There's a new phrase floating around in the world of education that may be confusing to many parents. "Response to Intervention" or RtI is a philosophical shift in how the unique educational needs of students are viewed.
Policymakers have voiced concerns that many children, especially minority boys, were being overidentified with Special Education needs. They speculated that boys "being boys" were being labeled with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Moreover, because some children didn't learn how to read through the reading program being used at their school, "something" must be wrong.
RtI is a philosophy that before students are labeled "Special Education" students educators should ascertain what is preventing them from learning through the traditional methods and instead utilize a teaching methodology that will enable the student to learn. This focus on individual student learning needs is sometimes called "differentiated instruction."
The RtI approach to learning is systemic and broad. All the educators in a school need to understand that the end product should be increased student academic achievement. If an individual student isn't learning sufficiently, then it's the educator's responsibility to adjust--not the student's.
1 comment:
As a school administrator, I see great possibilities in using RtI. The process of RtI is a benefit to the entire school community. Best of all, it has rendered obselete the "wait to fail" method of the old identification model. RtI will help create a professional learning community amongst the staff so that everyone is putting their heads together (including parents)to help students as soon as issues arise. I think it is a good process.
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