From Differentiation to Intervention

-->

Differentiated Instruction is consistently and proactively creating different pathways to help all students be successful

 (Betty Hollis, 2007)

On the road to RtI we begin with the core curriculum and differentiated instruction for students that teachers feel have not yet learned certain skills.  Many teachers mistakenly believe that differentiated instruction means they need to provide different instruction, different assessments, different grading, and different assignments.  While this can be true, most teachers who do differentiated instruction well actual use the same instructional methodologies, the same assessment, the same grading system and many of the same assignments for all their students.  What differs is not the tools used but rather the emphasis that is placed on the different instructional components of the lesson. 

Differentiated instruction often involves:
·      direct, explicit instruction
·      pre-teaching of concepts and/or skills
·      direct whole class instruction followed by small group and/or individual review
·      individualize instruction

Most teachers who successfully differentiate instruction are good classroom managers, are organized and purposeful, and are very much in charge of student learning and the curricular content. Their classrooms may be student-centered, but they are very much teacher-directed.  

Differentiated instruction is for every student!

-->

Intervention, on the other hand, is not.  For some students the level of instruction in the core curriculum is not successful in helping them achieve the minimal levels of expected competency.  Those students who, despite differentiated instruction, fall below the expected levels of accomplishment (called benchmarks) and are at some risk for academic failure are in need of intervention.  The needs of these students are often identified through the assessment process and ongoing progress monitoring.  Analysis of student data on a continuous basis allows for teachers to “catch” students in need of interventions in specific skill areas early and to provide targeted interventions to help the student be successful.   

This is key to the RtI process!

An intervention is a planned set of procedures that are aimed at teaching a specific set of skills to a student(s).  It is more than a single lesson, less than an entire curriculum.

Interventions contains these components:

·      It is planned – it is a evidence-based set of teaching procedures

·      It is sustained – implemented in a series of lessons over time

·      It is focused – intended to meet a specific set of needs for a student(s)

·      It is goal oriented – intended to produce a change in knowledge/behavior

·      It is in addition – it does not replace the core curriculum but provides for additional instructional support for the student in the area of concern

·      It is typically a set of procedures rather than a single instructional strategy 

References:

Differentiating Instruction in a Whole-Group Setting Betty Hollis, 2007

Mark Pennington. (2010, February 15). 23 Myths of Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved from http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/23-myths-of-differentiated-instruction/

Curriculum-based Evaluation: teaching and decision making (4^th ed) Howell, Hosp and Hosp

Kathy Steffens is a Special Educator with 20+ years experience.  She is available for questions regarding district RTI implementation and staff development training.  You can reach her at RightResponsetoRTI@gmail.com