Bulletin - Response to Intervention: Giving children a second (and third) chance for reading success
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Learning Difficulties Australia | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021
Bulletin
Response to Intervention:
Giving children a second (and third)
chance for reading success
3 From the President Designing,
24
LDA Bulletin | Contents
LDA Council 2021-2022 implementing,
Robyn Wheldall
(as at November 2021)
and evaluating
OFFICE BEARERS the Response
PRESIDENT
Dr Robyn Wheldall
VICE-PRESIDENTS
4 Consultant notes
Elaine McLeish
to Intervention
framework in
Dr Molly de Lemos schools
Elaine McLeish
TREASURER
Ann Ryan
5 Council news
Ros Neilson
Emina McLean
SECRETARY
Dr Roslyn Neilson 6 Changing of the
Guard: Editorship
Tiered levels of
support: Can what
happens in the
27
COUNCIL MEMBERS of the Australian triangles stay in the
Kristin Anthian
Felicity Brown
Journal of Learning triangles?
Dr Kate de Bruin Difficulties
Cathryn Bjarnesen and
Jacinta Conway
Roslyn Neilson
8
Melanie Henry LDA Awards 2021
Eleanor McMillan
30
Dr Alison Madelaine Sage Advice: MiniLit
Michelle van Puyvelde
ten years on
10
Emer. Prof. Kevin Wheldall
Evidence-based Kevin Wheldall and
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Administration Officer: Bec Rangas
interventions for Robyn Wheldall
reading: Reflections
LDA Committees on the past, the
ADMINISTRATION
Convenor: Ann Ryan
PUBLICATIONS
present and the
future
Assessing ‘Learning
Difficulties’: Re-
imagining the role
32
Convenor: Dr Molly de Lemos Prof. Genevieve McArthur with of the educational
Ros Neilson
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT psychologist in
Acting Convenor: Dr Robyn Wheldall schools
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Convenor: Jacinta Conway 11 Phonics – The
greatest comeback in
reading history: My
Professor Linda Siegel
36
AWARDS
Community voices:
Convenor: Dr Molly de Lemos part in its return Lobbying for better
CONSULTANTS COMMITTEE Tom Nicholson
Convenor: Elaine McLeish
levels of support
for students with
LDA Publications
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Editors: Emer. Prof. Kevin Wheldall, Dr Alison Madelaine
13 In this issue of the
Bulletin…
Ros Neilson
reading difficulties
Olivia Connelly, Sarah Gole
and Jacqui Tarquino
LDA BULLETIN
Editor: Dr Roslyn Neilson
LDA Contacts
CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
PO Box 76, Mount Waverley VIC 3149
15 Response to
Intervention
(RTI) and Multi-
A commentary
on some recent
claims made against
40
EMAIL ENQUIRIES Tiered Systems of the Simple View
enquiries@ldaustralia.org Support (MTSS): of Reading
LDA MISSION An Introduction Wesley A. Hoover and
Learning Difficulties Australia is an association of teachers William E. Tunmer
Kate de Bruin
and other professionals dedicated to assisting students with
learning difficulties through effective teaching practices based
on scientific research, both in the classroom and through
individualised instruction.
THE BULLETIN
19 Multi-Tiered
Systems of Support:
Comparing
LDA Bookshop
42
The Bulletin is published three times a year. For information
about submitting articles, and for requests to reprint articles,
please contact the Editor: bulletin.editor@ldaustralia.org.
The Bulletin is designed by Andrew Faith
Implementation
in Primary and
Secondary Schools
Professional
Development
Calendar
43
(www.littledesign.studio) and printed by Kate de Bruin and
DTS Communicate.
43
Karina Stocker LDA Bulletin
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the
views of, or endorsed by, Learning Difficulties Australia.
Author Guidelines
2 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021
From the President
LDA Bulletin | From the President
Dr Robyn Wheldall consultant network, but also by helping association has
to ensure that there is an understanding a responsibility
of evidence-based practice across Tiers to nurture,
1, 2 and 3 in a Response to Intervention encourage and
or Multi-Tier Support System framework nourish its own
– a topic explored in this issue of the members. The
LDA Bulletin. This includes promoting excellent work in
approaches that are complementary the publications
across the different tiers of instruction area of LDA –
A
that a student with learning difficulties the Bulletin and
s 2021 draws to a close, I am may encounter. The expert knowledge the Australian
delighted to be writing this of specialist educators is critical for Journal of Learning Difficulties – is
column as the new President students with learning difficulties to another distinctive and important way in
of Learning Difficulties succeed in every educational setting. which LDA achieves this purpose. The
Australia (LDA). LDA is firmly committed to sharing this recently released new LDA website is
At the Annual General Meeting held expertise with others. also a valuable resource for members
in September 2021, significant changes As noted in several of the acceptance and non-members alike.
occurred in the governing body of the speeches given by our 2021 LDA Award The new 2021-2022 LDA Council
LDA Council. More details about this recipients (see pages 10 to 12), a very has a great deal of breadth and depth.
change are presented in the Council encouraging development in the field of We are classroom teachers, special
News on page 5 and on the LDA website education has been occurring over recent educators, speech pathologists,
at https://www.ldaustralia.org/about/ years, with evidence-based approaches academics and researchers, as well as
meetourteam/. to teaching being taken up by increasing being experienced in running both not-
LDA has a long and proud history numbers of teachers. We have seen, for-profit and commercial organisations.
of supporting and advocating for particularly over the last couple of years, Together we also have a great deal of
students with learning difficulties, and and in some ways aided by the COVID19 LDA experience, as well as including
the 2021-22 Council is committed to pandemic (which has made people some members who are new to Council
LDA continuing to pursue its mission more comfortable with platforms like and bring in valuable fresh ideas and
of assisting students with learning Zoom), a strong and rapid growth of approaches. There are also a great many
difficulties through effective teaching teacher organisations that have attracted people with exceptional skills within
practices based on scientific research, thousands of followers in a relatively the wider LDA membership who are
both in the classroom and through short period of time. This is a cause for committed to its mission. Their expertise
individualised instruction. great celebration. The amount of free should continue to be harnessed in the
LDA also has an important role to professional development that has come context of a collegial, respectful, and
play in ensuring that all students are out of these movements is extraordinary. strong organisation. In so doing, others
the beneficiaries of effective instruction LDA’s activities have contributed strongly may continue to join our number.
across the spectrum of educational to this area as well, with excellent As LDA President, I want to express
settings. Knowledge about effective offerings in the professional development my thanks to a number of people. Bec
practice must be imparted to teachers area including the Wednesday Weekly Rangas is our very busy and talented
everywhere, so that the very best Webinar series in 2020 and 2021 and (and always cheerful) Administration
evidence-based instruction can be the popular recent six session Science Officer at LDA who has helped
employed in every classroom. Apart of Writing course. These initiatives have enormously in the transition to a largely
from being what every student needs, been very well received and have also new Council. A great deal of work goes
it is most important that students with resulted in a growth in LDA membership, on behind the scenes to ensure that all
learning challenges are in environments which is now over 800 members (and that needs to be done is done. The new
that will support and consolidate the growing weekly). We can be rightly Council would like to say a big thank you
gains that they make as a result of more proud of the impact that our organisation to Bec for all her help in this transition
individualised and specialised support. has had. phase and we look forward to continuing
There are students with learning There is evidence of a turning tide, but to work with her. I would also like to
difficulties in every classroom, and there is also a great deal still to be done. We thank members of the new Council for
knowing how to support them is the believe that LDA has a distinctive place in enthusiastically embracing roles as
business of every teacher. But even the evidence-based educational landscape. Committee Convenors and members.
with the very best instruction in the We want to help build that awareness and Every Council member is engaged in at
classroom, there will always be a small those skills that are needed to best support least one LDA Committee. The hard-
percentage of students who require our most vulnerable learners, wherever working Executive (the five office bearers
additional, often more intensive, support. they are educated. of the association) has also displayed
LDA is committed not only to providing As well as reaching out to others
this support directly via our LDA in the educational community, our continued on page 4…
Volume 53, No 3, December 2021 | 3
Consultant notes
continued from page 3…
LDA Bulletin | Consultant notes
extraordinary commitment to moving
LDA forward and I thank them sincerely
for all their efforts. A special thank
you to Kristin Anthian, who stepped in
right after the AGM to take on the role
of Acting Convenor of the Professional Elaine McLeish, Convenor, The
Development Committee, charged Committee
with delivering the Science of Writing Consultants Committee has been very
series to more than 950 delegates in busy in the
October and November. Kristin went to months since
extraordinary lengths to ensure that this the September
was a successful professional learning AGM.
series. Thanks are also due to Geoff Unfortunately
Ongley of Training 24/7,who volunteered we have needed
many hours to ensure everything to spend a lot of
worked on the technical side for this
I
time identifying
extended event. We are delighted and t is a very exciting time for me to be problems with the new website and
enormously appreciative that Geoff has returning to LDA Council and taking requesting modifications, but we are
offered to provide volunteer services as on the role of Consultant Convenor. optimistic that these will be rectified
the LDA IT Consultant going forward. I first want to express my great by the time you read this. We have also
We are very fortunate indeed to have so appreciation for the magnificent work been planning for the inclusion of Allied
many talented and committed people of my predecessor, Olivia Connelly, who Health professionals as Consultant
working together to deliver services to was tireless in her efforts on behalf of Members, with an initial focus on
our members, the wider educational LDA Consultants through 15 extremely Speech Pathologists. I will provide more
community, and to the individuals busy and demanding months. information about this in my next report
with learning difficulties who we seek Many Consultant Members know when we will be much further advanced
to serve. me well from my days managing the in our planning and possibly already
I would also like to thank the Victorian phone referral service (2002 welcoming suitably qualified Speech
outgoing Council, some of whom to 2011) and then as Consultant Pathologists as Consultant Members.
have served LDA for many years. We Administrator until my retirement in Wherever you are in Australia,
acknowledge and applaud the work November 2020. I first joined LDA as I hope you enjoy a happy and safe
that has been done to increase teacher a Consultant Member in 1998 and am holiday season.
awareness of best practice instruction now a proud Life Member.
and how to do this in classrooms and Elaine McLeish is now retired and
The Consultant Committee is
other educational settings around divides her time between Northcote
fortunate to still have two stalwart and Cape Paterson. She has five
Australia. We are committed to building supporters of LDA and Consultants
on their vital work. grandchildren and a German
in our ranks. Diane Barwood and Jan Shorthaired Pointer, who all keep her
Dr Robyn Wheldall, BA, Ph.D., MAICD, Roberts are both Life Members, Network on her toes. She is delighted to be
is an Honorary Research Fellow of leaders, past Presidents, Consultant part of the new Council with a shared
Macquarie University, a Founding Convenors, and recipients of the commitment to pursue the LDA Mission
Director of MultiLit Pty Ltd., and Rosemary Carter Award. Statement.
the Deputy Director of the MultiLit We’ve also welcomed two brand new
Research Unit. Council members to the Committee.
Felicity Brown is a Victorian Consultant
who has represented the Glen Waverley
Network for many years. She has a
Masters in Special Education, 37 years
secondary teaching experience, has been
a member of LDA for over 25 years, and
a Consultant in private practice for seven
years. Felicity is also a member of the
Governance sub-committee with a strong
interest in the management of change to
LDA’s Constitution and in ensuring it best
meets the needs of all members.
Eleanor McMillan from the ACT is
the other new member. Eleanor holds
dual qualifications in Speech Pathology
and Education and is currently an
Executive Teacher in Learning Support
and RTI in a secondary school. She
is also actively involved in LDA’s
Professional Development Committee.
4 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021
In this issue of the
LDA Bulletin | In this issue of the Bulletin…
Bulletin…
Ros Neilson, Editor, LDA assumption that it is important for LDA practice in the
to reach out to the increasing number mainstream
Bulletin of mainstream classroom teachers classroom is
who want to learn more about explicit not separated
teaching. This speaker commented from a deep
that there tended to be a change understanding
in the atmosphere of professional of learning
development workshops for mainstream difficulties.
teachers whenever the term ‘learning The additional
difficulties’ was used – she felt that a new Council
T
focus on learning difficulties turned members
he first section of this issue of teachers away. Speakers on the other who have joined since the AGM have
the LDA Bulletin, containing side of the debate, arguing against a contributed substantially to the debate.
the LDA-related news, includes name change, were concerned that, As Editor of the Bulletin in the midst of
not only a message from the despite the wave of enthusiasm to all this, I felt that an LDA Bulletin issue
new President, warm congratulations promote what is generally agreed as devoted to multi-tiered systems of
to LDA Award winners, a welcome to best practice in literacy teaching, the support for all students seemed to be a
the new Australian Journal of Learning reality remains that there are individual timely move.
Difficulties Editors, and regular differences in the levels of support The topic of multi-tiered support
Consultant Notes, but also information that students require in the learning systems in schools is introduced by
about what has been a major change environment. Even best teaching three Australian experts in the field -
at the Council level of the association. practice in the mainstream classroom contributors who are academics as well
Almost all the Council members and doesn’t immediately solve all the as teachers: Dr Kate de Bruin (one of our
the General Manager stepped down at challenges, although it should minimise new council members), Emina McLean,
or before the AGM in September 2021, the prevalence of the challenges. It and Karina Stocker. Kate begins with a
and the association now has an almost was argued that all teachers need to historical introduction to tiered support
entirely new set of Council members. It be aware of students who need more systems, and she and Karina then go on
is in fact this change that inspired the support, and need to know how to to discuss the implementation of these
choice of the theme for the second part make appropriate adjustments in the models, with a focus on the secondary
of this issue of the LDA Bulletin: the classroom. Furthermore, all schools level. Emina, writing from the experience
concept of multi-tiered levels of support need to have in place a system that of someone who is herself driving
for students. ensures that safety nets are in place. the whole-scale adoption of a tiered
By way of explanation of this choice: Speakers who did not want LDA’s support system in a primary school,
At the heart of the recent changes that name changed argued that ‘learning provides useful specific details of how
have taken place in LDA Council lies a difficulties’ is not a word to be avoided, such a system is ideally implemented.
debate that has over the past couple and to change the name and the focus Their contributions are followed by a
of years evoked strong feelings within of Learning Difficulties Australia would cautionary note from Cathryn Bjarnesen,
membership as well as amongst the risk casting the association adrift from an educational consultant in New
Council members: the debate about its important historical roots. Zealand, and Roslyn Neilson, who argue
whether or not the name ‘Learning As the Council News section in this that if there is no external evaluation of
Difficulties Australia’ should be changed Bulletin reports, the outcome was that, the system to complement the checks
as part of a growth strategy for the despite the strong recommendations and balances within the system, multi-
association. Those wanting to change of many of the members of Council tiered support models may appear to be
the name would have preferred a name at the Special General Meeting, the working but may still be ineffective. They
that included the words ‘effective majority of LDA members who attended provide a case study to document the
teaching’ and/or ‘science’ – a name the meeting voted ‘NO’ to the name potential problem.
that did not include the words ‘learning change. Our name is still ‘Learning The MultiLit team of Kevin and
difficulties.’ A formal debate about Difficulties Australia’. Robyn Wheldall, with due disclosure
the issue took place at the June 2021 Those individuals who had of commercial interests, contribute
Special General Meeting that was called nominated to stand for the incoming a behind-the-scenes account of how
to vote on several changes, including Council and those who were appointed their suite of programs has had to
this name change. One speaker who at the AGM continued this important evolve to ensure that there is continuity
argued in favour of the name change debate amongst themselves, trying to between Level 1 and Level 2 early
began with the generally accepted articulate a middle ground where best literacy teaching.
Volume 53, No 3, December 2021 | 13
Dr Linda Siegel invites Bulletin recommending the introduction of a
LDA Bulletin | In this issue of the Bulletin…
readers into the Educational Phonics Screening Check in Victoria, as
Psychologists’ room. Her argument has been occurring in many other parts
returns to one of the problems that of the world.
originally led to the development This issue ends not with the
of multi-tiered support systems: usual book review but rather with an
the unhelpful requirement that important comment that follows on
psychologists assess students’ IQs from the extensive book review that was
to determine whether they can be published in the previous LDA Bulletin,
classified as having learning difficulties Wendy Moore’s discussion of Wes
and are eligible for support. Her Hoover and Bill Tunmer’s (2020) book,
recommendations for re-imagining The Cognitive Architecture of Reading. In
the role of school psychologists this issue, Wes Hoover and Bill Tunmer
complements and enriches the respond carefully to serious criticisms
possibilities of a multi-tiered that have been levelled against the
support system. Simple View of Reading in the literature,
These articles on best practice for arguing that the simple model still serves
supporting all students are followed the implementation of the science of
by what provides probably the most reading very well indeed.
powerful argument in the whole issue of We hope you enjoy reading the
this Bulletin. It comes from the voices articles in this LDA Bulletin, and we invite
of parents. Sarah Gole, Jacqui Tarquino you to join in with letters of comment to
and Olivia Connelly provide data from a bulletin.editor@ldaustralia.org.
Victorian survey of parents of children Thanks very much to the Bulletin
with learning difficulties. They document Editorial team for their help in preparing
the experiences they and their children this issue, and special thanks to the
have had in the school system, and in
contributors.
doing so they show how urgent the need
is for adequate systems of support in Dr Roslyn Neilson
the school system. Their submission Editor, LDA Bulletin
to this issue finishes with a request
for Bulletin readers to sign a petition
that they have organised to present to
the Victoria Department of Education,
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and Learning Conference Conference
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14 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021
Response to
Intervention
(RTI) and Multi-
Tiered Systems of
Support (MTSS):
An Introduction
Kate de Bruin introduces
the series of articles about
tiered levels of support with
an historical explanation of
how and why the concept
developed in the American
context, and a discussion
of how the approach might
meet current needs in
Australian schools.
Volume 53, No 3, December 2021 | 15
W
hen I was a high-school are explored in depth in the subsequent is not equal’ and triggered the racial
LDA Bulletin | Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): An Introduction
English teacher, I articles in this issue of the LDA Bulletin de-segregation of public schooling
was part of a group of on ‘levels of support’. The concept of in the US. Applied to students with
teachers who set out levelled support is grounded in multi- disability, this precedent meant that
to address the issue we had identified tiered frameworks such as Response to under the newly-reformed Federal
amongst a number of our students: Intervention (RTI). In this introduction, education law, all students were able
they couldn’t read. Although we weren’t I tell the story of how RTI came to be to access a quality education within
trained in reading instruction, we could developed in the United States (US) as the regular school system (Ysseldyke,
see that without being able to read, a means of de-segregating the school 1999). This reform was ground-breaking
these students were doomed to fail high system for students with disabilities and on many fronts, but most notably in
school. So, we enrolled in professional providing effective universal instruction legislating for the right of students with
learning, lobbied for resourcing, and got for every student, as well as timely disabilities to be educated when so
ourselves trained to run a commercial intervention on the basis of need. many had previously been excluded
program with clear evidence to support or institutionalised. It also broke new
its use with teenagers. Armed with What did we do before RTI? ground by recognising the category of
these, we set about systematically The process of delivering educational ‘learning disability’ for the first time.
identifying and teaching every student support services to students
to read. experiencing difficulties at school has
What was so wrong with
The students we taught were historically relied on understanding that model?
diverse. Some of the students in our disability through a ‘medical’ lens both
While well-intentioned, the categorical
first ‘intake’ were students with long in the US (Sailor et al., 2018) and also
funding and service delivery approach
disciplinary records, on the fast-track Australia (de Bruin et al., 2020). This
in the US did not result in improved
to expulsion. Others were refugees, meant that any prolonged difficulties
traumatised and with patchy primary- instruction and achievement for
in learning or behaviour experienced
school education, or were instructional students with disabilities within general
by students is attributed to a deficit,
casualties of the ‘reading wars’ playing education classrooms. Indeed, the
disability or impairment within the
out in Melbourne’s primary schools. A effect was in fact rather the reverse,
student themselves. When difficulties
few had disabilities such as dyslexia, because there was more attention
at school are viewed this way, the
hearing impairment or had intellectual paid to administering the evaluation
accessibility and quality of regular
disabilities. The students ranged all the process than there was to the quality
instruction are not considered as
way up to year ten but what they shared of instruction provided to students
contributing factors. Rather, students
was that they were reading at about a (Sailor, 2002). The evaluation process
who share a diagnostic category are
grade two level. contained an inadvertent incentive
assumed to share a need for specially
We taught them all to read, without to have students diagnosed in order
designed instructional practices
a single exception. We also sought to access funded services, as well as
matched to their disability or deficit.
to change the belief of many of our profit to be made from conducting the
Accordingly, they are often grouped in
colleagues who felt that these students diagnostic process itself in the newly-
separate ‘special’ settings away from
couldn’t learn, that the students ‘didn’t expanding fields of psychological
their peers in general education for
belong here’, that they would be better and psychoeducational testing
the purposes of efficiently delivering
off leaving, or that they had to go to a (Germann, 2010; Sailor et al, 2018).
these ‘special’ practices. To determine
special school to get an education. We These incentives resulted in ever-
students’ eligibility for special
persuaded them that we could teach more students being pulled out of the
educational services they are typically
them all, that they were our students, general education classroom; few ever
referred to medical and allied health
that they deserved a place in their local returned (Chard, 2013). Thus, instead
professionals such as psychologists
high school, that they had the same of improving the access of students
for assessment and diagnosis. The
right to be educated at that school as with disability to a quality education
category of a student’s diagnosis (e.g.,
their siblings and peers. We talked a lot within general education classrooms,
intellectual disability, developmental
about equity and held up our success disability, learning disability) is then the economic incentives within the
stories and some of our star students used to determine the funding for new system of assessing entitlement
as examples of our school’s greatest educational services (Ysseldyke et al, fuelled a new and different but socially
achievements. 1999), and many unfunded students go sanctioned form of segregation: the
After teaching that first group, without support. separate special education classroom.
from whom we also learned so much, During the 1980s, concerns were
we set up a system so that all students How did we decide who raised regarding the rapid expansion
transitioning from the local feeder needed special educational of students identified with learning
schools were screened in the term difficulties/disabilities and behavioural
before their arrival. Four years after
services? difficulties/disabilities. Particular
setting it up, we had run six cycles of The categorical approach for funding criticism was made about the IQ-
students through that programme. But and service delivery of special achievement discrepancy model using
the non-readers kept coming up from education was developed in the United gaps between students actual and
the primary schools. It took me years States in the 1970s, when two key expected achievement as a basis
to ask why. Twenty years later, I teach civil rights cases prompted reforms of for diagnosis of learning disability
pre-service and postgraduate students federal education legislation. These which was viewed as an unreliable
the answers I have since learned to that court cases drew on a previous legal process (Pullen et al, 2018). There
question of ‘why’. Many of these answers precedent that determined ‘separate were additional concerns that these
16 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021
processes required a ‘wait to fail’ model At the same time, research at at Tier 1 in the general education
LDA Bulletin | Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): An Introduction
whereby a diagnosis could only be made Vanderbilt University and the University classroom. The degree to which they
once students’ academic achievement of Kansas drew on the multi-tier model are responding to this instruction and
or behaviour were substantially below to develop a more rigorous approach for making appropriate progress in Tier
that of their same-age peers. This determining student eligibility to access 1 is determined by regular screening.
meant that students who genuinely special educational services under When Tier 1 instruction is implemented
needed support often went without the category of learning disabilities with fidelity, this should be sufficient
that support for years, by which time (Sailor et al., 2018). This work sought to support progress and achievement
underachievement or behavioural to understand how students’ responses for the majority (approximately 80%)
concerns were often extensive and more to effective instruction in the general of students. For students who are
difficult to address. education classroom might permit not responding sufficiently to Tier 1
more accurate identification of students instruction, further targeted assessment
How did this lead to RTI? may be conducted to identify which
needing supplementary support
In response to these concerns, in 2003 (Bradley et al., 2007). This research particular academic skills they might
the US Federal Government set up six focused most strongly on the area of need to learn and rehearse more
research centres to investigate the reading and produced particularly frequently in increasingly smaller
potential of multi-tiered prevention valuable standardised protocols in groups at Tier 2. Students who do
models to improve reading and screening and progress monitoring, not respond to Tier 2 are offered
behaviour outcomes of students (Chard, as well as the use of evidence-based support at Tier 3, which tends to be
2013). Multi-tier models originate from instruction and intervention, ultimately considerably more individualised and
public health, in which primary tier becoming the model we know today as intensive, representing a substantial
practices are promoted across the Response to Intervention, or RTI. This cost in terms of teacher time and school
population to prevent disease, such as early work on RTI was conducted by resources. For this reason, Tier 3 should
healthy eating and regular exercise. For academics interested in reading, and not be implemented until Tier 2 has
some individuals, secondary and tertiary much of it took place at the time leading been implemented with fidelity and
tiers of intervention are then provided up to and following the report of the provided in a manner that was based
in response to acute and chronic health National Reading Panel (NRP; 2000). on robust assessment data indicating
conditions that are implemented on a Given these factors, it is easy to see why the instructional needs of students.
scale of intensity depending on individual RTI research relates predominantly to Importantly, Tier 2 and 3 do not replace
responses to treatment which are learning and achieving in reading. In Tier 1 teaching but are offered in
carefully monitored. light of its emphasis on intervening early, addition to it.
Recast in the world of education it is also easy to see why the majority of
rather than public health, multi-tier
Where to from here?
existing research has focused on RTI
models were examined in relation in primary schools with the majority of Both RTI and PBS represent a profound
to: coordinated tiers of instruction evidence relating to this area to date. move away from a medical model that
and intervention; data for universal views student learning difficulties as a
screening and progress monitoring; So, what is RTI? medical issue within the individual. Both
evidence-based practices for instruction approaches presume that all students
RTI operates as a multi-tiered model of
and intervention; professional learning; are capable of learning with the right
service delivery in which students are
and school improvement (Chard, 2013). amount of quality instruction and
provided with high-quality academic
These were examined by researchers determines that amount by considering
instruction and intervention. It uses
in application to two lines of inquiry: how they respond to foundational
student achievement data instead of a
reading and behaviour. Research Tier 1 instruction in order to provide
categorical funding model to determine
at the University of Oregon drew on the appropriate degree of intensified
student eligibility for more targeted
this approach to develop a tiered supplementary intervention at Tiers 2
educational support services. This
framework of practices for proactively or 3.
means that the educational support
teaching and responding to student Beyond implementing PBS or RTI as
services available within a school
behaviour (Sailor et al, 2018). This discrete models to address academic
are made available to any student
work established a collaborative model or behavioural skills, there is now a
who needs them, rather than being
for raising the intensity of behavioural shift towards implementing these as
preserved for those who are eligible for
instruction for students when Tier 1 a cohesive model which incorporates
funding based on disability diagnosis.
quality teaching was not sufficient. This a comprehensive assessment system
The core elements of RTI include:
was achieved by engaging in school- that routinely collects data on students’
• the use of evidence-based practices
based problem-solving and decision- academic progress and behaviour and
making to identify the most appropriate • a sliding scale of increasingly understands that these are related.
strategies to change the teaching and intensive instruction and intervention These are generally known as Multi-
learning environment and address across multiple tiers Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) which
underlying causes and functions of • the collection of universal screening integrate the collaborative team-based
unwanted student behaviour (Fletcher and progress monitoring data from problem-solving approach developed
et al., 2018). The research ultimately students from PBS and the improved decision-
resulted in the framework known as making from robust assessment
• the use of this data for making
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) developed within RTI. Not only does
educational decisions
or School-wide Positive Behaviour the model make sense in terms of
Interventions and Support (SWPBS) Within RTI, all students receive combining the technical processes
among other variations. high-quality evidence-based instruction to make a more robust system, it also
Volume 53, No 3, December 2021 | 17
understands that academic learning and the implementation of RTI including how Alternative Education for Children and
LDA Bulletin | Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): An Introduction
behaviour are often interlinked. Many of to set it up at the school level, the role Youth, 60(3), 173-182. https://www.
those students I taught all those years of allied health professionals within an researchgate.net/profile/Charles-
ago who could not read misbehaved as RTI system, and ensuring coordination Wood-5/publication/282840659_
a strategy to avoid having to read, or to between the tiers. Those of you who are Response_to_Intervention_Where_It_
be exposed as such to their peers. Their interested to know more can access a Came_From_and_Where_It’s_Going/
behaviours were a direct result of not wealth of resources at the following links: links/5762f46908ae570d6e15c030/
being able to access the curriculum. • https://www.interventioncentral.org/ Response-to-Intervention-Where-It-
Identifying them as needing a no- response-to-intervention Came-From-and-Where-Its-Going.pdf
excuses disciplinary response would • http://www.rtinetwork.org/ Pullen, P. C., van Dijk, W., Gonsalves, V.
never have addressed this. Teaching • https://mtss.education/ E., Lane, H. B., & Ashworth, K. E. (2018).
them to read most certainly did. RTI and MTSS: Response to Intervention
References and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support:
What does this mean for
Bradley, R., Danielson, L., & Doolittle, J. How do they differ and how are they the
Australia? same, if at all? In Handbook of Response
(2007). Responsiveness to intervention:
The rationale and benefits of RTI 1997 to 2007. Teaching exceptional to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Systems
reforms in the US that were developed children, 39(5), 8-12. of Support (pp. 5-10). Routledge.
against these issues offer a clear set Chard, D. J. (2013). Systems impact: Sailor, W., McCart, A. B., & Choi, J. H.
of recommendations for educational Issues and trends in improving school (2018). Reconceptualizing inclusive
reforms in Australia. This includes outcomes for all learners through education through multi-tiered system
the lessons about de-segregating the multitier instructional models. of support. Inclusion, 6(1), 3-18.
system, which is particularly timely Intervention in School and Clinic, 48(4), Skiba, R. J., Poloni-Staudinger, L.,
given the focus on improving access 198-202. Gallini, S., Simmons, A. B., & Feggins-
to an inclusive education within Azziz, R. (2006). Disparate access: The
de Bruin, K., Graham, L. J., & Gallagher,
the ongoing Royal Commission into disproportionality of African American
J. (2020). What is the NCCD and what
the Violence, Neglect, Abuse and students with disabilities across
does it mean for my practice? L. Graham
Exploitation of People with Disabilities, educational environments. Exceptional
(Ed.), Inclusive Education for the 21st
and the neglect constituted by failing Children, 72(4), 411– 424. https://doi.org
Century (pp. 122-155). Routledge.
to teach children to read. There are /10.1177/001440290607200402
clear benefits to Australian students in Fletcher, J. M., Lyon, G. R., Fuchs, L.
S., & Barnes, M. A. (2018). Effective Ysseldyke, J., & Marston, D. (1999).
ensuring that appropriate instruction
instruction for students with learning Origins of categorical special education
and intervention are available to any
disabilities: A Multi-Tiered System of services in schools and a rationale for
student. Categorical funding models
Supports. Learning disabilities: From changing them. In D. Reschly, D. Tilly,
have remained in place since the
identification to intervention. (pp 87- J. Grimes (Eds.) Special education in
1980s in all Australian states and
108). Guilford Publications transition: Functional assessment and
territories, with well-known associated
noncategorical programming (pp. 1-18).
issues relating to categories that are Germann, G. (2010). Thinking of yellow
Sopris West. https://files.eric.ed.gov/
ineligible for funding, such as students brick roads, emerald cities, and wizards.
fulltext/ED434454.pdf
with dyslexia (de Bruin, 2020). This Interventions for achievement and
has meant that there has been no behavior problems in a three-tier model Dr Kate de Bruin is a senior lecturer
system-level support for ensuring that including RTI. Washington, DC: NASP in the field of inclusion and disability
all students are able to access targeted Publications. (pp. xiii–xxxv). http:// at Monash University. Her research
support if and when they require it, citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download? examines how inclusive education can
having instead to ‘wait to fail’ and hope doi=10.1.1.583.9326&rep=rep1&type be achieved in classrooms, schools,
for the ‘right’ diagnosis. =pdf and systems through adopting multi-
In my old school, reading intervention National Reading Panel (US), National tiered systems of support to ensure
is no longer offered. These days, students Institute of Child Health, Human that all students receive an education
who cannot read are now given no Development (US), National Reading that is high in quality, with access to
support to learn to do so. They fail, they Excellence Initiative, National Institute appropriate evidence-based support.
drop out, or they leave to learn ‘life for Literacy (US), United States. Kate is a co-convenor of the AARE
skills’ at special schools; the lucky ones Public Health Service, & United States Inclusive Education Special Interest
have parents who can afford to pay for Department of Health. (2000). Report Group, and a council member of LDA.
private tuition. With the recent advent of of the National Reading Panel: Teaching In her spare time she enjoys playing
the Nationally Consistent Collection of children to read: An evidence-based with her two children and her new puppy
Data for School Students with Disability assessment of the scientific research (a whippet).
(NCCD), however, many state education literature on reading and its implications
policies and those of other sectors are for reading instruction: Reports of the
beginning to shift towards a needs-based subgroups. National Institute of Child
approach. This means that the time is Health and Human Development,
ripe in Australia to adopt multi-tiered National Institutes of Health
models and provide support across all Preston, A. I., Wood, C. L., & Stecker, P.
systems and sectors for implementation M. (2016). Response to intervention:
at scale as is done in the US. The articles Where it came from and where it’s
in this issue offer a series of insights into going. Preventing School Failure:
18 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021Community voices: Lobbying
LDA Bulletin | Community voices: Lobbying for better levels of support for students with reading difficulties
for better levels of support
for students with reading
difficulties
This article, co-written by best practice literacy approaches. But
parents are voters, and they can play a
Olivia Connelly, Sarah Gole powerful advocacy role for education
and Jacqui Tarquino, attests policy changes if their experiences can
to the efforts of families only be documented and brought to the
attention of the decision-makers.
and community voices to There is a great deal at stake for
ensure that all students these families, not only for their own
receive appropriate support children but also for society at large. As
Snow (2020) argues:
at school as they learn to The ability of a population to read an additional
read and write. The article and write at standards considered language in
competent, and not merely the tertiary
finishes with a link to an
functional, confers widespread sector, and an
e-petition to the Victorian opportunities to succeed advocate of
State Government, that will academically and gain post-school evidence-based
training and education, even in practice in
be open for signing until the context of inter-generational education. I am
May 2022 – LDA encourages academic under-attainment. This in also a member
you to sign the petition if turn affords opportunities for larger of the Dyslexia
numbers to be part of the social Victoria Support (DVS) group
you agree with the view and economic mainstream, and sits https://www.facebook.com/groups/
expressed. at the core of reading ability as a dyslexiavictoriasupport/. DVS runs a
pressing public health issue and as large, very active closed FaceBook
a modifiable form of social inequity group that includes many parents of
and disadvantage. (p.2) students with reading challenges.
Part 1, below, reports on a survey that DVS wanted to provide our members
has been carried out with parents with an opportunity to share their
of children with reading difficulties. experiences about their personal
Part 2 documents the efforts of a journeys as they and their families
parent/teacher to persuade the State navigated through the school system.
Government to introduce a compulsory With considerable support from Heidi
Olivia Connelly: Year 1 Phonics Screening Check in Gregory, the founder of DVS, we
Victorian Schools. decided to conduct a survey that would
I’m an LDA Consultant based in
Melbourne. I work with students who allow at least these respondents to have
have language and reading difficulties,
Part 1: The DVS their voices heard. Our 2020 detailed
with their families and their schools. I Parent Survey – survey report is available here: https://
have recently had inspiring discussions dyslexiavictoriasupport.com/ .
with two members of the Victorian Literacy in Victorian Our project received much-
appreciated advice from members of
community who are part of an important
grass-roots movement to improve the
Schools the SOLAR Lab at La Trobe University,
levels of support offered to children who who assisted us with the design of the
are not thriving within the school system.
Sarah Gole: survey and made suggestions about
Parents’ views are often overlooked and I’m a parent of a child with reading the analysis of the responses. We thank
un-represented in policy decisions around difficulties, a teacher of English as them for their support.
36 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021The survey comprised 21 open- Of parents who were offered wellbeing support. Some parents paid
LDA Bulletin | Community voices: Lobbying for better levels of support for students with reading difficulties
ended and multiple-choice questions. assessment by their school, wait for out-of-school wellbeing support.
We surveyed 604 parents, and included times of over 2 years were reported;
436 responses in our analysis. Over leading many parents to seek private
Changing schools
3000 comments were considered using assessment. Of parents who sought Over two-thirds of parents had
thematic analysis, and this allowed private assessment, many reported considered changing schools due
us to draw out common themes. The it made little difference to the level of to their child’s literacy difficulties.
common themes are summarised under support their child received at school. Parents who did not change schools
the headings below, along with some Secondary behavioural difficulties were said there were no better options.
representative quotes. more likely to attract school support. Many parents commented that other
Quality of literacy teaching and schools were using the same approach
Individual Educational to teaching literacy as their school, so
intervention
Plans (IEPS) and changing schools would be a waste of
When parents were invited to comment
‘Reasonable Adjustments’ time. Parents noted their child’s social
on the programs, approaches, methods
connections at their current school as
and resources their child’s school One-third of parents said their child did the reason for not changing schools.
uses to teach literacy, over 50% of not have an IEP. Parents whose child did
parents rated the literacy teaching at have an IEP had to advocate strongly Positive changes in school
their child’s school as low or very low for it. Parents reported IEPs as a ‘box- in relation to supporting
quality. The majority of parents reported ticking’ waste of time. IEPs tended to
teaching approaches were whole child’s literacy
include intervention that was ‘more of
language / balanced literacy / 3-cueing, the same’ that didn’t work in the first Around a third of parents said that
which parents noted as not suitable place and lacked SMART goals and there had been no positive changes
for their child. The most reported were inconsistently implemented. over time due to teacher reluctance
intervention programs were Fountas and to change instructional practices
27% of parents said their child
Pinnell, Levelled Literacy Intervention or teacher knowledge not being
received no reasonable adjustments
and Reading Recovery, and these sufficient. Parents who said there had
at all despite being eligible. Parents
intervention approaches were also been positive changes at their school
whose child did receive reasonable
regarded as ineffective. Parents whose
adjustments said their implementation mentioned compensatory changes such
child did not benefit from school-based
was inconsistent across year levels and as increased awareness of dyslexia, the
intervention, and parents who could not
teachers. implementation of accommodations
get intervention for their child at school,
and modifications such as LOTE
reported multi-sensory structured Teacher knowledge about exemption and modified class work.
language (MSL) as the most common
private intervention.
dyslexia “My son asked his teachers to
explain to his classmates what
“We had to seek alternate support 48% of parents rated their child’s
dyslexia was and tell them that
externally. And did all the research teacher as ‘not knowledgeable’
this is what he has. This has been
and paid for it all ourselves. It was a in dyslexia. Parents took on the
a hugely positive impact because
hard and difficult process and very responsibility of trying to educate their
99% of the students are kind, caring,
time consuming especially when child’s teachers about dyslexia by
empathetic and helpful to our son
working as well and trying to help!” initiating discussions and sharing web
and he no longer feels the level of
links. Some teachers were receptive to
Identification of literacy shame he used to.”
parents’ efforts.
difficulties “Her teacher this year (grade Benefits and challenges of
62% of parents identified their child’s 5) is the first teacher to actually remote and flexible learning
literacy difficulties on their own and paid understand our daughter. She
for private assessment. When parents doesn’t know much about dyslexia Parents were divided on the benefits
raised their child’s literacy difficulties but is always willing to learn and is and challenges of remote and flexible
with schools, they were often dismissed. amazed by how much my daughter learning. Some parents reported
Parents were advised to ‘wait and see’ teaches her.” benefits such as growth in their child’s
or ‘give it time’. There was consensus Of parents reporting high levels of confidence or fewer distractions.
among schools that some children will knowledge about dyslexia, some said “Regular 1:1 support whenever
always struggle with literacy and not the teacher had self-funded professional he needed it. The ability to be able
much can be done: development. to ask questions and clarify what
“She is my third child. I highlighted in was required as many times as he
prep her learning wasn’t the ‘same’ Literacy difficulties and needed. Accommodations whenever
as my other two children. The school mental health & wellbeing needed. Only real challenges were
said she was fine and would learn at around the social isolation and lack
support
her own pace. By the end of grade of sport.”
one I was frustrated and sad to see 81% of parents said literacy difficulties Many parents mentioned a benefit
my vibrant, happy, easy going girl had a negative or very negative impact of seeing firsthand how much their
change so drastically. She was crying on their child’s mental health. Over half child is struggling in their learning and
every night and so aware that she of parents said their child did not receive some were able to focus on improving
couldn’t do what the other kids in wellbeing support at school. Parents their child’s literacy skills and/or use of
class were doing.” noted inconsistency in effectiveness of assistive technology.
Volume 53, No 3, December 2021 | 37“It was very upsetting for me to Olivia Connelly: code is very complex, and this means
LDA Bulletin | Community voices: Lobbying for better levels of support for students with reading difficulties
witness how little he can write. that a critical foundation of literacy
He has so many basic gaps with Perhaps the findings of the survey can involves understanding the intricate
grammar and punctuation, spelling be best summed up by the following relationship between speech sounds
is extremely bad so he won’t attempt comment, addressed to both the (phonemes) and letters (the graphemes
to write a sentence as he can’t spell. school system and the politicians and that map onto sounds). SSP teaches
bureaucrats who make decisions about the English alphabetic code explicitly.
He is in his first year of high school,
the system: As a teaching method, SSP can assist
Good to see some of the programs
“Work with families not against children to navigate the complexities
would have a voice to read the
them. We don’t want to make your of the English language through better
questions. I have had to sit with him
job harder - we want to give our understanding the relationships
the entire time to make sure he was
children better opportunities and a between letters and sounds. SSP
on track and knew what he was doing
better chance at an equal education programs are also widely accessible:
so took me away from my work. The
to their peers.” there are many excellent SSP programs
main benefit was that he was not
This survey demonstrates that many currently available.
under stress by other kids seeing
parents are crying out for changes in Some students can learn to read
that he couldn’t do the work.”
teaching practices – but, in this time and without SSP, but an absence of a
Out of school advice and in this place, their voices are still largely systematic, explicit approach to teaching
going unheard. There is a huge need leaves behind an unacceptably large
intervention
for concerted advocacy, so that policy population of children. Many of these
Only 10 parents surveyed said their makers, principals and teachers can children have learning difficulties. Others
child’s school was meeting their literacy step up to the collective responsibility of have English as an additional language.
needs. All other respondents reported ensuring high quality instruction for all SSP, therefore, is an inclusive education
consulting a range of allied health children in their early years. tool that maximises the chance for the
practitioners including paediatricians, majority of children to learn at the earliest
MSL therapists and speech Part 2: Lobbying for a stage possible. We know that the gap
pathologists. Many parents commented
on the cost of out-of-school support
compulsory Phonics only widens over the years between more
and less successful students – ‘the rich
by referring to it as being a prohibitive Screening check for get richer and the poor get poorer’. We
factor, or a necessary cost given their also see, in many cases, behavioural and
school was not helping their child. Year 1 students in emotional consequences arise from poor
“She is progressing and gaining Victoria reading skills.
confidence. It is very expensive, and Currently, the National Assessment
I can only send her once a week. I Jacqui Tarquino: Program - Literacy and Numeracy
think she would benefit from more (NAPLAN) fails to identify children who
time.” I am a teacher, a mother, and a qualified are struggling with reading and writing
phonics trainer. Recently, I have been in the early years. An earlier universal
Take-homes for the working towards persuading Victorian assessment is needed.
education community Department of Education to introduce a In 2020, the Federal Government
compulsory Phonics Screening Check invested $10.8 million into a voluntary,
Parents overwhelmingly commented (PSC) for Year 1 students. This effort free Phonics Screening Check for all
on the need for teacher training in has involved starting up an e-petition Year 1 students in Australian schools.
reading instruction in both pre-service to present to the Victorian State This test can be viewed via the Literacy
teacher training as well as within Government. Hub. Modelled from England’s Phonics
schools. Parents also called for an I was brought up within a Whole Screening Check, the Australian Phonics
updated Australian and Victorian Language approach, and I know first- Screening Check is a short, simple
English Curriculum, updated Victorian hand what it was like to struggle to read assessment that enables teachers to
Department of Education website, and write as a child. As a tutor, I care measure how well students are learning
assessment and funding for dyslexia. deeply about the fact that when I go in to decode - to blend letters into words.
To sum up what we learned to school staffrooms and introduce the The Phonics Screening Check is not
from the survey, the frustrations and term ‘systematic synthetic phonics’ into a diagnostic tool. Rather, it is an early
concerns expressed by our participants discussions around improving children’s intervention trigger that disrupts the
suggest that the situation for students literacy, I often find that I’m the person ‘wait to fail’ approach. It can help to
with reading difficulties in Victorian who teachers avoid. Why do I feel as identify children - such as those with
schools is still very problematic. though I’m speaking a foreign language? learning difficulties like dyslexia, and/
Ultimately, the DVS Parent Survey - The development of reading skills or those who require closer assessment
Literacy in Victorian Schools Report is should be the bedrock of early learning and early remediation - to ensure better
an important reminder of the need to in Australia, where we are privileged with reading outcomes.
put children and families in the centre a robust education system. Our neighbours in South Australia
of decisions around best practice in Systematic Synthetic Phonics first trialled the Phonics Screening
schools. We hope that the survey will (SSP) is well supported as an effective Check in 2018. They subsequently were
assist those in positions of responsibility teaching method – this has been the first Australian state to implement
to see the impact of ineffective language accepted by three major inquiries into a mandatory PSC for all Year 1 public
and literacy practices on children who the teaching of reading in the USA, the school students. When the Phonics
struggle to read. UK and Australia. The English alphabetic Screening Check was first trialled there
38 | Volume 53, No 3, December 2021You can also read
