Response to Intervention: Following Three Reading Recovery Children on Their Individual Paths to Becoming Literate

Abstract

Research Findings: In the United States a shift has occurred in how children are identified for long-term special education services. Since 2004, U.S. funding for special education services has included a provision for early intervention services, focusing on the importance of providing supplemental instructional opportunities to students who are not successful in learning from the core classroom instruction. Commonly referred to as response to intervention, this model involves educators monitoring how well students respond to intervention instruction, with referral for special education services for those who make little progress. Practice or Policy: In this article, we propose that intervention instruction should be responsive to the learner as well as focus on how well the learner responds to the intervention. Given that contextual circumstances, including instructional experiences, impact the child's literacy achievement, providing intervention instruction that is contingent upon each child's literacy strengths and needs is the best way to ensure each child's successful response to intervention instruction. As an example of an intervention using responsive instruction, this article describes different instructional approaches provided by Reading Recovery teachers with 3 children who were initially the lowest readers and writers in their classes. All 3 children were able to progress to on-grade-level reading and writing proficiency as a result of the intervention.

Notes

¹The names of all children are pseudonyms.

Note. Stanines are listed in parentheses next to the raw scores (Stanines 4–6 = average band). HRSW = Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words.

^a Text level = running record.

Note. Stanines are listed in parentheses next to the raw scores (Stanines 4–6 = average band). HRSW = Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words.

^a Text level = running record.

Note. Stanines are listed in parentheses next to the raw scores (Stanines 4–6 = average band). HRSW = Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words.

^a Text level = running record.