This session will address the importance of training pre-service teachers to inform parents about RTI-based assessment of LD. A synthesis of research will examine issues in assessment and placement processes, timelines, and parental communication. Attendees will be enabled to identified essential RTI information that should be provided by schools districts.

Intensivundervisning i matematik, lärares perspektiv utifrån organisation, lärande och motivation har i studien studerats med utgångspunkt i metoden “Response to intervention”, RTI. RTI används bland annat för att stärka elever i matematiksvårigheter, metoden vilar på forskning och beprövad erfarenhet (DCSF, 2010). I Sverige har Sterner utifrån RTI utarbetat en modell kring intensivundervisning i matematik. Denna modell har spridit sig över hela landet och ett flertal projekt har genomförts. Syftet med denna studie är att studera intensivundervisning i matematik utifrån hur den kan organiseras på svenska skolor samt vilken påverkan lärare upplever att intensivundervisningen i matematik har på elevers lärande och motivation i ämnet matematik. För att ta reda på detta har metoden varit kvalitativ, i form av intervjuer med  4 stycken verksamma lärare. En intensivlärare och tre matematiklärare. Resultatet som framkom utifrån organisation var positivt till den pågående intensivundervisningen i matematik men utvecklingsmöjligheter lades fram. När det gäller lärande och motivation så framkom ett positivt samband där elevens framsteg kan  relateras mot elevens motiveringsgrad. Resultatet visar även att lärarna upplever ett ökat matematikintresse hos eleverna.

Grundläggande kunskaper i aritmetik är centralt inom matematiken och effektiva strategier samt kontinuerlig övning gynnar alla elever. Arbetet syftade till att utforma och pröva om en helklassintervention, RtI nivå ett, inom grundläggande aritmetik gav effekt. Interventionen genomfördes under tre veckor i två årskurs sexklasser som fick undervisning i korta pass tre gånger per vecka. Undervisningen strukturerades utifrån explicit undervisning och CRA-metoden där undervisningen börjar på konkret nivå övergår i representativ och slutligen i abstrakt nivå. Eleverna fick undervisning i olika strategier för huvudräkning inom subtraktion samt möjlighet att öva huvudräkning inom subtraktion i talområdet 0 - 20. Studien var ett kvasiexperiment med förtest och eftertest i både interventionsgrupperna och kontrollgrupperna. En statistisk signifikant effekt kunde mätas då interventionsgruppens medelvärde förbättrades mer än kontrollgruppens inom huvudräkningstestet. Ingen transeffekt uppmättes för algoritmräkning inom subtraktion.

<p>Student behavior, such as in students with EBD (Emotional and Behavioral Disability), can cause disruptions and be difficult to direct in a positive manner (Stoutjesdijk, Scholte, & Swaab, 2012). Perceptions of these students happen before the student ever enters the classroom. Many general education teachers develop a negative perception of any student labeled EBD and that perception impacts the way the teacher interacts and perceives the actions of the student with EBD. It was found that teachers were over 80% more likely to give negative responses to the students with emotional and behavioral disability than to general education students (Sazak-Pinar, Elif & Güner-Yildiz, 2013). Often when teachers perceive students with EBD in this fashion, the student begins to develop a view of negative self-worth and begin to question if they have any value (Gallagher, 1997).</p> <p>This study was done to gather information and build a pathway to develop a training handbook that can be a resource for existing and future teachers. This training handbook focuses on techniques, but not simply the techniques by themselves. These techniques stress the needs to work with other skills. No technique works all alone nor for every student. Flexibility is paramount and this handbook will assist the reader in understanding how to incorporate techniques to best assist students with EBD.</p>

This dissertation addresses the perspectives of experts and school-level stakeholders on MTSS implementation in high schools. Despite evidence of MTSS implementation effectiveness in elementary and middle school settings, MTSS implementation still lags in high schools. In reviewing the literature on high school MTSS implementation, those who have worked to implement MTSS do not all do so with the same priorities and/or emphases. I collected and examined qualitative data that reflects the perspectives of experts and school-level stakeholders. Specifically, I also reviewed articles or book chapters written by some high school MTSS experts and interviewed them. I interviewed stakeholders working in high school in order to gain perspectives from individuals who are directly involved in the implementation process. I used the Generic Qualitative design in my research, and analyzed the interview data and documents by using the Inductive Analysis method. Experts and stakeholders identified essential elements that they perceived would influence high schools’ abilities to implement MTSS and impact student outcomes. They specified components that relate to the high school system and the ecology of a high school that impact MTSS implementation: components like parent involvement, the community, and the high school culture. All participants shared perspectives on high school students’ roles in the MTSS process, such as student support team involvement, providing ideas regarding interventions, and assistance with peer tutoring. Overall, experts and stakeholders agreed on many of the basic principles and components of high school MTSS (leadership, collaboration, professional development, alignment, data, decision rules); however, they emphasized different approaches for application to a high school setting, and displayed varying opinions on best practices. Some of the foci included reading interventions, behavioral supports, Tier-1 foundational instruction, and graduation goals. Implications for practice may be pulled from the perspectives shared, particularly those regarding context-specific professional development, student involvement, and the urgency of providing supports in time for high school graduation.

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore and describe foundation phase teachers’ viewpoints on the viability of response to intervention (RTI) in their school context. The conceptual framework supporting this study was guided by sociocultural and social constructivist perspectives on learning and included the concepts of mediation, zone of proximal development, scaffolding and differentiated instruction which are concepts that underpin an RTI approach. Guided by an interpretivist paradigm, this qualitative case study provided insight into the viewpoints of nine foundation phase teachers on whether they believed an RTI approach could be viable within their own school context. The findings suggest that the participants envision numerous challenges in the implementation of RTI in their school context. They believe that a lack of resources and challenges associated with the curriculum could potentially prevent the effective implementation of RTI components and therefore decrease the viability of RTI in their school context. The participants believe that if certain challenges, such as a lack of time and a lack of qualified teaching staff, could be addressed and overcome, then an RTI approach could become viable in their school context. They believe an effective RTI implementation could yield benefits associated with improved overall learning in the classroom. Furthermore, the participants believe that RTI could potentially result in a reduced need for financial resources to pay for referrals to learner support specialists, which they currently perceive as a challenge in their learner support practices. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

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This study was designed to address teachers' difficulties implementing Response-to-Intervention (RtI) program strategies at a low-performing school in south Texas in response to students failing to meet statewide assessment standards in reading. This exploratory case study investigated the perceptions of Grades 3 and 4 teachers to assist in understanding a pathway to increase higher fidelity of RtI implementation and improve student academic performance. Knowles's theory of andragogy and Lewin's change theory provided the framework for the study. The study included interview data from 6 purposefully selected Grades 3 and 4 teachers supplemented by document reviews of professional development (PD) presentations and RtI implementation policies. All data were analyzed using comparative and inductive analysis and coded into 7 emergent themes. The findings included the need for administrative supervision, a lack of RtI fidelity of implementation, and a need for PD focusing on interventions and organizational tools. The project, which was developed based on the findings and literature review, includes opportunities for learning and participating in campus RtI planning to gain support for the program, attending district-approved PD sessions to assist teachers' techniques to improve student performance in reading, and training in specific RtI progress monitor reporting to document use of the various interventions for individuals in the classroom. By ensuring that students receive RtI instruction that is designed to meet their individual academic needs, the project may help the school district decrease referrals to special education and improve students' reading abilities.

Response to Intervention (RTI) programs are designed to support students at risk of failing in school due to academic or behavioral problems. When RTI programs are applied inconsistently due to teachers' resources or knowledge, students may be wrongly identified for special education services. The purpose of this qualitative bounded descriptive case study was to explore K-4 general education teachers' experiences with RTI program implementation and the extent teachers used the RTI program in their classrooms. This study was guided by Gagné's conditions of learning theory. A purposeful sampling of 10 K-4 general education teachers, who taught an RTI program, volunteered and participated in individual semistructured interviews and classroom observations. Data were analyzed thematically using open, axial, and thematic coding. Participants revealed they needed materials and time to prepare and use interventions and desired parental participation in team meetings. Numerous interventions, large class sizes, and scheduling constraints with specialists were obstacles implementing RTI. Academic specialists' expertise, teaching methods, and assessment data assisted planning and implementing RTI in the classroom. Teachers demonstrated a high frequency of events of learning in lessons. Based on the findings, it is recommended that district personnel develop a tiered system of teacher support and a shared vision for an RTI plan, provide teachers with necessary materials and resources to deliver instruction, and plan actions for parental involvement. These endeavors may contribute to positive change by improving general education teachers' instruction to help students at risk of failure to be successful, thus, reducing unnecessary special education referrals.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate differences among special education enrollments for specific learning disabilities (SLD) and other disabilities within districts using school-wide response to intervention (RTI). Differences between rural and suburban school districts during the phases of the insufficient criterion rollout for SLD identification were explored as were environmental factors' impact on RTI implementation. Systems theory framed how concerns in rural districts impact the ability to use RTI data for special education enrollment. The research questions examined prevalence rates of SLD and other disabilities, compared RTI implementation fidelity in rural and suburban districts, and explored environmental factors' impact on RTI fidelity. A repeated measures ANOVA, a series of ANOVAs, and a multiple regression analysis were used with archival data (274 cases) to examine the relationships between the variables. Results indicated rural schools are increasing identification of students with other disabilities and decreasing identification of students with SLDs. Compared with suburban schools, rural schools' SLD rates are not declining as quickly, while other disabilities increased to rates similar to that found in suburban settings. There were no significant differences between rural and suburban districts in RTI implementation fidelity; however, overall staff salary appears to impact RTI fidelity rates, especially in rural districts. Further research is needed to explore changes in special education enrollment practices and environmental factor's role in these changes. This study provides groundwork for positive social change by recognizing differences between school districts in identifying disability areas and obtaining necessary resources to implement new educational initiatives.