In my research of my past and present school districts, I cannot find any reference to RTI on their

websites, despite having attended professional development at my past school on this topic. Neither
district provided a framework or graph so I will include my own from my own research.

RTI in general is the importance of early identification in supporting students with learning and
behavioural needs, with high-quality instruction, on-going assessment and implementing instruction and
intervention to meet their needs, (RTI Action Network, 2018).
1. All students should receive TIER 1 quality, differentiated instruction from their classroom Teacher, in a
supportive environment with ongoing assessment and monitoring. “Students not showing adequate
progress are moved to Tier 2,” (RTI Action Network, 2018).
2. Some students may need TIER 2 smaller group, more specific instruction to match their needs in class
or from LST short-term to help them achieve their goals, while evaluating the response to intervention
and returning to tier 1 or addressing further needs. This Tier may require a longer period of time, but
should not exceed a grading period, (RTI Action Network, 2018), those who show little progress will
then move to Tier 3.
3. Others will require more intensive, long term TIER 3 intervention and while they may be awaiting
further assessments or more specific IEPs with adaptations/modifications from qualified personnel,
(RTI Action Network, 2018).

(Alberta Education, 2019)

In regards to reading, Dr. Stephanie Al Otaiba states in her podcast interview, that RTI is used to prevent
reading disabilities and for identifying those who may or may not have a true reading disability (Sage
Journals, 2014). Tier 1 Classroom instruction FOR ALL, of a strong core reading program, is provided with
regular screening to see how they are doing and, if not progressing adequately, they move on to Tier 2
support. In Tier 2, students receive more small group and targeted, individualized instruction and more
intense support on skills and strategies, for a monitored amount of time, and without adequate progress
may move on to Tier 3 Intervention. It is important to ask frequent questions during reading instruction
to improve a student’s vocabulary and comprehension, (Otaiba, 2014). For students with diagnosed LDs
it is important to honor their hard work in learning to read and encourage a growth mindset for
motivation, (Otaiba, 2014).

At my school Tier 1 Instruction varies from class to class. Some classes provide guided reading
instruction weekly to small groups and students are divided into groups at their appropriate level based
on reading assessments provided by the Teacher. As John Guthrie states, the most important thing to
having students succeed in reading is having students read at their level, (Institute of Education, 2017).
Other Teachers do something they call “Daily 5” where students have a selection of books at their
reading level and they read every day at a certain/set amount of time independently while the teacher
takes a small group to teach and monitor reading strategies. While other teachers do not “teach”
reading independently, rather holistically within other content areas, they may assess levels for home
reading programs and book selection. Most Teachers generally know where their students are at
(although they do not all provide direct, quality, instruction in reading) and when they are not at grade
level or aren’t progressing adequately, they call on me the LST teacher to assess and intervene. (In
Intermediate grades it seems the differentiation drops off as all students are expected to read and
comprehend the same texts). If we agree that they require additional support they move on to what I
would consider Tier 2.

Strategies for Tier 1:

 Phonemic Awareness instruction to the whole class, an ex. In French Firm Foundations (2016)
 Guided Reading Instruction with books at student level, an ex. in French using GB+ books (2019)
 Sound based reading and dictee programs, an ex. in French Lire en Criant Ciseau, (Camire,
Bellehumeur, 1997)
 Although some Teachers use similar programs and most use GB+ there is not one set Language
Arts program throughout the primary.

Within Tier 2 Instruction, I take groups of 2-5 students, 2-3 times a week, depending on the need and
level of support, for targeted instruction in phonemic awareness, reading strategies, fluency and
comprehension. Some students only need a boost and return to the class, while others progress,
however at a distance behind their peers and/or classroom expectations, and remain at Tier 2 for longer
than the recommended amount of time. (If I were able to take them 5x a week for 30-45mins as
programs such as “Fountas and Pinnel” recommend, then I’m sure that I would see more progress and
would be able to return them to the regular classroom, however being the only FI LST provider for a
school of over 600 and a FI population of over 400 students, then I would only be able to service half of
the divisions I currently service.) In Intermediate grades, I provide both in-class reading support with in-
class assignments and pull-out reading groups. For those with IEPs, I find this in-class time isn’t adequate
enough to target any specific needs, as I am often helping others too, however it does fit the “Support
for All” model. Many students remain at Tier 2 for far too long as they are showing progress, but they
may never catch up with their peers. They continue to be the students that are performing the lowest in
the class and thus the ones the Teachers feel need the targeted support. As a result many students have
been receiving LST support for most of their school careers!

Strategies for Tier 2:

 Smaller group instruction, more intense and focused on individual needs

 Small group Phonemic Awareness instruction, with Firm Foundations (2016)
 Small group targeted reading instruction, with GB+ Collection (2019)
 Small group reading and phonics focus, with Lire en Criant Ciseau (1997)

Students who remain at Tier 2 for too long and are not showing progress are the ones that we are
documenting and bringing to SBT for further assessment. They are the ones that the Teachers are most
concerned about as they are not meeting expectations in class, require adaptations and even modified
programming. Assessments usually happen in the intermediate levels and if proven, students who
receive a Learning Disabilities designation will be provided with an IEP and continued support from the
LST either pull-out or in-class depending on the needs. Students who do not qualify will sometimes be
given an IEP as well, depending on the needs, and will continue to receive either in-class or pull-out
support. Once proven through years of documentation and it is decided that students should be
assessed, LST Teachers administer a WIAT in order for the Psychologist to decide whether to assess
further.

Strategies for Tier 3:

 There are no specific strategies for Tier 3 support in French Immersion. Some students receive
more frequent and/or intense support with smaller groups and/or more in-class support or
more adapted programming.
 Most students at this level either have IEPs or are awaiting assessment and IEPs.
 They receive targeted instruction and adaptations from the LST, Classroom Teacher and
sometimes classroom EA.
 Adapted assignments in quantity, quality, time and expectations with tech tools such as speech
to text and text to speech provided.
 Resources in French Immersion for students at this level are limited.
 Often students struggling are also struggling in English and this is when parents will opt to
switch their child to the English program.
 More Programs exist in English for Targeted support in Phonics and Reading Instruction such as
Fountas and Pinnel (various), Successful Phonics (2003), Explore the Code (various), Secret Code
Actions (Young, 2016) see below for references. Two students who will be moving to English in
September and I have just switched their service from French to daily English as they are reading
 at a beginning level in English in Grade 2 (not assessed yet) and 3 (who has an LD in Reading,
Writing and Math). We are using a combo of Secret Code Actions (Young, 2016), Successful
Phonics (2003) and Explode the Code (various) and they are loving it; finding it very successful
and rewarding!

Although I am new to this school, I realize that it is not a perfect system and does not fully meet the RTI
model (either did my past school) with room for improvement. I welcome your perspectives and
feedback. Please see references below although I had a hard time finding author, date and publisher for
all, I have included the online links and references and will attach when I’m at school tomorrow!

Image: Alberta Education, (2019). RtI Three-tiered Pyramid. Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/response-to-
intervention/what-is-a-response-to-intervention-approach/

Bellehumeur, C. & Camire, S. (1997). Comptines: lire en criant ciseau. Vanier, Ont: Centre Franco-Ontarien de Ressources
Pedagogiques.

Cheneliere Education, (2019). Collection GB+. Retrieved from: https://www.cheneliere.ca/125-collection-gb-.html

Fountas & Pinnell Literacy (2019). Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Retrieved from
https://www.fountasandpinnell.com/

Institute of Education Sciences (2017). Guthrie, J. (2011) Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: RtI and Multi-Tier
Intervention-Pt. 5. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqqgFP8PC2w

North Vancouver School District, (2016). Firm Foundations: Early Literacy Teaching and Learning French Edition. Retrieved from:
https://www.sd44.ca/District/Resources/Documents/EarlyLearningResources.pdf

Otaiba, S. A. (August, 2014). Reading Part One of Two. Sage Journals Learning Disability Quarterly. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/page/ldq/podcasts/index

Primary Success (2003). Successful Phonics Part 1. Retrieved from http://primarysuccess.ca/content_products_d_05_ca.php

and http://primarysuccess.ca/main_ca.htm

RTI Action Network, (2018). What is RTI? Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

School Specialty: Instruction and Intervention, (various levels and editions). Explode the Code. Retrieved from
http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/products/literacy/phonics-word-study/explode-the-code/about-the-program and
https://www.explodethecode.com/01_overview/

Young, N. (2016). Secret Code Actions. Retrieved from https://www.nancyyoung.ca/secretcodeactions