Supporting Middle School Students in Tier 2 Math Labs: Instructional Strategies

Abstract

Response to Intervention (RtI) has become a common support system for students; yet, no universal RtI model exists, especially for mathematics and specifically at the secondary level. This article focuses on a specific model for delivering Tier 2 mathematics supports and services at the secondary level: math labs. Evidence– based and research–supported interventions are discussed that support the delivery of Tier 2 services within a math lab secondary RtI structure. A fictionalized vignette, drawing from multiple actual cases, is presented to highlight the use of a Tier 2 math lab within a middle school setting. 18 Bouck et al.: Tier 2 Math Labs Published by Digital Commons@Georgia Southern, 2019 Response to Intervention Response to intervention (RtI) is defined as a systematic approach to providing early intervention for struggling students and identifying students in need of targeted, intensive, and/or special education services. With RtI, students receive multiple tiers of support depending on their needs and response to instruction and intervention (Cusumano, Algozzine, & Algozzine, 2014). RtI has become a common support system for students – as well as a means of carrying out the child find process for determining students with disabilities – yet, no universal RtI model exists (Yell, 2012). Common RtI models include three or four tiers (Mellard, McKnight, & Jordan, 2010). Tier 1 in RtI is a universal intervention, meaning all students receive Tier 1 service and interventions through their involvement in the general education curriculum. Tier 1 is intended to consist of research–based, high– quality materials provided by a general education teacher at a whole class level of instruction intervention (Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2012; Mellard et al., 2010). Tier 2 is often referred to as targeted interventions; Tier 2 involves instruction to students deemed not responding to Tier 1 services and/or suggested by a universal screening assessment to be below grade level in the areas of literacy or math (Fuchs et al., 2012). Tier 2 is conceptualized to be a service provided to students concurrently with Tier 1 (Shapiro, 2015). Tier 3 is often considered intensive interventions and services are for those students who fail to response to Tier 2 interventions (Berkeley, Bender, Gregg Peaster, & Saunders, 2009). Depending on the model, Tiers 3 or 4 can be considered special education and/or student who need a referral to special education (Mellard et al., 2010). Tier 2. Tier 2 services in RtI are designed to address the challenges students face early in their learning progression and prevent students from needing more intensive services and/or receiving special education support unless a true disability is present (Wanzek & Vaughn, 2011). As such, researchers hypothesize about 15– 20% of the student population may need Tier 2 services, of which the majority are presumed to respond to intervention and return to only Tier 1 services (Shapiro, 2015). Tier 2 services can be administered by a range of individuals, including the general education teacher, aids (i.e., paraprofessional), or RtI interventionists (Dennis, Bryant, & Drogan, 2015). The vast majority of the research involving Tier 2 and mathematics focuses on elementary students and particularly early elementary students (i.e., kindergarten, first grade, second grade; Dennis et al., 2015). The literature on Tier 2 interventions to support at–risk or struggling elementary students in mathematics is overwhelmingly positive with regards to the impact of the interventions on the mathematical understanding and achievement of the student participants (e.g., Clarke, Doabler, Cary, Kosty, Baker, Fien, & Smolkowski, 2014; Clarke, Doabler, Smolkowski, Baker, Fien, & Cary, 2016; Dennis et al., 2015; Fuchs, Fuchs, & 19 Current Issues in Middle Level Education, Vol. 24 [2019], Iss. 2, Art. 3 https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle/vol24/iss2/3 DOI: 10.20429/cimle.2019.240203 Hollenbeck, 2007). Much of the Tier 2 mathematics interventions examined involved explicit instruction and occurred in a traditional small group setting, with pull–out models as the means of providing services (Dennis et al., 2015). Although published Tier 2 mathematics intervention packages exist to support elementary students (cf., ROOTS [Clarke et al., 2016] and Fusion [Clarke et al., 2014]), little research has examined Tier 2 RtI services and interventions involving mathematics at the middle school level. RtI at the Middle School Level Limited research and models exist regarding the implementation of RtI in secondary schools in general, let alone in mathematics specifically and within middle schools (Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2010; Prewett, Mellard, Deshler, Allen, Alexander, & Stern, 2012). Within the limited literature and attention to implementation of RtI for mathematics at the middle school level, a few models emerged for schools to consider: small group pullout support, alternative mathematics class, and additional mathematics instruction or class (i.e., math lab) (Bouck & Cosby, 2017). The small group “pullout” method is similar in instruction to RtI Tier 2 supports often seen in elementary schools. With the pull-out method, teachers or interventionists provide support to a small group of students struggling with the same or similar math concepts for a short period of time (e.g., 20 minutes), pulling them from a general education class or other instructional time period (Bouck & Cosby, 2017). In this approach, students would receive Tier 1 mathematics, but not necessarily receive Tier 2 daily, nor for a whole year or even semester in length. Students would receive targeted interventions in a small group (e.g., 5–7 students) and for a set period of time (e.g., 20 minutes 2–3 times per week for 10–12 weeks; Calhoon & Fuchs, 2003; Fuchs et al., 2007). With a pullout approach, students receive targeted, specific interventions in the area of mathematics in which she or he is struggling (e.g., place value). A concern at the middle school level is finding the personnel to provide the intervention; middle schools may need to consider hiring an RtI interventionist to provide such services (Mellard et al., 2010). Other drawbacks include the issue of students being pulled from general education instruction, including core content areas (e.g., social studies or science) or electives (Bouck & Cosby, 2017), and thus missing chunks of lessons, which can easily lead to other learning challenges. An alternative to pulling students out of general education courses, but still allowing for a pullout approach to providing Tier 2 services, is to shift the timing of class periods to create a 20–minute period each day that can be used as RtI for students struggling in literacy or mathematics and a study hall or enrichment period for those not in need of additional interventions (Harlacher, Sanford, & Walker, 2015). 20 Bouck et al.: Tier 2 Math Labs Published by Digital Commons@Georgia Southern, 2019 In contrast to the small group pullout targeted services, another option for Tier 2 intervention for mathematics in middle schools is to create an alternative class (Bouck & Cosby, 2017). An alternative mathematics class occurs when students receive an alternative curriculum or alternative pace to a Tier 1 course (e.g., Algebra 1). In this scenario, students would not be in a Tier 1 mathematics class; the Tier 2 class would serve as their only mathematics class as well as their mathematics support. Note, the lack of receipt of Tier 1 math is not in accordance with RtI principles, and hence the use of an alternative class as a Tier 2 option is questionable. The class size in these settings is most often smaller than a general education mathematics class, in an effort to create more opportunities for individual attention between students and the teacher (Bender, 2012). Concerns with the alternative class as a Tier 2 service option include the lack of fluidity to move between tiers inherent in a RtI model and the potential for the alternative class to serve as a means of ability tracking students (Stecker, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2008). A third delivery option for Tier 2 services at the middle school level in mathematics is an additional period of math, often referred to as a “math lab” (Bender, 2012; Shinn, Windram, & Bollman, 2016). With a math lab approach to delivering Tier 2 services, students are not pulled out of another course and yet are still receiving Tier 1 math instruction (e.g., Vaughn et al., 2010). In other words, students receive two periods of mathematics. Students receive services and support in mathematics with the math lab class, and there is the potential for movement between tiers at the end of semesters (e.g., 18 weeks) or potentially even at the end of marking periods (e.g., 9 weeks) (Calhoon & Fuchs, 2003; Fuchs et al., 2007). Potential issues with a math lab delivery option includes larger student– teacher ratios then typically found in small, pullout groups. Ideally, a math lab should be significantly smaller in student enrollment than a Tier 1 mathematics class, but predictably larger than small, pullout groups (Riccomini & Witzel, 2010). Other concerns include personnel issues and the potential impact on general education Tier 1 mathematics class sizes as well as issues of credit. If general education teachers are teaching a math lab course, their class sizes for their Tier 1 classes may increase as the same number of students need to be served in math. Of course, a special education teacher could provide the Tier 2 services, which may have potential implications for meeting the needs of all students receiving special education services, or the school could hire an interventionist, pending funding. Also, course credits for progression to the next grade are an issue. While districts may allow students to receive a credit for math lab courses, it may not be math credit; students would need to pass b