|
Dear Educator:
Even though Response to Intervention (RTI) has been around for eight years already, it is only just starting to be implemented in many districts. For some teachers, there is still some confusion about what the three tiers are and how they fit into their instructional program.
The word "tier" is just a fancy word for level. But the three tiers in RTI have a special meaning. They describe the steps to take in determining whether a student truly needs special education services. The point is to prevent the over-identification of students for these expensive services.
Tier 1 is high quality core instruction that meets the needs of most students.
Tier 2 is small-group targeted intervention for students who are not making adequate progress in Tier 1.
Tier 3 is more intense, individualized intervention, usually outside the regular classroom, for students who show minimal response to Tier 2 intervention.
At each tier, assessments gauge how well the student is responding to the intervention. The goal is to keep as many children as possible on track in the mainstream classroom.
Easy as 1, 2, 3, right? Well, no. For the typical classroom teacher, it's just one more burden to supplement their Tier 1 instruction with Tier 2 and sometimes even Tier 3 interventions. And we all know that just repeating Tier 1 instruction in small groups isn't enough. We have to offer something different.
That's where Primary Concepts comes in. Our products offer students a different way to learn the key concepts and skills they need to know. Most struggling students at the primary grades learn best when they are exposed to multiple modalities-visual, auditory, and tactile. When they are actively engaged in learning, they achieve better results.
Our phonics-based program, The Road to Reading is singularly effective with struggling learners. Lesson plans spell out exactly how to use reading manipulatives to bring students up to grade level on their specific skill deficits. Included with the program is a comprehensive kit with all the hands-on materials needed. There's even a resource CD with printable books and interactive stories for guided practice in connected text. Ongoing assessments keep you continually informed of student progress. You focus on what students need to learn, and not on what they already know.
See the product spotlight section for more information on this popular intervention program. And be sure to check out our brand new 2012 catalog (see Breaking News).
Best wishes,
Joan Westley, Newsletter Editor
editor@primaryconcepts.com
| 
