Purpose: A growing body of evidence suggests that Response to Intervention (RtI) has potential for improving academic outcomes for all children and for reducing inappropriate referrals for special education. Because preschools are focusing more and more on teaching basic skills that promote academic success in elementary school, it has been suggested that RtI models would benefit children in pre-elementary education settings. As evidence of the promise of applying RtI to preschool settings, researchers argue that RtI aligns with many underlying early childhood educational principles. Both RtI models and early childhood education use a hierarchy of research-based interventions, and both employ screening and progress monitoring assessments to inform instructional practice. Before RtI models can be implemented in early childhood settings, additional development is needed to adapt RtI models to address specific requirements of the setting.

The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive literacy-based preschool RtI model, Recognition and Response, and conduct an initial evaluation of this RtI model.

Project Activities: Recognition and Response contains measures, interventions, and activities associated with three components: (1) recognition of children who need more intensive interventions to learn key early literacy skills. (2) response to children's literacy needs using a hierarchy of research-based curricula and focused interventions, and (3) a collaborative problem-solving process to support data-driven decision-making. A three year development process is planned, and approximately 20 preschool classrooms from North Carolina will participate in the study over the three years. During the first year, the focus will be on planning and development. Each component of the system will be manualized, professional development activities will be finalized, and intervention fidelity and social validity measures will be created. During year two, each component of the model will be implemented and refined. In the third year, the entire Recognition and Response model will be implemented to evaluate the extent to which teachers implement the system as intended.

Products: The products of this project include a fully developed preschool Response to Intervention model, published reports, and presentations.

Setting: The research will occur in North Carolina.

Population: Approximately 20 pre-kindergarten classrooms will participate in the study over three years. The classrooms will serve children from a range of ethnically and economically diverse backgrounds.

Intervention: Recognition and Response contains measures, interventions, and activities associated with three components: (1) recognition of children who need more intensive interventions to learn key early literacy skills. (2) response to children's literacy needs using a hierarchy of research-based curricula and focused interventions, and (3) a collaborative problem-solving process to support data-driven decision-making. The Read It Again! curriculum will be adapted to fit the three-tiered Recognition and Response framework.

Research Design and Methods: A three phase development process is planned. During the first year, the focus of the research will be on planning and development. Each component of the system will be manualized, professional development activities will be finalized, and intervention fidelity and social validity measures will be created. During year two, each component of the model will be implemented and refined. In the third year, the entire Recognition and Response model will be implemented to evaluate the extent to which teachers implement the system as intended.

Control Condition: Because the purpose of this project is to develop an intervention and evaluate its implementation in pre-kindergarten classrooms, a control or comparison condition will not be used.

Key Measures: Data on children's language and early literacy development will be collected. In addition, researchers will collect survey and observational data on the feasibility of implementation and usability of the Recognition and Response materials, tools, and procedures. Researchers will also collect demographic information related to children, their families, and teachers. Finally, data will be collected on the quality of the classroom environment, particularly on its early literacy environment.

Data Analytic Strategy: Descriptive quantitative statistics and multivariate estimation techniques will be used to evaluate the fidelity of implementation and social validity of the Recognition and Response model. In addition, data will be analyzed to determine the extent to which use of Recognition and Response changed the quality of classroom instruction.

Products and Publications

Book

Buysse, V., Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., and Ginsburg, H.P. (2013). Handbook of Response to Intervention in Early Childhood. Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes.

Book chapter

Buysse, V., and Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2013). Response to Intervention: Conceptual Foundations for the Early Childhood Field. In V. Buysse, and E. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (pp. 3–23). Baltimore: Brookes.

Buysse, V., Peisner-Feinberg, E., Soukakou, E., LaForett, D., Fettig, A., and Schaaf, J. (2013). Recognition and Response: A Model of RTI to Promote Academic Learning in Early Education. In V. Buysse, and E. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of RTI in Early Childhood (pp. 69–84). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.

LaForett, D., Peisner-Feinberg, E., and Buysse, V. (2013). Recognition and Response for Dual Language Learners (R&R-DLL). In V. Buysse, and E. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of RTI in Early Childhood (pp. 121–142). Baltimore: Brookes.

Peisner-Feinberg, E., and Buysse, V. (2013). The Role of Assessment Within Response to Intervention in Early Education. In V. Buysse, and E. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of RTI in Early Childhood (pp. 121–142). Baltimore: Brookes.

Peisner-Feinberg, E., Buysse, V., Ayers, L.M., and Soukakou, E. (2011). Recognition and Response: Response to Intervention for Prekindergarten. In C. Groark, S.M. Eidelman, L. Kaczmarek, and S. Maude (Eds.), Early Childhood Intervention: Shaping the Future for Children with Special Needs and their Families (pp. 37–53). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Journal article, monograph, or newsletter

Buysse, V., and Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2010). Recognition and Response: Response to Intervention for Pre-K. Young Exceptional Children , 13(4): 2–13. doi:10.1177/1096250610373586

Buysse, V., Peisner-Feinberg, E., Soukakou, E., Fettig, A., Schaaf, J., and Burchinal, M. (2016). Using Recognition & Response (R&R) to Improve Children's Language and Literacy Skills: Findings from Two Studies. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 36. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2015.11.005

LaForett, D.R., Fettig, A., Peisner-Feinberg, E.S., and Buysse, V. (2012). Recognition and Response for Dual Language Learners: Instructional Adaptations for Young Dual Language Learners. Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series, 14: 115–132.