Some Swedish schools do not identify and support students with reading difficulties efficiently enough during the first years at school. A longitudinal design was used to examine a multitiered RtI-model for identifying and supporting students at risk of reading difficulties in a Swedish school context. The results demonstrated that the RtI-model could be successfully applied. The proportion of students in need of support (i.e., below the 25th percentile) was significantly reduced after two years. Compared to students in the reference group (n  = 759), significantly fewer students in the RtI group (n  = 113) scored below the 25th percentile in word and non-word decoding and reading comprehension in a short text at the end of Grade 2. The discussion highlights the RtI-model’s original ideas.

This study investigates the literacy skills of parents of adolescents aged 13-15 in Sweden, comparing those with dyslexic children (D-dyads) to those with non-dyslexic children (ND-dyads). The research builds on the established understanding that dyslexia is highly heritable and that children from families with a history of dyslexia are at greater risk. Utilizing questionnaires, the study collected data on parental involvement in language and reading assessments, family history of language and reading disorders, personal literacy difficulties, diagnoses, and self-reported literacy skills. The analysis, which includes descriptive statistics and between-groups analyses, reveals significant differences in self-reported reading and writing skills between the two groups. Parents in D-dyads reported lower literacy skills and a higher incidence of dyslexia problems among close relatives compared to ND-dyads. The findings underscore the importance of the home literacy environment and suggest that genetic predispositions to dyslexia can be influenced by environmental factors. The study highlights the need for early and continuous assessment of at-risk children and suggests that educational interventions should not only target children but also involve parents, enhancing their ability to support their children’s literacy development. This approach is crucial in early educational settings where foundational literacy skills are established.

Response to Intervention (RtI) är en modell eller ett ramverk för att systematiskt och tidigt identifiera och stödja elever i risk för lässvårigheter. RtI-modellen fungerar som en flerstegsprocess där elevernas läsutveckling kontinuerligt följs, insatser sätts in när så behövs och i och med det faller inga elever mellan stolarna. Alla elever får anpassat stöd baserat på sina individuella behov. I detta kapitel får du ta del av en teoretisk bakgrund om RtI och sedan följer en beskrivning av hur RtI fungerar i praktiken.

Praktisk bok för skolan om att få elever att lyckas i grundläggande färdigheterAlltför många elever i lågstadiet når inte tillräckliga läs-, skriv- och räknekunskaper för att ta till sig undervisningen. För att förebygga att elever misslyckas behöver de upptäckas i tid och få tidiga insatser. Till din och skolans hjälp finns den här boken, RTI-modellen i praktiken.

Response to intervention, RTI, är en forskningsbaserad modell som erbjuder en tydlig stödstruktur. Elevers utveckling i årskurs F–3 följs noggrant och insatser sätts in tidigt, i helklass, i mindre grupp och enskilt. Med RTI kan skolan öka elevernas chanser till en framgångsrik skolgång och minska behovet av särskilt stöd i högre årskurser. Modellen har i tidigare internationell forskning visat sig vara särskilt effektiv när det handlar om grundläggande färdigheter.

Författaren ger konkreta råd och verktyg för hur klasslärare och speciallärare tillsammans kan planera och genomföra insatser på olika nivåer inom RTI. Fokus ligger på att fånga upp elever som är i riskzonen för att utveckla läs- och skrivsvårigheter.

Boken tar bland annat upp läsa-skriva-räkna-garantin, evidensbaserad läsundervisning, progressionsmonitorering och kollaborativa möten. Den vänder sig i första hand till lärare i årskurs F–6 och speciallärare, men berör även rektorsrollen och andra professioners funktion i arbetet med RTI. 

The development of adequate reading comprehension skills among students is essential for their active participation in ademocratic society. In recent years, models for early identification of students at risk for reading difficulties have beenimplemented in several school systems worldwide. One such system is Response to Intervention (RTI), which aims toproactively address reading difficulties through early detection and early intervention in a tiered system of support.

With the increasing global implementation of RTI models, understanding the perceptions of teachers directly involvedbecomes crucial. This study aims to explore teachers’ perceptions of RTI implementation targeting reading developmentamong Swedish elementary students. Specifically, the research investigates teachers’ views on RTI and their suggestions forits implementation in their schools. The central question guiding this inquiry is: How do teachers perceive the implementationof the RTI model within Swedish elementary schools regarding its application to students' reading development?Understanding teachers' perceptions RTI implementation in Swedish elementary schools is facilitated by the application of Halland Hord's (2006) Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), which provides a structured framework for analyzingeducators' perceptions during the adoption process.

Employing qualitative methodology, data were gathered through face-to-face interviews with nine teachers across fourschools. A content analysis revealed emergent themes regarding teacher perceptions. Preliminary findings indicate thatteachers perceive RTI as facilitating the identification and intervention of students at risk of reading difficulties. Moreover,teachers reported positive outcomes such as noticeable progress in students’ reading abilities through RTI and theeffectiveness of progress monitoring in keeping teachers focused on efficient instruction. Collaboration among school staffand the provision of rapid additional support to struggling students were also positively highlighted. However, challenges werealso reported, including difficulties in planning and organizing RTI due to scheduling conflicts, resource demands, and aperceived rigidity of the model. Teachers expressed the need for a more flexible RTI model. In conclusion, the study suggestsimplications for RTI implementation targeting elementary students’ reading development.

References

Hall, G. E., & Hord, S. M. (2006). Implementing change: Patterns, principles, and potholes (2nd ed.). Allyn and Bacon.

This study investigated whether mathematics education based on a multi-tiered response to intervention (RTI) model can support students' arithmetic competence in primary schools in Sweden. The intent was to identify and support students at risk of failure. In this study, 113 students participated in the intervention, and 30 students participated in the control group. Both groups were followed from Grade 1 to the end of Grade 2 and compared. During the first semester in Grade 1, all students were taught basic addition and subtraction with explicit instructions in Tier 1. Those who did not respond to Tier 1 after one semester were provided support within Tier 2 during the second semester. The same was repeated in grade 2 and the students that did not respond to Tier 2 were supported within Tier 3. At the end of Grade 2, students in the intervention group performed significantly higher on the basic arithmetic competence in the number range 1-9 than the control group. No significant difference was found in a test measuring basic arithmetic competence in the number range 10-19. This study shows that using multi-tiered RTI might be sufficient to identify and support students at risk in early arithmetic competence.

Many young students with Swedish as their second language need support to acquire reading ability. There is a need for evidence-based reading instruction in early reading education for students with Swedish as their first or second language. Therefore, the current study investigated whether early reading education based on a Response to Intervention (RTI) model with a focus on decoding skills can promote reading ability among young students with Swedish as their first or second language. In Grades 1 and 2, 113 students with Swedish as a first and Swedish as a second language were followed. Applying the RTI model, teachers used evidence-based reading instruction in the whole class. Besides, additional instructions were provided in small groups and individually for students with weak decoding. Results of the study showed that the additional instruction provided within the RTI model had the potential to promote decoding, but to a different extent among students with Swedish as their second language. The importance of differentiated instruction, early monitoring and support, a bilingual approach in reading education for second language students, and collaboration between teachers are discussed.