RtI and Advanced Learners
Celebrate the Power of Convergence!
Sharon Daly
2012
What hats do you wear?
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Tag Coordinator, Professional
Development, Online Instructor
(WCATY, Viterbo), Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Teacher, New Teacher Mentor
Sharon Daly-2012
There has never been a better time
Opportunity Knocks!
Points to Ponder…
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What is our role in RtI implementation that will meet
the needs of talented and gifted students?
What are some identified barriers to effective
implementation?
How can we help insure student progress in the areas
of academics, skill development, and socialemotional development?
How can RtI better address the needs of TwiceExceptional and underrepresented populations?
What resources exist that can be shared? What are
needed?
How can classroom teachers best be supported to
meet student needs?
Points to Ponder…
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How will progress of TAG students be
addressed and managed?
What new roles do we have in RtI?
Our roles in an RtI system
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Data-driven decision maker
Implementer of evidence-based interventions
Consult/provision of Differentiated Instruction
Social-Emotional and Behavioral Supports
Collaborator
Professional Development
Adapted from: Serving Gifted Students Within an RtI Framework, Johnsen
and Rollins, p. 95
7 Principles of Wisconsin’s RtI
Model
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Successful implementation of this framework in
Wisconsin is based upon the following seven
principles:
RtI is for ALL children and ALL educators.
RtI must support and provide value to effective
practices.
Success for RtI lies within the classroom through
collaboration.
RtI applies to both academics and behavior.
RtI supports and provides value to the use of
multiple assessments to inform instructional
practices.
RtI emerges from and supports research and
evidence based practice.
RTI GUIDING PRINCIPLES that
connect for advanced learners
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Includes the needs of gifted and advanced
learners.
Supports and provides value to high
quality instruction
Mandates Differentiated Instruction
Emphasizes the importance of
collaboration among team members
Supports the use of balanced, multiple
assessments to inform instructional
practices
RtI and Gifted
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Celebrate the Power
of Convergence!
Meeting the Needs
Of
Advanced Learners
Common Core
Standards
Response to Differentiated
and
Intervention Instruction
21st Century
Skills
RTI DEFINITION
RTI is a framework that promotes a
well-integrated system connecting
general, compensatory, gifted and
special education in providing…
Definition continued…
…high quality, standards-based
instruction and intervention that is
matched to students’ academic,
social-emotional and behavioral
needs.
Our Wisconsin RTI framework has
THREE essential components
Name the three…
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ONE:
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TWO:
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THREE:
Wisconsin RtI Definitions
Word
Definition
Collaboration
Continuous
Review of
Student Progress
High Quality
Instruction
Collaboration is a process where people work together
toward common goals. Collaboration as part of an RtI
system includes:
Inclusive discussion and planning as part of building a
solid foundation and infrastructure.
Formal and informal discussion among educators and
families about the individual needs of students.
Continuous review of student progress involves a
balanced, systematic process of constant inquiry that
determines:
Where a student or a group of students is at
(screening).
How students are responding to differentiated
instruction of the core curricula (ongoing assessment).
How students are responding to additional support,
challenge, and intervention (monitoring of progress).
High quality instruction responds to individual
differences in a learning community/classroom. Inherent
to high quality instruction is rigorous content delivered
through differentiated instruction. Instructional activities
are culturally relevant and put the student at the center
of academic and social learning, with the student’s
How do we collaborate to advocate
and meet student needs?
Collaboration
Collaboration is a process
where people work together
toward common goals.
Collaboration as part of an RtI
system includes:
Inclusive discussion and
planning as part of building a
solid foundation and
infrastructure.
Formal and informal
discussion among educators
and families about the
individual needs of students.
COMPONENT ONE
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Collaboration
*Inclusive discussion and planning
*Formal and informal discussion
among educators and families about
the individual needs of students
No more Silos!
Operating separately vs collaboratively
Regular
Education
Special
Education
Gifted and
Talented
System thinking
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We are all part of the whole
Pulling together
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Gets results!
Collaboration and Twice-Exceptional
Students/Underrepresented populations
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Helping put the pieces of the puzzle
together to meet students needs
What are the enemies of
collaboration?
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Can we identify them?
3 minute chat
How has RtI changed collaborative
efforts in your district?
 How have the discussions around the
needs of specific students changed as a
result of RtI in your districts?
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The issue of TIME!
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Has RtI helped with this???
RtI Intervention blocks
Professional Learning Communities
Late Start/Early Releases
Vertical teaming
Grade Level Teaming
Push in-vs- Pull out
Assessment for optimal match,
rather than one size fits all
Continuous
Review of
Student
Progress
Continuous review of student
progress involves a balanced,
systematic process of constant
inquiry that determines:
Where a student or a group of
students is at (screening/pretesting).
How students are responding to
differentiated instruction of the core
curricula (ongoing assessment).
How students are responding to
additional support, challenge, and
intervention (monitoring of
progress).
COMPONENT TWO
Continuous Review of Student
Progress
* Where a student or group of students
is at (screening, pre-testing)
*How students are responding to the
core curricula (ongoing assessment)
*How students are responding to
additional support, challenge, and
intervention (monitoring of progress)
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Assessment data used to…
Determine who was eligible or ineligible
 Either “in” or “out model
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Provide optimal match, not labels
Most-Effective Teachers
J.W. Lloyd, E.J. Kameanui, and D. Chard (Eds.) (1997) Issues in educating students with disabilities.
Now RtI asks us to determine
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What does the assessment data tell us
about what the student needs at any
given time and in what areas?
And continuous review of data …
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Helps insure all students are making
progress
Assessments
Ongoing…..
 Formative…
 Summative…
 Continuously making adjustments and
providing match
 Insuring progress
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Implications for Instruction
Formative Assessment-ongoing cycle of
assessment, instruction, feedback
 Differentiation based on assessment
results
 Results- Student learning gains for all!
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Zone of proximal development
Is this progress???
Is every student experiencing
growth?
High Quality Instruction
What does this look like in classrooms?
 How does this connect with Common
Core, Differentiation, RtI, 21st Century
Skills?
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HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION:
*Rigorous content that
responds to learning needs (CCSS)
*Student-Centered:Differentiated!
*Informs need for additional
support, challenge, and intervention
*Involves flexible grouping
Differentiation
No longer geared toward the “few” but to
the “many”
 Differentiation is now MAINSTREAM
 Teachers need effective differentiation
strategies for their toolkits
 Who Better to serve as a resource than
GT!
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http://universal-design-forlearning.wikispaces.com/8+UDL+%26+Differentiation
Differentiation is not optional!
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High quality instruction responds to individual
differences in a learning community/classroom.
Inherent to high quality instruction is rigorous
content delivered through differentiated
instruction. Instructional activities are culturally
relevant and put the student at the center of
academic and social learning, with the student’s
needs driving instruction, not programs or
curricula. High quality instruction is vital to
informing additional support, challenge, and
intervention.
Resulting in Student
Growth,Engagement and Success
Tier 1 High Quality Instruction
Differentiated Instruction is a mandatory
component of high quality instruction
 Differentiation is for all students
 That’s why opportunity knocks!
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Differentiation website Resources
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Differentiation strategies
http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiatingstrategies.html
This site has a lot of great information on it
http://www.frsd.k12.nj.us/rfmslibrarylab/di/differentiated_instruction.htm
Internet 4 classrooms site-lots of great differentiation links
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/di.htm
Education World Site
http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy042.shtml
Teachnology Site on Differentiation
http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/differentiate/planning/
ASCD differentiation model
http://www.wall.k12.nj.us/staff_dev/differentiating_instruction.htm#Title
Powerpoint on managing a differentiated classroom
http://www.scarsdaleschools.org/mathsymposium/ManagingtheDifferentiatedClassroom_handout.pdf
A comprehensive 70 page ppt on differentiated instruction and strategies
http://www.aea10.k12.ia.us/intranet/comagenlearn/cals7/diffinstr.pps
Article by Carol Ann Tomlinson- Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction
http://www.learner.org/workshops/socialstudies/pdf/session5/5.MappingARoute.pdf
A tiered curriculum project from the State of Indiana-K-12 applications
http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html
Take a trip to New South Wales
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New South Wales- Maker Model of Differentiation
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/ust3b
each.pdf
The Williams model- sample unit
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/uhsi3
hstanzac.pdf
worksheets for Maker and Williams Model
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/plccu
k12cdtmpl.pdf
Support Package on Differentiation
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/polsu
ppcd.pdf
Kaplan model-sample lesson unit
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/uhsi4
hstpre1788.pdf
Teacher created Materials- Differentiation ideas
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/uhsi4
hstpre1788.pdf
http://www.primary-education-oasis.com/differentiation-in-the-classroom.html
Helping Teachers with
Differentiation
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Just as students have a starting point
and should be pre-assessed to find out
where they are at, teacher selfassessment for differentiated practice
can be very powerful! Highlights “Next
Steps.”
Self-Assessment
Provide differentiation self assessment
checklists to teachers so that they can
determine where they are at on the
differentiation path.
 Honor the fact that people are all in
different places.
 The key is forward movement!
 Avoid judging- celebrate small steps!
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Self-Assessment Moves
Differentiated Practice Forward
Being on the differentiation path
somewhere is what is important
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Moving forward one step at a time
Cambridge Student Servicing
Handbook
Handout: Differentiation self-assessment
Take a few minutes to look at the
differentiation self-assessment checklist
There is also a good checklist for teachers
to use in the book: Making Differentiation
a Habit, by Diane Heacox
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Thoughts?
How could self-assessment for
differentiated practice be useful for
teachers?
 How can we help move staff forward?
Needs assessment to differentiate PD
 What resources can be provided?
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Tools for the Toolbox!
So, let’s talk about our specific
situations…
What is working really well?
How would you rate consistent use of
differentiated instruction by teachers in
your district? Vary by building? Admin
support?
Are students’ needs being met through
match between data and services?
Most Significant Role Change?
Have opportunities for collaboration
increased?
Challenges?
What’s happening in your districts?
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Group conversation
Share Out
One Positive, Super Great result of your
school’s RtI Process and Delivery that has
made a difference for advanced learners/gifted
One example of collaboration that has been
beneficial for you and the students you serve
How a focus on high quality instruction has
changed classrooms to better meet student
needs
One great differentiation tool/resource/PD that
you have shared
Barriers and Caution lights??
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Possible pitfalls to RtI implementation
and meeting our students needs?
Take a line from Hans Christian
Andersen when necessary
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The Emperor Has no Clothes!
Be the Voice of Reason
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Be ready and willing to advocate for
advanced learners when things are not
working!
Cautionary Tales
HOW RtI, Common Core and
Differentiation are put into practice can
sometimes be lost in translation.
 Insure that the needs of advanced
learners are being met.
 ie: advanced readers should not be
sitting on chairs in hallways silently
reading during RtI intervention time!
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System change is seismic!
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RTI is a process of systemic change
Resources
Gifted Programming Standards
www.nagc.org
Books: RtI for Gifted Students: A CECTAG Educational Resource; Coleman
and Johnsen
Serving Gifted Students Within an
RtI Framework; Johnsen, Sulak, Rollins
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Resources
Position Paper RtI and Gifted from
NAGC
http://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/RtI.p
df
 Gifted Child Today- Special Edition 2009
RtI and Gifted
http://www.ahalearners.org/uploads/4/3/0/3/4303141/gct
-rti-summer-2009.pdf
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Final Thoughts? Questions?
Have a great conference!
Sharon Daly Cambridge School District
sdaly@cambridge.k12.wi.us