RTI in Detail

RTI is a structured method to assessing students and intervention based on testing. There is a 5 step progress explained beginning with screening. All students are tested on their literacy skills. Students are identified as being at risk or not. The next step is mild intervention in which literacy instruction is given in small groups to improve reading skills. Step three is to monitor the instruction and analyze the progress; what is working and what is not. Step four is individualized instruction for those that are still struggling. All along the progress of each students is monitored. The final step is making a decision to enroll the students in special ed services or not.
A big factor in RTI is that it is an intervention program and not a special ed service which can be confused at times. When talking about intervention it is always a build up of the basic teaching from the general ed classroom. Most students are fine in the general ed classroom learning based on the core curriculum. There are some students that need more intervention which means that in addition they have an extra 30 minutes a day of literacy practice leaning in smaller groups. The few students that still require extra assistance receive more minutes a day with a specialist or special ed teacher.