Joseph Torgesen: Three Tiers of Instruction and Intervention

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Three Tiers of Instruction and Intervention What
it will take to Leave No Child Behind in Reading
Part I-Why we need multiple tiers Dr. Joseph K.
Torgesen Florida State University Eastern
Regional Reading First Technical Assistance
Center Reading First Leaders,
Massachusetts, June , 2005
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Beginning with the End in Mind -
When we say that our goal is to help all students
read at grade level or above what do we really
mean?
We want students to be able to read grade level
text with a reasonable level of understanding
We usually also mean we want them to be able to
do this fluently, so that reading the text
doesnt take an inordinate amount of time.
And we would like them to find pleasure in
reading, which also means we would like them to
be able to read a book like we read books,
without having to struggle with the words, and be
able to focus on the meaning
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What skills, knowledge, and attitudes are
required for good reading comprehension, or
proficient grade level reading?
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What we know about the factors that affect
reading comprehension
Proficient comprehension of text is influenced by
Accurate and fluent word reading skills
Oral language skills (vocabulary, linguistic
comprehension)
Extent of conceptual and factual knowledge
Knowledge and skill in use of cognitive
strategies to improve comprehension or repair it
when it breaks down.
Reasoning and inferential skills
Motivation to understand and interest in task and
materials
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In other words, students reading comprehension
depends on
How well they read the words on the page
How much knowledge they have, and how well they
think
How motivated they are to do the work of
comprehension
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The Many Strands that are Woven into Skilled
Reading (Scarborough, 2001)
Reading is a multifaceted skill, gradually
acquired over years of instruction and practice.
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Three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a
good reader (NRC Report, 1998)
1. Difficulty learning to read words accurately
and fluently
2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge,
and reasoning skills to support comprehension of
written language
3. Absence or loss of initial motivation to
read, or failure to develop a mature
appreciation of the rewards of reading.
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The Many Strands that are Woven into Skilled
Reading (Scarborough, 2001)
Reading is a multifaceted skill, gradually
acquired over years of instruction and practice.
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Why do we need interventions?
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What are the most important ways children are
diverse-when it comes to learning to read?
1. They are diverse in their talent and their
preparation for learning to read words accurately
and fluently
2. They are diverse in their oral language
knowledge and abilities-vocabulary and world
knowledge
3. They are diverse in their abilities to manage
their learning behaviors and their motivation to
apply them selves to learning to read
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• Problems in this area begin with difficulties
  mastering the use of phonics skills as an aid
  to early, independent reading
• difficulties with the skills of blending and
  analyzing the sounds in words (phonemic
  awareness).
• difficulties learning letter-sound
  correspondences

• Slow development of sight vocabulary arising
  from
• limited exposure to text
• lack of strategies to reliably identify words in
  text

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The nature of the underlying difficulty for most
children who struggle in learning to read words
accurately and fluently
Weaknesses in the phonological area of language
ability
inherent, or intrinsic, disability
lack of opportunities to learn in the pre-school
environment
Expressed primarily by delays in the development
of phonemic awareness and phonics skills
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Important fact about talent in the phonological
language domain
It is like most other talents in that it is
distributed normally in the population
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Phonological talent is normally distributed in
the population
Percentile Ranks
50th
16th
84th
2nd
98th
100
85
70
130
115
Standard Scores
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Phonological ability is normally distributed in
the population
Percentile Ranks
50th
16th
84th
2nd
98th
100
85
70
130
115
Standard Scores
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Each of these kinds of weakness is normally
distributed in the population
Serious difficulties-probably require special
interventions and a lot of extra support-like
Alexis
Percentile Ranks
50th
16th
84th
2nd
98th
100
85
70
130
115
Standard Scores
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Another important fact about talent in the
phonological language domain
It is only weakly correlated with broad verbal
ability or general intelligence
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Phonological Language Ability is not highly
Correlated with General Verbal Ability as
measured by IQ tests
High
Phonological Ability
Low
High
Learning Disabled
Low
Verbal Intelligence
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Phonological Language Ability is not highly
Correlated with General Verbal Ability as
measured by IQ tests
High
Phonological Ability
Low
High
Learning Disabled
Low
Verbal Intelligence
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One more important fact about talent in the
phonological language domain
Childrens ability in this area when they come to
school is influenced both by biologically based
talent, and by opportunities to learn from their
pre-school environment
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Children come to school very different from one
another in the experience they have had that
prepares them for learning to read
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Development of Phonological Sensitivity

• Cross-sectional study comparing the performance
  of 250 children from higher income families to
  170 children from lower income families.
• Children were between two- and five-years of age.

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SES Differences in Phonological Sensitivity

• Children completed tests of phonological
  sensitivity and awareness that assessed their
  ability to identify and blend words, syllables,
  onset-rimes, or phonemes.

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To summarize
Children can come to school weak in phonological
ability either because of their biology or their
language experience
Regardless of whether they also have broader
weaknesses in verbal ability, both types of
children need similar intensive early reading
support in order to prevent reading failure
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Why is it important for children to acquire good
phonemic decoding skills (phonics) early in
reading development?
Because good phonemic decoding skills are
essential to becoming an accurate reader-they
give students power to identify unknown words in
text
Accurate reading in first grade is the foundation
for the rapid acceleration of fluent reading in
2nd and 3rd grade
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Becoming a fluent reader-from the bottom up
1. Students who acquire proficient phonemic
decoding skills in first grade become accurate
and independent readers by the middle or end of
first grade
2. Students who read accurately, and read a lot,
acquire larger and larger vocabularies of words
they can read by sight.
3. Fluent readers in third grade are those who
can read almost all of the words in typical third
grade text by sight.
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December, 3rd Grade Correct word/minute60 19th
percentile
The Surprise Party My dad had his
fortieth birthday last month, so my mom planned a
big surprise party for him. She said I could
assist with the party but that I had to keep the
party a secret. She said I couldnt tell my dad
because that would spoil the surprise.
I helped mom organize the guest list and write
the invitations. I was responsible for making
sure everyone was included. I also addressed all
the envelopes and put stamps and return addresses
on them..
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December, 3rd Grade Correct word/minute128 78th
percentile
The Surprise Party My dad had his
fortieth birthday last month, so my mom planned a
big surprise party for him. She said I could
assist with the party but that I had to keep the
party a secret. She said I couldnt tell my dad
because that would spoil the surprise.
I helped mom organize the guest list and write
the invitations. I was responsible for making
sure everyone was included. I also addressed all
the envelopes and put stamps and return addresses
on them..
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Three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a
good reader (NRC Report, 1998)
1. Difficulty learning to read words accurately
and fluently
2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge,
and reasoning skills to support comprehension of
written language
3. Absence or loss of initial motivation to
read, or failure to develop a mature
appreciation of the rewards of reading.
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The Effects of Weaknesses in Oral Language on
Reading Growth (Hirsch, 1996)
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5
High Oral Language in Kindergarten
5.2 years difference
Reading Age Level
Low Oral Language in Kindergarten
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Chronological Age
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Percentile scores on Peabody of 29,000 students
in RF schools
60
50
Median Percentile
Percentile on test of Oral Vocab.
40
30
32
20
Bottom 20
12
10
Kinder. 1st 2nd 3rd
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Bringing Words to Life Isabel Beck M. McKeown L.
Kucan Guilford Press
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Big ideas from Bringing Words to Life
First-grade children from higher SES groups know
about twice as many words as lower SES children
Poor children, who enter school with vocabulary
deficiencies have a particularly difficult time
learning words from context
Research has discovered much more powerful ways
of teaching vocabulary than are typically used in
classrooms generalization to reading
comprehension
A robust approach to vocabulary instruction
involves directly explaining the meanings of
words along with thought-provoking, playful,
interactive follow-up.
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Four Critical Elements for More Robust Vocabulary
Instruction
Select the right words to teach Tier 2 words
absurd
fortunate
ridiculous
Develop child-friendly definitions for these words
Engage children in interesting, challenging,
playful activities in which they learn to access
the meanings of words in multiple contexts
Find a way to devote more time during the day to
vocabulary instruction
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Three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a
good reader (NRC Report, 1998)
1. Difficulty learning to read words accurately
and fluently
2. Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge,
and reasoning skills to support comprehension of
written language
3. Absence or loss of initial motivation to
read, or failure to develop a mature
appreciation of the rewards of reading.
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And we havent yet mentioned motivation
Detailed studies of effective teachers document
that they are powerful motivators
Basically, we found that engaging primary-grades
teachers do something every minute of every hour
of every school day to motivate their students,
using every conceivable motivational mechanism to
do so--- Pressley, 2004
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Lets talk about motivation a moment
Detailed studies of effective teachers document
that they are powerful motivators
Less engaging teachers actually do much to
undermine student motivation, including, for
example, establishing a negative tone in the
class, placing great emphasis on extrinsic
rewards, calling attention to weak performances
by students, providing ineffective or unclear
feedback, and fostering competition among
students. Engaging teachers never teach in ways
that undermine students motivation. Pressley,
2004
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A final concluding thought.
Because of the large diversity among children in
their talent and preparation for learning to
readleaving no child behind is an enormous
challenge
It will require powerful professional development
for teachers, school reorganization, careful
assessments, and a relentless intervention focus
on the individual needs of every child
But, its not the most difficult thing we could be
faced with
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Questions/ Discussion
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Preventing Reading Disabilities in Young
Children Part II - Requirements at the Classroom
and School Level
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Diversity in Preparation and Ability for Learning
to Read
Diversity of Educational Response
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Diversity in Preparation and Ability for Learning
to Read
Diversity of Educational Response
1
70
30
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Diversity in Preparation and Ability for Learning
to Read
Diversity of Educational Response
1
100
30
70
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Three Tiers or Multiple Tiers?
Ways that instruction must be made more powerful
for students at-risk for reading difficulties.
More powerful instruction involves
More instructional time
Smaller instructional groups
Clearer and more detailed explanations
More systematic instructional sequences
More extensive opportunities for guided practice
More opportunities for error correction and
feedback
More skillful orchestration and integration of
all elements
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A model for preventing reading failure in grades
K-3 The big Ideas
1. Increase the quality, consistency, and reach
of instruction in every K-3 classroom
2. Conduct timely and valid assessments of
reading growth to identify struggling readers
3. Provide more intensive interventions to catch
up the struggling readers
The prevention of reading difficulties is a
school-level challenge
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A model for preventing reading failure in grades
K-3 The big Ideas
1. Increase the quality, consistency, and reach
of instruction in every K-3 classroom
Since the majority of students in RF schools are
at risk, the first level of intervention is
spending more time and improving quality of
initial instruction-everyone gets this
The intervention continuum begins with
differentiated instruction offered by the
classroom teacher during the 90 minute block
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A common structure for the uninterrupted reading
instructional block
Initial, systematic, explicit instruction in
essential skills and knowledge 30-60 minutes
To the extent time for this is increased, and
instruction is more powerful, it is an
intervention for the whole group
Differentiated instruction in small groups
targeted to the needs of individual students
60-90 minutes
This is the beginning of intervention (time and
focus and power) based on individual student need
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Classroom organization should be related to
teaching objectives
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Classroom Organization Learning Centers for
differentiated groups

• Teacher-Led Center
• Small group instruction

• Teaching on purpose
• Careful observation of individual students
• Addresses particular individual needs
• Opportunities for responsive scaffolding

• Student Centers
• - Academically engaged
• - Accountability
• - Group, Pair, Cooperative, Individual

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Differentiated instruction in small groups
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Classroom Organization Learning Centers for
differentiated groups
Points of vulnerability with this system
Students waste time at independent learning
centers because they are not engaged and centers
are not focused and leveled properly
Behavior management issues interfere with
teacher-led small group instruction
Small group instruction is not really
differentiated (time, frequency, focus) by
student need
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Screening or Progress monitoring assessment
96
80
64
Correct words per minute
48
32
16
Sept Dec Feb
May
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TIER II Interventions
Tier II is small-group instruction in addition to
the time allotted for core reading instruction.
TIER I
TIER II
Tier II should involve a significant increase in
power over what is available within Tier 1
TIER III
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An Example of an Effective Interventention
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Design of Study
1. All first grade students (1020) in five
elementary schools were screened using a test of
letter-sound knowledge, word reading, and
vocabulary tests. most at risk students were
selected from students with PPVT standard scores
above 70.
2. All students had beginning Word reading scores
below the 25th percentile Verbal IQ ranged
from 72 to 122, average 93 32nd percentile
3.Instruction provided in 45 min. sessions every
day from October through May in groups of 3 or 5
by experienced teachers or well-trained
paraprofessionals
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Work on phonemic awareness
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Blending sounds into words
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Directly building sight recognition of high
utility words
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Reading text
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Growth in Word Reading Ability
75th 50th 25th
National Percentile
October January May
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Growth in Correct Words Per Minute on First Grade
Level Passages
60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10
58.1 55.9 52.4 56.6
T3 T5 P3 P5
Comprehension on SAT9 50th percentile
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Apr May
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Using Paraprofessionals as intervention
specialists
Should be good readers themselves
With even a little knowledge of reading, they can
do good work if thy follow a program that
contains explicit guidance on
How to introduce new material
How to correct errors
How and when to provide systematic review
How to guide practice
How to foster engagement in small group setting
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TIER II Interventions(contd)
For students identified with marked reading
difficulties, and who have not responded to Tier
I efforts
Focus

Specialized, scientifically based reading
program(s) emphasizing the five critical
elements of beginning reading
Program
Grouping
Homogeneous small group instruction (13, 14, or
15)
Minimum of 30 minutes per day in small group in
addition to 90 minutes of core reading
instruction
Time
Progress monitoring twice a month on target skill
to ensure adequate progress and learning
Assessment
Personnel determined by the school (e.g., a
classroom teacher, a specialized reading
teacher, an external interventionist)
Interventionist
Setting
Appropriate setting designated by the school may
be within or outside of the classroom
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Fast paced instruction-lots of opportunities to
respond
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Systematic Review
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Scaffolded Error correction
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Tier II interventions across the grade levels
Kindergarten 20 minutes, small group, push in
First grade 30-45 minutes, small group, push in
2-3 grades 30-45 minutes , small group, push in
plus another 30-45 minutes outside of reading
block
or
2nd and 3rd Grade a different core, smaller
class for 90 minuteswalk and read
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Four Second Grade Classes
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22
22
22
22
Orderly movement between classes
15
25
24
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Intervention teacher
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Possible schedule for a 90 minute intervention
class in 2nd and 3rd grade
2 teachers -- 30 minute rotatons
Group of 5 decoding and fluency- low, mid, hi
Group of 5 fluency,comp, vocab low,mid,hi
Group of 5 technology-learning center
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Screening or Progress monitoring assessment
96
80
64
Correct words per minute
48
32
16
Sept Dec Feb
May
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TIER III Intensive intervention
Tier III is intensive, strategic, instruction
specifically designed and customized small-group
or 11 reading instruction that is extended
beyond the time allocated for Tier I and Tier II.
TIER III
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TIER III INTERVENTION (contd)
For students with marked difficulties in reading
or reading disabilities and who have not
responded adequately to Tier I and Tier II
efforts
Focus

Program
Sustained, intensive, scientifically based
reading program(s) emphasizing the critical
elements of reading for students with reading
difficulties/disabilities
Grouping
Homogeneous small group instruction (11- 13)
Minimum of two 30-minute sessions per day in
small group or 11 in addition to 90 minutes of
core reading instruction. Progress monitoring
twice a month on target skills to ensure adequate
progress and learning
Time
Assessment
Personnel determined by the school (e.g., a
classroom teacher, a specialized reading teacher,
an external interventionist)
Interventionist
Setting
Appropriate setting designated by the school
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Why dont we have more effective interventions in
our schools right now?
1. We may not have a conviction that doing the
extra work interventions require will produce the
effects we want
2. We do not have the resources to hire the extra
personnel required to do the interventions
3. We dont know how to schedule more intensive
interventions during the school day
4. We do not have the personnel trained and
skillful in the delivery of effective
interventions
5. We dont know what materials to select to
help guide effective interventions
6. We dont feel bad enough about the fact that
lots of students are failing to learn to read in
our school
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Why dont we have more effective interventions in
our schools right now?
1. We may not have a conviction that doing the
extra work interventions require will produce the
effects we want
2. We do not have the resources to hire the extra
personnel required to do the interventions
3. We dont know how to schedule more intensive
interventions during the school day
4. We do not have the personnel trained and
skillful in the delivery of effective
interventions
5. We dont know what materials to select to
help guide effective interventions
6. We dont feel bad enough about the fact that
lots of students are failing to learn to read in
our school
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After strong classroom instruction is in place, 8
keys to a strong prevention system for K-3
students
1. Strong motivation on the part of teachers and
school leaders to relentlessly leave no child
behind
2. A reliable system for identifying students who
need intensive interventions in order to make
normal progress in learning to read
3. A reliable system for monitoring the
effectiveness of interventions
4. Regular team meetings and leadership to
enforce and enable the use of data to adjust
interventions as needed.
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Eight keys to a strong prevention system for K-3
students (cont.)
5. Regular adjustments to interventions based on
student progress. The most frequent adjustments
should involve group size and time (intensity),
but may also involve a change of teacher or
program.
6. Enough personnel to provide the interventions
with sufficient intensity (small group size and
daily, uninterrupted intervention sessions)
7. Programs and materials to guide the
interventions that are consistent with
scientifically based research in reading
8. Training, support, and monitoring to insure
that intervention programs are implemented with
high fidelity and quality.
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Evidence from one school that we can do
substantially better than ever before
School Characteristics 70 Free and Reduced
Lunch (going up each year) 65 minority (mostly
African-American)
Elements of Curriculum Change Movement to a more
balanced reading curriculum beginning in
1994-1995 school year (incomplete implementation)
for K-2 Improved implementation in 1995-1996
Implementation in Fall of 1996 of screening and
more intensive small group instruction for
at-risk students
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Hartsfield Elementary Progress over five years
Proportion falling below the 25th percentile in
word reading ability at the end of first grade
30
20
10
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Average Percentile 48.9 55.2
61.4 73.5 81.7 for entire grade (n105)
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31.8
30
Proportion falling below the 25th Percentile
20.4
20
10.9
10
6.7
3.7
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Average Percentile 48.9 55.2 61.4
73.5 81.7
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Hartsfield Elementary Progress over five years
Proportion falling below the 25th Percentile
20
14.5
9.0
10
5.4
2.4
1996 1997 1998 1999
Average Percentile 58.2 67.1 74.1
81.5
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FCAT Performance in Spring, 2003
Level 2
Level 1
Hartsfield Elem. State Average
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Even through the impact of preventive programs at
Hartsfield has been powerful, why do so many
children still read below grade level on the
FCAT?
It is much more difficult to close the gap in
broad knowledge and verbal skills than it is in
word reading skills
Tests of reading comprehension at third grade
and up are increasingly sensitive to individual
differences in verbal knowledge and reasoning
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Comments from reading Massachusetts three tier
plan
Clearly understand basic idea of increasing
intensity and extra time.
Occasionally saw weaknesses in programs listed
Early Reading Intervention for 1st grade?
Soar to success by itself as third grade
intervention?
Harcourt intervention kit plus leveled books for
second and third?
Scott Foresman Links to Reading First as first
grade intervention?
Most interventions focus on word level skills
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Where can you learn more about evidence-based
programs?
The Florida Center for Reading Research provides
objective evaluations of core, supplemental, and
intervention programs
www.fcrr.org
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56 programs posted so far
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http//oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu/SIreport.php
Or type in Oregon Reading First in Google
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Questions/ Discussion