A Blueprint for Effectively Using RTI Intervention Block Time

Abstract

Many schools have adopted schoolwide intervention blocks as a component of response-to-intervention (RTI) implementation to ensure that students who need intervention are receiving it. However, virtually no peer-reviewed guidance exists for helping teachers manage this time effectively. This article presents a blueprint for organizing intervention block time so that all students benefit. Teachers and principals should consider (a) identifying appropriate assessment and intervention resources, (b) determining professional development needs to improve capacity for intervention delivery, (c) using personnel resources in the most effective way, (d) structuring the time to deliver interventions and engage students who are not receiving intervention, and (e) optimizing the physical space available to deliver interventions. Specific planning considerations are outlined and suggestions for monitoring fidelity of implementation are presented.

Dialogic Reading: Implementing an Evidence-Based Practice in Complex Classrooms

“…Because DR is a language intervention, and therefore a supplement to literacy instruction, teachers must find additional time in the school day, which can be hard to come by (Easton & Erchul, 2011; Kupzyk et al, 2012). Although researchers suggest implementing a schoolwide block for response to intervention across students and staff, not all schools are able to make this happen (Harlacher et al, 2010; Higgins Averill et al, 2014). Teachers therefore need to determine where and how the intervention will be implemented: perhaps as an addition to a literacy learning block (by adding more time so the teacher can do the traditional literacy groups as well as the DR groups) or by carving time out of another part of the day.…”