Using a Response
to
v
Intervention Framework to
Promote Young Children’s
Social Development:
The Teaching Pyramid Model
Session Discussion
Background on Response to
Intervention
The Pyramid Model as a RTI framework
for addressing behavior
Implementation issues for RTI
Addressing issues
A Little Background on RtI
Many children receive
intervention for their
behavioral or academic
problems too late.
Early intervention can
prevent delays and reduce
severity of developmental
problems.
Response to intervention
also has its roots in the idea
of early intervention as
prevention.
What is Response to
Intervention?
RTI is:
a multi-tiered approach
to instruction that uses
a systematic problemsolving approach that
focuses on students’
response to those
interventions as a basis
for determining their
instructional needs and
intensity.
What does an RtI approach do?

Finds children falling behind as soon as possible-screening

Has multiple levels of instructional support available
so children can be matched with the level of support
they need—multiple tiers of intervention

Uses a progress monitoring approach to make sure
intervention is working

Uses a systematic problem-solving approach that
focuses on students’ response to those
interventions as a basis for determining their
instructional needs and intensity
Essential Components of RtI
1.
2.
3.
4.
Use of multiple tiers of intervention
Reliance on evidence-based practices
in all tiers
Use of monitoring to determine if
students are making progress
Problem-solving approach to
determine most appropriate level of
intervention for individual students
Essential Component #1:
Multi-Tiered Model
Tier 3
More Focused
Instruction for
Highest Risk
Children
Tier 2
More Intensified
Instruction for Children
Needing More Instructional
Opportunities to Learn
Tier 1
Core Curriculum and Supports Available
to All Children
Essential Component #2:
Evidence-Based Practices Used in All Tiers
•
•
•
Tier 1: Evidence-based core curricula and instructional
practices provided to all children
Tier 2: More intensified instruction for children not
demonstrating adequate growth in Tier 1
– Increased opportunities to practice skills from Tier 1
curriculum
Tier 3: More focused intervention for children not
showing adequate growth in Tier 2 or for children well
below Tier 1 benchmark
Essential Component #3:
Use of Progress Monitoring
To identify children not showing
adequate growth
To monitor growth of children receiving
targeted intervention in Tiers 2 and 3
Measures are for instructional
planning—not diagnosis
Individual Child Progress Monitoring
Olive was
below
benchmark
Olive had 3
quarterly
assessments
Intervention
implemented
Provides ‘before’ and
‘after’ slope estimates
Essential Component #4:
Problem-Solving Model Assumes
Data-Based Intervention Decision-Making
•More Dynamic
•More Data-Driven
•More Responsive
Some Misconceptions about RtI
1. Rti replaces special education and its
procedural safeguards.
•
RtI does not replace existing systems for
evaluating or determining eligibility for special
education services and procedural safeguards.
2. Children with disabilities will be in Tier 3.
•
Children with disabilities can be found at all
tiers.
3. RtI models focus only on preventing learning
disabilities and not behavior problems and
challenging behaviors.
•
Focus is on learning or behavioral problems.
Questions
How can we in early childhood apply an
RtI model to early childhood in the area of
social-emotional development?
How can we build on existing models?
What will some of the challenges be?
What are the next steps?
Social Competence
“Emotional well-being and social
competence provide a strong foundation
for emerging cognitive abilities, and
together they are the bricks and mortar
that comprise the foundation of human
development.”
(National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007)
National Centers - Resources
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (HHS)
www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (OSEP)
www.challengingbehavior.org
Pyramid Model
Tertiary
Intervention
Secondary
Prevention
Universal
Promotion
Nurturing and Responsive
Relationships
Foundation of the pyramid
Essential to healthy social development
Includes relationships with children, families, and team members
Meets criteria for high quality practices as defined by NAEYC and
DEC
High Quality Environments
Inclusive early care and
education environments
Comprehensive system of
curriculum, assessment, and
program evaluation
Environmental design,
instructional materials,
scheduling, child guidance,
and teacher interactions that
meet high quality practices as
described by NAEYC and DEC
Targeted Social Emotional
Supports
Self-regulation, expressing
and understanding emotions,
problem solving, developing
social relationships
Explicit instruction
Increased opportunities for
instruction, practice, feedback
Family partnerships
Progress monitoring and
data-based decision-making
Individualized Intensive
Interventions
Comprehensive
interventions
Assessment-based
Skill-building
Partnerships with
families
Progress monitoring
and data-based decisionmaking
Assessment & Progress Monitoring
•Progress monitoring
(Child Checks)
•Behavior Incidents
With increased precision
and frequency
•Progress monitoring
(Child Checks)
•Behavior Incidents
•Universal Screening
(ASQ-SE, SSRS)
•Behavior Incidents
Implementation Fidelity
Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool
Teacher adoption of tier 1 for all children
General assessment of tier 2 and 3; not specific to
individual target child
Tier 2 and Tier 3
Must develop fidelity tool to examine implementation
of intended instructional procedures and number of
child learning opportunities
RtI for Social/Behavioral
Type and intensity of behavior Can demand
immediate, intensive intervention.
Type and intensity of behavior Can demand very
frequent measurement
Interventions are reliant on the social environment of
the classroom; not delivered as pull-out
Tier 2 and 3 interventions are not unique; difference is
in intentionality, dosage, and precision
In tiers 2 and 3, family involvement is vital to
implementing and powering up intervention intensity
across interactions, routines, and environments
The potential “targets” of behavior change are almost
limitless, requiring highly individualized measurement
methods
Questions/Reflections
from You
What is happening in RtI relevant to early
childhood in your state?
What challenges are programs encountering?
What policies, procedures, collaborative
relationships are necessary for RtI?
What do you see as the potential for RtI?
What do you see as major tasks for the field in
adopting the RtI framework?
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