RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI) FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL) RTI/ELL COMMITTEE

1. RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI) FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)RTI/ELL COMMITTEE WV Department of Education Amelia Courts and Linda Palenchar

2. Overview • Committee Description • Background • Objective • Results • Committee Process • Phase 1, 2, 3 • Resources • Conclusion

3. Project Description • Background • Spring 2008- Committee convened to look at coordination of RTI and ESL • ESL and RTI services differ greatly across the state • Both initiatives are based on individual needs • Impossible to prescribe “one size fits all” approach • August 2008 - West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Offices of International Schools and Special Programs issue joint memo. • http://wvconnections.k12.wv.us/documents/RTIMemoReELLs081308.pdf

4. Guidance Memo • The curriculum for ELLs should be the Tier 1 core curriculum, and Tier 1 services should include all appropriate accommodations and modifications. • Direct ESL services by an ESL teacher should be considered as a Tier 2 intervention. • When determining the needs of ELL students, it is imperative to examine individual ELLs’ “true peers” • ELL students with similar cultural backgrounds • ELL students who have been learning English for similar amounts of time • ELL students who have similar levels of formal education in their native languages • ELL students who receive similar ESL services • Consider the efficacy and impact on the student when scheduling several interventions during the school day from different education professionals, especially if culture shock and the silent period are in evidence with ELL students recently enrolled in US schools. • Always use multiple measures in determining the need for any additional services for ELLs. • Always involve ESL professionals (either the ESL teacher or the district Title III director) in decisions involving RTI Tier 2 or 3 services for ELLs. • RTI considerations for ELLs: A Cultural, Linguistic, and Ecological Framework for Response to Intervention with English Language Learners.http://www.nccrest.org/Briefs/Framework_for_RTI.pdf

5. Project Description • Background • Spring 2009- Title III Directors request further clarification regarding coordination of RTI and ESL • June 2009 – WVDE Title I and III programs held a collaborative training “What Do Professional learning communities do when children don’t learn?” • Summary of Questions

6. Questions/Next Steps to Further Clarify the Roles of ESL in RTI Process: • What are the challenges within the current progress monitoring/reporting system for ELL students? What are some potential unintended consequences and how can those be prevented? • Level 1 (beginning LEP students) DIBELs data may yield an unrealistic portrait of their language needs • Scheduling ESL and RTI Interventions can result in “competing” for students’ time rather than “collaborating” to address their needs • Measuring acceptable achievement gains (Language, Reading, Math) within the “normal” time frames can be problematic because ESL students language often requires 3-5 years to be “on grade level” • Understanding how different language backgrounds and other ELL characteristics impact language development is crucial to accurate progress monitoring • How can the RTI Professional Learning Community (Title I, Special Ed, Interventionists, ESL) better collaborate to address the needs of ELLs? • What are the positive results for progress monitoring for ELLs? • Understanding the role of ESL as a Tier 2 Intervention • What other “Tier 2” services will benefit ESL students automatically? • In what ways can RTI offer flexibility with enrolling ESL students? • What do ESL teachers need to understand about RTI and their role in it? • What are the cautions about moving ESL students from Tier 2 to Tier 3?

7. Committee Process • Objective • The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is convening a committee of educators to develop a resource to further clarify how English Language Learners (ELLs) participate in and benefit from the support services provided through a Response To Intervention (RTI) framework. • Results – develop resource (guidance document and/or PowerPoint) that answers some of the questions of practitioners

8. Committee Process • The committee will work collaboratively through both a face-to-face meeting and internet communication to draft, edit, and finalize the resource to be disseminated statewide. • October 22nd– 30 minute Webinar • November 17th– 9:30-2:00 meeting at Charleston Marriot. Participants will work in cross-programmatic teams to develop a DRAFT resource • January 15th, 2010 - Independent team work- each participant will disseminate the draft resource and garner feedback from his/her local education community. The feedback, including comments and revisions will be resubmitted for review by the entire committee. • January 30th, 2010 - Each participant will review the revised DRAFT and approve a final version of the resource.

9. Resources • How does ESL work? http://wvconnections.k12.wv.us/documents/ToolkitElementary082907.doc.pdf • How does RTI work? West Virginia Response to Intervention Implementation http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/RtIOSP.html • What are the RTI considerations for working with ELLs? (see A Cultural, Linguistic, and Ecological Framework for Response to Intervention with English Language Learners) http://www.nccrest.org/Briefs/Framework_for_RTI.pdf

10. Questions and Discussion Contact Information: Amelia Courts, aadavis@access.k12.wv.us Linda Palenchar, lpalench@access.k12.wv.us Deb Ray, dray@access.k12.wv.us (meeting logistics)