RTI Small Group Instruction in Reading

2022-2023

Lake Placid Elementary School

Text References

• Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention Kits, Grades K-5

• How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction by Sharon Walpole and Michael McKenna

• Wilson Language System

• Wilson Just Words

• Read Naturally (iPad app)

Course Objective

RTI (Response to Intervention) is a multi-tiered approach, aimed at providing students with a variety of interventions that accelerate their learning . The goal of RTI is to improve students' skills, meet individual goals, and read on grade level. Students receiving RTI Tier 3 services will be seen by the reading specialist outside of the classroom. Students receiving RTI Tier 2 services will be seen by the classroom teacher with the assistance of a teaching assistant inside the classroom. Each group meets daily for 30 minutes. The grade level team and the reading specialist meet monthly to move students to groups that best fit their needs.

Classroom Policies

Students are expected to leave their classroom quietly when their provider arrives or their classroom teacher dismisses them. They should bring any necessary materials (canvas bags with the black and white book or reading notebook) and come to the group ready to learn. RTI lessons only last 30 minutes, and students are working the entire time. Bathroom and nurses visits are kept to a minimum.

Homework

Students in grades 2-3 will have black and white books to take home starting in September. These books are copies of the books the students read in small group that day or a book that the student can read with minimal support. Students should read these books aloud to their parent(s) or caregiver and return them to school the next day. This can count towards the 15-20 minutes of nightly reading from their classroom teacher. When these books are returned, another book will be given to read at home. If a student loses the canvas bag or book, please write a note and we will be happy to send home another one.

Students in grades 4 and 5 should be reading for at least 20 minutes at home as part of their regular reading homework.

Benchmark Assessments

Three times a year (fall, winter, and spring,) the RTI team and classroom teachers give the AIMS Web Plus Reading and Math assessments to each student to determine grade level reading and math skills. In kindergarten and first grade, reading and math assessments are given individually by the RTI staff. In grades 2 and 3, part of the reading assessment is given individually and part is given online. In grades 2-5, reading and math assessments are given in the classroom using the AIMS Web Plus online testing platform. The RTI staff is in class to assist teachers and students with the format of the online assessments in grades 2 and 3.. After each benchmark assessment period, the reading specialist meets with each grade level team to determine which students are not meeting the benchmark for reading, and students are placed into RTI small groups for additional support. A letter is sent to these students’ families informing them of the students’ placement in an RTI group.

2022-2023: Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System is given by classroom teachers. Any student who reads below the following levels on the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment is considered to not meeting grade level benchmark.

Benchmark Levels for Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (Instructional Level)

Grade Fall Winter Spring

K -- B D

1 D G/H J

2 J/K L M

3 M/N O P

4 P/Q R S

5 S/T U V

The National Norms benchmarks set by AIMS Web Plus are used to determine additional information on all students, K-5, three times a year.

The kindergarten teachers will give the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment in the winter and spring. The reading specialist meets with the kindergarten teachers to determine which students are not meeting benchmark and who needs to receive intervention.

Progress Monitoring

RTI students are assessed weekly using AIMS Web Plus, an on-line reading progress monitoring and benchmark assessment system. Students in grades 1-5 are given a grade level passage to read aloud to their RTI provider. Their score is based on the correct number of words read in one minute. Students in grades 4 and 5 are also given passages to read and comprehension questions to answer, based on their grade level. Students in Kindergarten (and/or first grade) are give one or two of the following progress monitoring assessments: Letter Naming Fluency, Letter Word Sound Fluency, Nonsense Word Fluency, or Word Reading Fluency (trick words). Each assessment is timed for one minute. The purpose of these assessments is to determine which foundational skill has been mastered, and which one needs additional teaching. Nonsense Word Fluency is the best indicator of reading difficulties. If a student is able to use their phonics skills to read nonsense words, then he/she will be able to use the same skills to figure out unknown words.

RTI students in grades 1-5 may also be assessed using the Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention reading records. Students are assessed on their reading accuracy, fluency, rate and comprehension using a book at their instructional level. The results are entered into the on-line data management system and the reading specialist reviews the results monthly. Interventions and groups are adjusted based on both AIMS Web Plus and any available Fountas and Pinnell assessment data.

Communication

Parents may contact Mrs. Coffin, Reading Specialist, at any time via e-mail (lcoffin@lakeplacidcsd.net). Quarterly progress reports will be sent home during report card time. Mrs. Coffin is available for conferences during Parent/Teacher Conference Day or anytime by appointment.

Class Conduct

The RTI groups follow the classroom teachers’ expectations for students’ behavior and discipline policy. The same rules apply in the RTI groups as in the classrooms. If a student misbehaves during RTI time, the classroom teacher is notified, and the student will need to clip down or flip a card in class.

RTI Staff

Mrs. Coffin, Reading Specialist

Mrs. Blacksmith, Math Specialist

Mrs. Blinn, Teaching Assistant

Mrs. Gemzova, Teaching Assistant

Mrs. Fox, Teaching Assistant

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