How can Tier 3 intervention be implemented?

• Systematic instruction

  Systematic instruction is that which is carefully planned and sequenced so that its lessons build on one another, moving from simple skills and concepts to more complex ones.

• Explicit or direct instruction

  Explicit or direct instruction involves teaching a specific skill or concept in a highly structured environment using clear, direct language. This type of instruction focuses on producing specific learning outcomes and is sometimes achieved through the use of scripted lessons. During explicit instruction, the teacher clearly identifies the expectations for learning, highlights important details of the concept or skill, provides precise instructions, and connects new learning to previous learned material.

• Immediate corrective feedback

  Immediate corrective feedback is provided as soon as possible following the performance of an activity to inform the student that his or her answer is inaccurate and to correct his or her understanding of the skill or concept at issue.

• Frequent review

  Frequent review is the practice of revisiting a skill or concept over time to assess understanding and mastery and to ensure that the skill is maintained.

• Opportunities to practice

  To help students to maintain their previously mastered skills, teachers should provide students with opportunities to practice them. In addition, immediately after a skill has been taught, teachers should offer students opportunities to practice it in order to build mastery. This can include guided as well as independent practice.

• Scaffolded instruction

  Scaffolded instruction is a process during which a teacher adds instructional supports to enhance a student’s learning and aid in the mastery of a skill, concept, or task.

Every day, Laney receives 45 minutes of intensive, individualized instruction in Tier 3 in addition to 90 minutes of instruction in Tier 1. Ms. Jacobs, the special education teacher, provides the Tier 3 intervention. When Laney first begins Tier 3 intervention, Ms. Jacobs administers a brief reading assessment and determines that Laney has difficulty with decoding. Using this information, Ms. Jacobs begins working with Laney on letter-sound correspondence and sight words. After three weeks of collecting progress monitoring data (six data points — two probes per week for three weeks) from Laney, Ms. Jacobs evaluates these data using a method known as the four-point rule. She examines the relationship between the four most recent data points on Laney’s graph and goal line. She uses these data to determine whether Laney is making adequate progress toward the goals outlined in her individualized education program (IEP).

• If Laney is not making progress then Ms. Jacobs changes her instructional method.
• If Laney is responding to instruction, Ms. Jacobs continues with instruction.
• If Laney is surpassing her goal, Ms. Jacobs discusses her progress with the IEP team with an eye toward possibly increasing Laney’s goal.

Because Laney’s last four data points are below the goal line, Ms. Jacobs changes her instruction. In addition to having her work on letter-sound correspondence and sight words, Ms. Jacobs asks Laney to write the words she is reading and begins using decodable books, as opposed to just word lists for reading practice. Two weeks later, Ms. Jacobs will again examine Laney’s data (four data points) to determine whether to continue or to change her instruction.