Bilingual Special Ed

Here is the abstract from my most recent article in the Journal of Education. Reference:
Rinaldi, C., Higgins, A.O., & Stuart, S. K., (2011). Response to intervention: Educators’
perceptions of a three-year RTI collaborative reform effort in an urban elementary
school. Journal of Education, 19(2), 43-52.

ABSTRACT
What are educators’ perceptions of the adoption and effectiveness of the Response to Intervention (RTI) model in their own schools? Over a three-year time span, the authors interviewed educators at an urban elementary school about their perceptions of an RTI model, tracking the model’s development and the effectiveness of the implementation. The study was conducted through a university-school partnership that involved these elementary school educators from the initial planning through the implementation of the model while providing the professional development that was required to support the model. While the educators initially viewed the model as an administrative directive, they began to assume responsibility for the model’s implementation during the second year as they considered themselves change agents and problem solvers for their school. During the third year, with continued administrative support and evidence of the model’s effectiveness, participants engaged in the additional development and growth of the model and assumed responsibility for the model’s sustainability as part of the school change process. Results suggest that RTI’s collaborative structures, related professional development, and co-shared leadership supported the implementation process and contributed to the effectiveness of the model. Implications for practice are discussed.

Free downloads on RTI and English Language Learners by Dr. Julie Esparza Brown
Module entitled:
1. Prereferral and Instructional Strategies for English Learners

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/psell/

2. Practitioner Brief: A Cultural, Linguistic and Ecological Framework for Response to Intervention with English Language Learners

http://www.niusileadscape.org/lc/Record/150?search_query=

3. Practitioner Brief: RTI for English Language Learners: Appropriately Using Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools to Improve Instructional Outcomes

http://www.rti4success.org/resourcetype/rti-english-language-learners-appropriately-using-screening-and-progress-monitoring-too

4. Placemat to Accompany Brief:

http://rti4success.org/resourcetype/rti-considerations-english-language-learners-ells

5. Webinar Archive: RTI for English Language Learners: Appropriately Using Screening and Progress Monitoring Tools to Improve Instructional Outcomes

http://www.rti4success.org/webinar/rti-english-language-learners-appropriate-screening-progress-monitoring-and-instructional-pl

My most recent articles was just published in the International Journal of Whole Schooling
The focus of the article is learning from teachers’ what is their perceptions of their implementation of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. We conducted interviews about teacher perceptions of an RTI model during the second year of its implementation at an urban elementary school. Results were quite interesting and promising in this qualitative study and suggest that teachers’ perceptions of the RTI model grew more positive during the second year, compared to the first year of the model’s implementation.

Teachers told interviewers that the RTI model improved the special education referral process, progress monitoring practices, and the overall collaborative planning structures in their school. As part of the interviews and findings teachers also discussed the unique issues of referral of English language learners (ELLs). We also presented implications for practice.

We have another article coming in September on the teacher perceptions of implementation of RTI in year 3. It is schedule to come out in the September/Fall issue of the Journal of Education (Boston University). I will post on it as soon as it is available.

We would love your comments!

As I prepare to conduct a summer institute on RTI, I wanted to share some very informative and practical articles and books that will help anyone interested in learning and implementing RTI. It includes resources for principals, administrators, teachers, and others interested. In addition it provides information on how to address the needs of bilingual learners in the process and the history of RTI from the feds.

Berkeley, S., Bender, W.N., Peaster, L.G. & Saunders, L. (2009). Implementation of Response to Intervention: A snapshot of progress. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42 (1), 86-92.

Bradley, R., Danielson, L. & Doolittle, J. (2007). Responsiveness to Intervention: 1997-2007. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39 (5), 8-12.

Brown-Chidsey, R. (October, 2007). No more “waiting.” Educational Leadership: ASCP, 39-46.

Buffum, A. Mattos, M. & Weber, C. (2006). Pyramid Response to Intervention: RTI, professional learning communities, and how to respond when kids don’t learn.

Dewitz, P., Jones, J. & Leahy, S. (2009). Comprehension strategy instruction in core reading programs. Reading Research Quarterly, 44 (2), 102-126.

Fletcher, J.M. & Vaughn, S. (2009). Response to Intervention: Preventing and remediating academic difficulties. Child Development Series, 3 (1), 30-37.

Fuchs, D. & Fuchs, S.L. (2006). Introduction to Response to Intervention: What, why, and how valid is it? Reading Research Quarterly, 41(4), 93-99.

Fuchs, L.S. & Fuchs, D. (2007). A model for implementing responsiveness to intervention. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39 (5), 14-20.

Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L.S., & Vaughn, S. (2008). Response to Intervention: A framework for reading educators. International Reading Association, Newark: DE.

Gersten, R., Compton, D., Connor, C.M., Dimino, J., Santoro, L., Linan-Thompson, S. and Tilly, W.D. (2008). Assisting students struggling with reading: Response to Intervention and multi-tier intervention for reading in the primary grades. A Practice Guide. (NCEE 2009-4045). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved July 1, 2009 from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee and http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides.

Gersten, R., Baker, S.K., Shanahan, T., Linan-Thompson, S., Collins, P., & Scarcella, R. (2007). Effective literacy and English language instruction for English learners in the elementary grades: A practice guide (NCEE 2007-4011). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved July 1, 2009 from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee.

Moore, J. & Whitfield, V. (2009). Building schoolwide capacity for preventing reading failure. The Reading Teacher, 62 (7), 622-624.

Murawski, W.W. & Hughes, C.E. (2009). Response to Intervention, collaboration, and co-teaching: A logical combination for successful systemic change. Preventing School Failure, 53 (4), 267-277.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel:
Teaching children to read. An Evidenced-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications.nrp/smallbrook.htm (or www.nationalreading panel.org).

Rinaldi, C. & Samson, J. (2008). English language learners and Response to Intervention: Referral Considerations. Teaching Exceptional Children 40 (5), 6-14.

Teale, W.H. (2009). Students learning English and their literacy instruction in urban schools. The Reading Teacher, 62 (8), 699-703.