Introduction to a 3Tiered Reading Model

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Introduction to a 3-Tiered Reading Model

• Central Regional Reading First Technical
  Assistance Center
• Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts
• The University of Texas at Austin
• College of Education

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What is a 3-tiered reading model?

• A prevention model designed to meet the
  instructional needs of all young readers by
• Identifying at-risk and struggling readers before
  they fall behind
• Providing struggling readers with support
  throughout the first four years of schooling
• A framework for delivering assessment-driven,
  differentiated reading instruction for all
  students

This 3-tier model is not a new reading program.
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Overview of the Three Tiers

• Tier I Core classroom reading instruction,
  assessment of students progress 3 times per
  year, and ongoing professional development
• Tier II Intervention and frequent progress
  monitoring that at-risk and struggling readers
  receive
• Tier III Intensive intervention and frequent
  progress monitoring

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Percentage of Students Typically Served in Each
Tier
Tier I (All Students)
Tier II (2030)
Tier III (510)
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The Role of Assessment

• Benchmark assessments aid in early identification
  of students at-risk for reading difficulties.
  Testing of all K3 students is conducted in early
  fall, early winter, and late spring.
• Frequent progress monitoring of students
  receiving Tier II and Tier III instruction is
  critical. Interventionists use progress-monitoring
  data to
• Track student learning
• Plan instruction
• Provide feedback to students

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Movement Through the 3 Tiers
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Tier I Core Classroom Reading Instruction
All Students
Minimum of 90 Minutes Reading Instruction Daily
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Key Elements of Tier I

• Core classroom reading instruction that focuses
  on the grade-specific essential reading
  components
• Systematic assessment of ALL K3 students three
  times per year
• Ongoing professional development to provide
  teachers with the necessary tools to ensure every
  student receives high-quality reading instruction

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Features of Effective Tier I Lessons

• Explicit instructionOvertly teaching each step
  through teacher modeling and many examples
• Systematic instructionBreaking lessons and
  activities into sequential, manageable steps that
  progress from simple to more complex concepts and
  skills
• Ample practice opportunitiesProviding many
  opportunities for students to respond and
  demonstrate what they are learning
• Immediate feedbackIncorporating feedback (from
  teacher or peers) during initial instruction and
  practice

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Explicit Instruction Non-Example

• Main Idea Lesson
• The teacher reads the story Dinosaurs to her
  students.
• Afterwards, she tells the students, The main
  idea of a story tells the most important part of
  the story.
• She says, Lets read Dinosaurs again together
  and see if we can find the main idea.
• After they read the story together, the teachers
  asks, What was the main idea of the story
  Dinosaurs?

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Explicit Instruction Example

• The teacher says, The main idea of a story tells
  the most important part of the story. The main
  idea names who or what the story is about and the
  most important thing that happened to the who or
  what.
• The teacher models stating the main idea for the
  story just read, Dinosaurs. Jacob is the who or
  what in the story. The most important thing about
  Jacob is that he learned to cooperate. So, the
  main idea is, Jacob learned to cooperate.
• Let me read you a short story. (Read paragraph
  about Sarah cooking ham.) Who or what is in this
  story? (Sarah) What is the most important thing
  about Sarah? What is the main idea of that
  story?
• Repeat with other short paragraphs.

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Systematic Instruction Non-Example
Lesson on the VCe Rule Words with an e at the
end have the long vowel sound. This word (points
to make) has an e at the end so it has the long
sound a. The word is make. Lets read some more
words with e at the end. Remember to say the long
vowel sound.
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Systematic Instruction Example

VCe Rule (Teacher has already taught short vowel
sounds through CVC syllable patterns)

• Explain to students that they will be learning
  about syllables that make a vowel say its name.
• Teach the students that a macron ( ) can be
  placed over a vowel to show when a vowel says its
  name.
• Teach the rule The VCe syllable has one vowel
  followed by one consonant and final e. The
  first vowel will sound its name and the final e
  is silent.

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Systematic Instruction Example

VCe Rule (Teacher has already taught vowels and
vowel sounds and has introduced children to
syllable patterns)

• Using a word list, practice with students
  identifying words with the VCe syllable
  pattern.
• Teach students how to code VCe syllables by
  placing a macron over the first vowel and
  crossing out the silent e.
• Students practice coding VCe syllables.
• Practice reading words with VCe syllables.

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Creating Ample Practice Opportunities

• Story Retell
• After reading the story have two students retell
  the story. Compare and contrast their retells.
• or
• After reading the story have students get with
  partners. Each partner retells the story to their
  partner. After sharing with their partners invite
  several partners to share one part of the story.
  Write each idea in order on chart paper.

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Using Assessment to Improve Tier I Instruction
Effective use of assessment data in Tier I
includes making informed instructional decisions
related to

• Grouping students
• Planning targeted instruction
• Monitoring students understanding and mastery of
  critical concepts and skills
• Scaffolding instruction

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Ongoing Professional Development

• Teachers are provided with ongoing professional
  development that is
• Timely
• Effective
• Responsive to their needs
• Supportive
• Informed by assessment data

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Summary of Tier I
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Tier II Intervention
2030
30 Minutes Daily of Additional Reading
Instruction Typically Lasts 10 to 14 weeks
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Key Elements of Tier II Intervention

• Provided to at-risk and struggling learners
  (e.g., identified by assessments given three
  times per year)
• Includes additional, focused instruction in the
  essential reading components that have the
  highest impact on learning to read
• Involves frequent progress monitoring (e.g.,
  every two weeks)
• Uses assessment data to inform instruction (e.g.,
  grouping, planning/delivering effective lessons,
  scaffolding instruction)

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How does Tier II instruction differ from
instruction provided in Tier I?

• Students in Tier II receive
• MORE explicit, systematic, intensive, and
  supportive instruction
• MORE instructional time (e.g., an additional 30
  minutes) than regular Tier I classroom reading
  instruction
• Instruction in small same-ability groups
• Frequent progress monitoring (e. g., every 2
  weeks) to track student progress and inform
  instruction

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High Impact Knowledge and Skills

• Tier II intervention focuses on the knowledge and
  skills that have the highest impact on learning
  to read

• Phonemic awareness and phonics instruction help
  young students make connections between sounds
  and print to accurately and quickly read words
• Students who can read words accurately and
  quickly become fluent readers
• Fluent readers are more likely to read more and
  develop larger vocabularies, which leads to
  better comprehension

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Features of Effective Tier II Lessons

• Provide explicit and systematic instruction
• Model with many examples
• Break activities/tasks into small, manageable
  steps
• Pace instruction to match students learning
  needs
• Scaffold instruction
• Include many practice opportunities (guided
  independent)
• Maximize opportunities for students to
  participate and respond
• Provide corrective and appropriate feedback
• Check for understanding

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Summary of Tier II
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• Tier III Intensive Intervention

510
60 Minutes Daily of Additional Reading
Instruction Intervention May Continue Indefinitely
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Key Elements of Tier III Intensive Intervention

• Students qualify for Tier III once it has been
  established that instruction provided in Tier I
  and Tier II will not meet their needs
• Implementation of Tier III is similar to Tier II,
  but Tier III provides intervention that is more
  intensive by
• Reducing the group size
• Providing more time for daily small-group
  instruction
• Making additional adaptations to the design and
  delivery of instruction (e.g., break tasks into
  smaller steps)

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The Relationship Between Tier III and Special
Education

• Some students, but probably not all, who qualify
  for Tier III may be receiving 504 or special
  education services
• Each school must determine the relationship
  between instruction provided in Tier III and
  instruction delivered through 504 and special
  education services

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Summary of Tier III
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Professional Development Topics for Reading
First Schools Implementing the 3-Tier Reading
Model

• Consistency in program implementation
• Consistency in intervention
• Consistency in use of progress monitoring data to
  inform instruction

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Consistency in Program Implementation

• Every teacher is committed to implementation of
  their research-based core program.
• A minimum of 90 minutes of uninterrupted time
  each day is devoted to the core reading program.
• No interruptions from the principals office
• No announcements
• Parents are informed that appointments for the
  doctor, etc., should be made at times during the
  day other than reading
• Special assemblies and events are scheduled
  around the reading block

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Consistency in Intervention

• Students at risk are readily identified and
  provided daily intervention.
• Implement a consistent program with a clear and
  visible scope and sequence that addresses those
  elements critical to improvement in reading for
  that grade level.

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Consistency in Intervention continued

• Personnel providing the intervention (e.g.,
  trained tutors, paraprofessionals, teachers) are
  highly trained and informed on the program.
• Students progress is monitored. When students
  meet benchmarks they exit from the intervention.
  When they fall behind again, they are provided
  intervention again.

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Consistency in Progress Monitoring

• Progress monitoring is used consistently to
• Determine who is meeting benchmarks and who needs
  intervention
• Document progress of all students
• Identify need for instructional adjustments
• Regroup students as needed

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Where should Reading First schools focus their
efforts when implementing this model?

• Use ongoing assessment to monitor students
  progress, to plan and deliver effective reading
  instruction, and to inform professional
  development
• Focus on the core classroom reading instruction
  (Tier I) that all students receive
• Provide Tier II Intervention that targets
  concepts and skills struggling readers need
• Participate in professional development to
  enhance classroom implementation of SBRR practices