Intervention and learning assistance

The primary level of support is the level at which all students receive high quality instruction in the core curriculum of the school. According to the  National Center on Response to Intervention (March 2010), the primary level of support should include:  

• A core curriculum that is research-based
• Instructional practices that are culturally and linguistically responsive
• Universal screening to determine students’ current level of performance
• Differentiated learning activities (e.g., mixed instructional grouping, use of learning centers, peer tutoring) to address individual needs
• Accommodations to ensure all students have access to the instructional program
• Problem solving to identify interventions, as needed, to address behavior problems that prevent students from demonstrating the academic skills they possess 

Students who require interventions due to learning difficulties continue to receive instruction in the core curriculum. 

If students struggle in Tier 1 instruction, they may receive increasingly intensive instruction at the Tier 2 level. Tier 2 support typically involves additional, small group instruction multiple times per week that matches their need on the basis of levels of performance and rates of progress.  Key characteristics of interventions used at the Tier 2 level of support include evidence based, adult-led small group instruction and clearly articulated, validated intervention, adhered to with fidelity (National Center on Response to Intervention, March 2010)

Wonders Tier II Reading Interventions

Classroom teachers, as well as support teachers, provide skills-based, Tier 2 intervention and remedial support to students who demonstrate the need. These small group interventions offer students additional instruction and practice so that they can successfully acquire the foundational skills in the MN Academic Standards necessary for reading and writing. Interventions are typically 10-15 minutes in length and occur multiple days per week.  

WonderWorks Reading Interventions

WonderWorks is a comprehensive reading intervention that is closely connected to Wonders, the district literacy curriculum. Students will discuss the same Essential Question, topic, skills and strategies that they learned from their classroom teacher, but in a small group setting and at a lower reading level. Each lesson includes foundational skills and strategies that will help struggling readers learn to read, be more successful in their classroom, and to accelerate students up to grade level. Interventions are typically 30 minutes in length and occur multiple days per week.

If students are still struggling in the core curriculum after receiving support at the 2nd Tier level, a more intensive level of support may be necessary. Tier 3 includes the most individualized interventions targeted to each student’s area(s) of need. The educator engages in a problem solving process to identify the student’s specific need and then develops/chooses interventions to meet those needs.