Backbone Communications » RTI

LIVE WEBINAR – Tues, Nov 15: ELL Emerging Literacy: What We Know; What You Can Do — Presented by: Dr. Robin Schwarz

Josh — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:29:49 +0000

One of the major challenges of ESL teachers is working with learners who have no prior literacy. How can you best teach these learners to read?

Teaching non-literate or very low literate non-English speakers to read is NOT like teaching students who are literate in another language.

Robin Lovrien Schwarz, PhD, will help you learn what research has discovered about the challenges these learners face and what the best approaches are for helping them begin to acquire literacy.

Dr. Lovrien Schwarz will also direct you to sources that will support you in teaching reading to this population.

Title:	ELL Emerging Literacy: What We Know; What You Can Do
Date:	Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Time:	1:00 PM – 2:00 PM MST

Register to Win Suite of 5 Ultra Mobile PCs!!

Josh — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:37:03 +0000

Your Proven Partner for Maximizing Title I Success!

Exceptional times demand an exceptional education technology partner. Let us help you grow K–12 student achievement in your state and district.

We have been partnering with schools and districts for over 27 years and have a proven track record of turnaround success for students and schools across the country. Increasing student success is the key focus of our state-aligned assessments and courseware.

We offer a range of research-based A+ Solutions that qualify for Title I expenditures to meet your needs:

RTI – Response to Intervention Presentation

Josh — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:20:35 +0000

Schools and districts are applying the Response to Intervention (RtI) model to increase achievement for all students. Using a problem-solving approach that incorporates universal screening data, targeted prevention/intervention programs, and ongoing progress monitoring, the model provides a proven framework for the delivery of effective instructional practices matched to student needs.

More RTI – Response to Intervention Resources HERE

Still uncertain about your interest and understanding of RTI??

Dr. John McCook’s RTI Webinar Series

A consultant to school systems across the nation, Dr. John McCook has developed training programs in special education, Section 504, the pre-referral process, and implementing response to intervention (RtI) practices.

In this three-part series, Dr. McCook provides insight into three key elements of RtI:
Foundations of RtI, Support Teams, and the role of Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring.

LIVE WEBINAR: Universal Screening Webinar: TUESDAY, March 24th

Josh — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:25:33 +0000

Boosting student achievement means identifying those students at risk for learning difficulties in reading and math, behavioral issues or on the brink of dropping out.

THE Journal WEBINAR Series PRESENTS: Universal Screening Webinar:

Place students in the right reading and math level across grades
Accurately predict how a student will perform on high-stakes tests
Prescribe appropriate instructional material
Track progress and pinpoint those needing additional support

THE Journal WEBINAR Series PRESENTS: Universal Screening Webinar:

TUESDAY, MARCH 24th @ 11am MST / PDT (2pm EST)

REGISTER NOW

Universal Screening – Understand the Power Behind School-Wide Testing

Josh — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:49:40 +0000

Universal screening is a single test of all students used for multiple grade levels. Age-appropriate skills is determined by National and State Standards. Questions provided must be research-based and tested over time. Universal screening allows schools to not only capture a benchmark skill level but also to make informative decisions over time.

What does all this mean? How can schools use this valuable information from the universal screener?

1) Information derived from repeated testing would prove the validity of the core curriculum instruction. A common school model is the “multi-tiered model”, also referred as RtI – Response to Intervention. The RtI model is specific on steps needed to be taken before students move from one tier to the next. Typically, 80% of all students will show adequate progress, working at grade level and improving. Universal Screening will separate these two groups (80% and 20%). FREE Informational Webinar: Foundations of Response to Intervention (RTI).

2) The other 20% are divided (differently among schools) between the tiers. Interventions are needed for these students who are not making the expected gains. An intervention is providing the student the same instruction in a different way (i.e. small groups, individual attention, computer/software attention). See Special Education Software, Reading Intervention Software, and Math Intervention Software.

It is important to understand the difference between skill deficits and performance deficits. Skill deficits indicate deficiencies in the students’ academics. The student does not have the skills required to work through the problem. Performance deficits are entirely different. A students low score might not be due to deficient skills but just a lack of desire to try. These students have the academic skills required to solve the problems correctly but just lack the desire to do so. Another universal screening, a different form of testing, is necessary to properly evaluate the academic skill level of the student.

At its most simple purpose, Universal Screening allows for true differentiated instruction. Today, educators want to know exactly the student’s Placement level so they receive the instruction they need. With technology, it is now possible to have curriculum instruction automatically prescribed to the student based on the universal screening. Providing the right content at the right time is every educator’s goal.

The Backbone Team

State Test Prep Software, AIMS Test Prep Software, Online Formative Assessments, Universal Screening, High School Credit Recovery Software, GED Prep Software, Reading Intervention Software, Math Intervention Software, Response to Intervention (RtI) Software, Special Education Software, English Language Learning (ELL) Software, English Language Development (ELD) Programs, Interactive Whiteboards, Classroom Clicker Software, State Standards Aligned Curriculum, Curriculum Software, Educational Software, Lexiles & Quantiles

Reading Intervention Software Program

Josh — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:09:54 +0000

Reading Horizons Intervention Software Program

Literacy is usually the first to be discussed when addressing both Reading Intervention and Math Intervention solutions. So what is literacy?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has drafted the following definition: “‘Literacy’ is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society.

It is said that “reading fluency has long been acknowledged as an essential skill that proficient readers need to have, and now is the time to focus attention on all areas to be developed.” (Hudson, Lane & Pullen 2006)

Side Note on Assessments see: Universal Screening (measuring reading & math performance), Online Formative Assessments (placement & prediction)

What is fluency?

Accuracy: ability to decode words accurately
Rate: ability to decode words automatically
Prosody: ability to use expression & phrasing when reading – Oral Reading Fluency

What’s the big deal with reading intervention? Authentic Literature vs. Canned Literature. Direct Instruction vs. Brain-Training. Whole Language vs. Phonics Based. Native Speakers and Non-Native Speakers…Should they receive the same reading intervention program?

There are places for all of these in a reading intervention program…even canned literature! Student groups, strategy and goals are essential when planning a reading intervention solution. Our reading intervention software solutions have proven results with different groups using different strategies.

The numbers are staggering:

Nationally, 44% of 4th Graders are not fluent readers
8 million students read below grade level
1.3 million students fail to graduate from high school
55% or less Hispanic and African-American students graduate from high school
72% of 8th grade students are not proficient in math

Reading Horizons Intervention Software Program

For more on math, see Math Intervention Software.

An onsite evaluation and demonstration is the only way to truly construct a customized reading intervention software approach for your students.

View our YouTube Channel

The Backbone Team

Differentiated Instruction

Josh — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:37:07 +0000

What is Differentiated Instruction?

Differentiated Instruction Defined

“You will know that you are differentiating when you are providing more small group activities and these groups are flexible from activity to activity based on a variety of pre-assessment strategies. There will also be an increase in individual alternatives such as centers, contracts, independent study, and even homework assignments.

You will know that you have been successful at differentiating when: you begin to see yourself as an organizer of learning opportunities rather than the “sage on the stage”; your assessment and instruction become inseparable; you have created a community of learners who respect the individual differences within your classroom and can work independently according to the working conditions developed for your classroom; and finally, all your students, whether they are below, at, or above grade level, are feeling challenged and motivated to reach their maximum potential by learning new, meaningful, and essential concepts, principles, and skills.” – by Marianne Tillman

Universal Screening, school wide testing, allows teachers and administrators place and predict how students will perform on state tests.

An RTI model, Response to Intervention, should follow the universal screening test results.

Demo videos on software tools to help with Differentiated Instruction

The Backbone Team