The Power of RTI and Reading Profiles ─ A Blueprint for Solving Reading Problems

This one-of-a-kind text explains why RTI is todaya€?s best approach for preventing reading difficulties—and how research on reading profiles can enhance the power of RTI. For practitioners, the book provides a complete, evidence-based blueprint for using RTI and reading profiles in tandem to plan effective core literacy instruction and help struggling readers in Grades K-6, whether they have disabilities or issues related to experience (e.g., ELLs, children from poverty backgrounds). For researchers and policymakers, the book describes ways to help ensure higher reading achievement for every student, including improvements in core reading instruction, use of RTI practices and the Common Core State Standards, and teacher preparation.

• understand why RTI is the best approach for preventing reading difficulties—and why RTI should be used in identification of learning disabilities
• learn how diverse reading problems can be understood in relation to poor reader profiles
• discover how to make sound, research-based decisions about core reading curricula, interventions, and RTI practices such as universal screening
• explore the most effective interventions for key components of reading and language
• learn to identify and address word recognition difficulties, comprehension difficulties, and a€?mixeda€? reading problems involving both decoding and comprehension
• clarify which skills and knowledge every teacher of reading should have
• examine ways to better prepare educators to teach at-risk readers

PRACTICAL MATERIALS:

Louise Spear-Swerling,Ph.D., Dr. Spear-Swerling's research interests include literacy acquisition, reading difficulties, and teacher education, and she has published many peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on these topics. In addition to consulting for K–12 public schools and state departments of education, she has for more than 3 decades helped prepare both general and special educators to teach reading.