses rigorous supplementary exercises and lessons targeted to a student's specific needs.

Normally, you would deliver these exercises and lessons in small-group settings outside of core class time. This allows students with common issues to work together, contextualizing and reinforcing concepts while building prerequisite skills.
You can objectively identify candidates for targeted intervention through:

Mid-Unit Evaluations: At the middle of each unit, deliver a surprise quiz or in-class task that covers all core skills and concepts you've covered thus far.

Formal Evaluations: After marking tests and assignments, it'll be clear who's struggling. Your school may have specific criteria, but targeted intervention candidates are typically students who receive failing grades or come close.

After class or during recess, work with students who need help. Focused on clarifying lingering issues or building underdeveloped skills, provide exercises that require they work together and individually.

For example, students could work as a team to solve interactive challenges on a math website. Then, they could each complete a worksheet that reinforces the skills they practiced on the website. You would support students by offering clarification and filling knowledge gaps.

Nuances aside, you should match targeted intervention to student needs by adjusting the:

The second stage intervention should take longer than the first. But if you can't see clear progress after a month or two, you may need to move the student into the third RTI tier.

Tier 3: Intensive Intervention and Evaluation

Working one-on-one with you or a dedicated interventionist, students in the final tier receive intensive lessons that target their unique trouble spots and knowledge gaps.

In the United States, 5% of children need this kind of help, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Based on the student's learning style and needs, as well as underdeveloped skills, third-tier intervention sessions can include:

Talking with the child about his or her specific issues, discussing strategies to overcome them

Sharing positive and corrective feedback whenever possible

Providing diverse media to help process content

Revisiting lessons from past units or years

Setting achievement plans and goals

Modeling problem-solving steps

The educator who runs these sessions must record as much data as possible about the student's improvement or lack thereof. Are prerequisite skills starting to meet standards? Are there jumps in in-class performance?

If the student doesn't make marked progress, you -- depending on school or district policy -- may have to recommend him or her for a special education evaluation.

Teaching Strategies for Each RTI Tier

RTI probably seems like a daunting process.

It can be. But there are many ways you can help and empower students to succeed in each stage. Consider using some of these 15 intervention strategies, many of which are interchangeable between tiers:

Tier 1 Strategies

1. Watch for Impostor Syndrome

It's easy for a student to nod his or her head, then bury it in a book without asking questions to create an illusion of comprehension. That's why you have to watch for impostor syndrome.

Proactively looking for students who feign understanding, filling their knowledge gaps, can prevent disappointing surprises when marking tests or assignments. You can spot imposter syndrome by regularly:

Asking Students for Their Own Words -- Instead of repeating concepts verbatim, ask students to explain specific ideas using their own words. This will not only help them process content, but reveal how well they understand it.

Using Exit Tickets -- Save 10 minutes at the end of class, allowing students to write about what they learned. They'll prepare for tomorrow's lesson, whereas you'll see who's grasping content.

Adopting a proactive approach can set an example to follow, too. Students may pose more questions and not hesitate to ask for help, since they know you'll likely approach or call on them anyway. 2. Give Only Two Marks for Informal AssessmentsRecall a time you saw a big F in red ink on your work. You were likely upset, too demoralised to review mistakes and feedback.

So, on informal assessments throughout a unit, just state if a student did or did not meet expectations.

Then, provide struggling students with a clear path to improve. For example, pair classmates who didn't meet expectations with those who did, giving them a review and practice activity. When strugglers are confident they understand key concepts, encourage them to tell you. Provide a new assessment, allowing them to prove their competency.

This should partially prevent students from being unprepared for tests and assignments.

3. Have Private Mid-Unit Conversations

Like the last strategy, use this one to identify if and how students are struggling before formal evaluations.

At the middle of each unit, run a fun classwide activity that doesn't introduce key skills or concepts. This gives you a chance to pull each student away for a few minutes to:

Review results

Note trouble spots

Receive input about questions and problems

In doing so, each student can gauge his or her own understanding. Plus, it helps you determine if certain issues are isolated or widespread, informing how you'll deal with them.

4. Switch Between Solo, Small- and Large-Group Learning

Differentiated instruction is a hallmark of RTI's first tier. And an easy, yet effective, way to differentiate is by alternating between individual and group activities.

This is because diverse settings provide distinct learning scenarios.

For example, running literature circles in small groups encourages students to shape and inform each other's understandings of readings, helping auditory and participatory learners retain more information. On the other hand, solo reflection exercises may appeal to those who don't gain as much from discussion as independent thinking.

Plus, varying your lessons this way helps keep engagement levels high.

5. Assign Open-Ended Projects

Giving choices for projects is another differentiation strategy that fits into the first intervention tier.

Instead of assigning an inflexible project, provide a list of ideas. This allows students to choose one that lets them best demonstrate their knowledge. Be sure to include a rubric for each project, setting clear expectations.
By enticing and challenging students, this approach encourages them to:

Work and learn at their own paces

Process content in ways that appeal to them

Showcase their knowledge and skill mastery as effectively as possible

This strategy not only benefits students, but helps you see their unique work and learning styles.

Tier 2 Strategies

6. Set Measurable Goals

Setting clearly-defined objectives will define an explicit route to graduate from intervention.

Addressing a given student's challenges and trouble spots, objectives should take the form of learning and behaviour goals.

Learning goals focus on the student understanding concepts and developing skills. For example, "I, student's name, will complete 10 additional questions about fractions, as provided by my math teacher, each weeknight for the next two weeks."

Behaviour goals require the student to concentrate and work efficiently. For example, "I, student's name, will not interrupt any of my teachers while they're speaking. Instead, I will raise my hand to ask questions."

Notice how the goals are measureable? If the student interrupts a teacher even once or only completes nine questions each night, he or she doesn't meet them.

To reinforce the importance of these goals, review progress at each targeted intervention session.

7. Add a Twist to Mixed-Ability Groups

Grouping high performers with struggling classmates for in-class activities is common, but needs a twist as a second tier intervention strategy.

That's because underperforming students sometimes don't actively participate in these groups. Instead, they rely on group members.

Here's the twist: Run activities that require students to write down their thoughts or findings, but give each student a different colour pen.

You'll likely notice the struggling students don't write down as much. If this is the case, tell them they'll present their group's thoughts or findings to the class. This way, they must process the content to prepare.

Improved understanding of content, better presentation skills.

8. Use EdTech that Adjusts to Each Student

Some educational technologies use adaptive learning principles, detecting student trouble spots and helping them build skills to overcome them.

For example, Prodigy is a fun and engaging math game that adjusts content to help students address skill deficits and knowledge gaps. It also offers feedback to help them solve specific mistakes, as they answer questions that use words, charts, pictures and numbers. Currently used by over two million teachers, the game is aligned with curricula across Canada, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and India.
Create and sign into your free teacher account now!
9. Model Everything and Use Role-Plays

To supplement explanations, demonstrating proper practices will give struggling students clear examples and reference points.

Let's say you're running a think-pair-share activity. To clarify, this involves students individually thinking about a problem, pairing together to discuss their answers and presenting their ideas to the class.
After giving instructions, you could act out a:

Partner conversation, reaching conclusions by asking each other questions

Brief presentation about answers, modeling what students should say about their ideas and problem-solving processes

This strategy helps intervention students participate to the best of their abilities, enjoying the activity itself.

10. Preach Four-Step Problem Solving

Teaching problem-solving skills in targeted interventions can give students the confidence to answer challenging problems, reaching comprehensive answers.

This is especially important for those who understand a topic's underlying concepts, but struggle to apply or articulate them.

One of the most popular resources is A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers. The authors describe four steps you should encourage students to follow, which work for most subjects.
The steps are:

Understanding the Problem -- Students should rewrite it in their own words, noting helpful information it reveals and indicates a need for.

Devising a Plan -- Students should use information they gleaned to make notes, tables, diagrams, equations and anything else that creates a path to solving the problem.

Carrying out the Plan -- Students should follow this path, reviewing each step along the way and making changes as needed.

Looking Back -- Students should double-check each step after reaching their answers. Then, it's best to look at the "big picture." Does the solution make sense when applied to the original problem? Is there a different, logical way of reaching the same solution? If not, they should re-visit their approaches.

Armed with these steps, tough questions shouldn't look as daunting.

Tier 3 Strategies

11. Gamify a Personal Learning Plan

Motivating students in the final RTI tier is typically a challenge in of itself. Gamifying learning plans can engage and incentivize them, empowering them to move back in the middle tier.

Whether you're in charge of this intervention stage or not, you can still apply video game elements in your classroom for these and other students.
Consider gamification strategies such as:

Adjusting Your Scoring System -- Give traditional scores and experience points (XP) on tests and assignments, setting a goal for the student to reach a certain amount of XP per unit. For example, if a student scores 60% on a quiz, give him or her 6,000 XP. You can also award XP for completing extra assignments, participating in class or anything else that shows effort to learn.

Using Stages -- Call topics and units stages. These terms have clear connotations for you, but students may not see how they fit together. If they're gamers, they'll understand that reaching the next stage requires overcoming precursory challenges. Emphasize this by framing certain tasks as prerequisites to reach that next learning stage.

If these tips work especially well, you should see similar results by using them in the first two tiers.

12. Gather Data to Spot Trends

Use data at your disposal to pinpoint where and when a student's issues arose.

In doing so, you can tailor intensive instruction that addresses specific needs.

Let's say you determine that a student's performance didn't start to sink when he or she entered your classroom. Rather, it went downhill in the middle of last year's math class. It's now clear you must revisit that content, helping the student build skills taught in that class. You can then move onto this year's topics.

Depending on school or district resources, you may not be tasked with delving into this information. But if you are, look at resources that contain student performance across:

Past years

Previous units

Current classes

Different subjects

Invariably, an effective RTI approach is rooted in such data.

13. Consider Peer Teaching

Pairing struggling students with top-performers can yield benefits, according to peer teaching studies.

For example, "students generally identify more easily with peer helpers than with adult authority figures," according to an influential study. This means they may be more willing to ask questions and for feedback. What's more, an Ohio University pilot study determined that students who read and discuss story passages with peers recall more content and score higher on assessments.
Peer tutoring is a nuanced pedagogy in its own right, but easy-to-run activities include:

Think-pair-share exercises, which were discussed in the section about second-tier strategies

Peer editing exercises, which rely on tutors giving targeted feedback about a tutee's written work

Jigsaw exercises, which involve dividing an ambitious task into subtopics and having tutor-tutee pair research the same subtopic together

If you use this strategy, just be sure to teach tutors about giving help and feedback.

14. Reverse the Standard Peer Teaching Model

Peer teaching strategies typically see high-performing students tutor struggling classmates, but occasionally reversing the roles can have advantages.

When at-risk students help others in a controlled environment, research from the National Association of Secondary School Principals shows their confidence and communication abilities improve. This, in turn, can help them through the RTI process.

You and your students can reap these benefits through reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT). This involves partners taking turns as the tutor, and:

Guiding the tutee through the problem-solving process

Giving the tutee praise and feedback while working through exercises

Reviewing content together, asking each other questions and finding answers

If struggling students don't rise to their new responsibilities, just revert to traditional peer teaching.

15. Seek Help

You're not alone. Each school and district has a different makeup, but you shouldn't have to handle the intervention process yourself.
To ease the rigours of intensive instruction and evaluation, communicate with:

Fellow teachers for insight about the students you're helping

Consider how to incorporate student assessments into report card comments

Learning support specialists for tips and to share responsibilities

Administrators and your principal to provide updates and access data, especially if it seems a student needs special education services and parent involvement is required

The adage it takes a village to raise a child can easily apply to RTI. So, welcome help.

RTI Infographic

Created by Educational Technology and Mobile Learning-- an online resource for teaching tools and ideas -- below is an infographic based on this article:

Final Thoughts About RTI

These strategies support specific RTI stages, but you can also use many to reduce the need for intervention.

Remember, the first tier is rooted in consistently delivering differentiated and scientifically-based instruction.

By using aforementioned first-tier tactics -- as well as researching and incorporating similar ones -- you should prevent many intervention cases. And serious issues may come to light faster, as you identify students who aren't receptive to diverse, credible instruction practices.

So, continue to be proactive. That's a core RTI strategy across tiers.

Create or log into your teacher account on Prodigy - a fun and engaging adaptive math game used for lesson supplementation and response to intervention (RTI). It's used by more than two million teachers and 100 million students.

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The Teacher's Response to Intervention (RTI) Guide: Tiers, Strategies and More

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Feel free to skip this section if you're familiar with the definition of RTI. If you aren't familiar or want a refresher, RTI focuses on early and continuous identification, assessment and assistance of students who have learning and behaviour needs. Although the term is widely used across North America, other regions have similar approaches and standards under different names.

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Overviews of Tiers 1-3

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Tier 2. The secondary level of interventions in schools (now commonly called Tier 2) focuses on specific students who show initial signs or symptoms of difficulty. Data from these students is then used to provide targeted interventions to those "at-risk" students based on their specific needs and symptoms. Signs may include behavior management problems in class, tardiness, office referrals, absences, etc. In a total school population, it is estimated that 15 percent of students, might develop some form of behavioral difficulty and require Tier 2 supports in addition to all Tier 1 supports. Check-in/Check-out, a strategy used to monitor student progress and provide positive daily contact with an adult in school, is an example of a Tier 2 intervention.

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Tier 2. The secondary level of interventions in schools (now commonly called Tier 2) focuses on specific students who show initial signs or symptoms of difficulty. Data from these students is then used to provide targeted interventions to those "at-risk" students based on their specific needs and symptoms. Signs may include behavior management problems in class, tardiness, office referrals, absences, etc.