What types of interventions can help struggling students?

Tiered interventions are a responsive and structured approach designed to meet the varying needs of struggling students. This method organizes supports into different levels or tiers based on the intensity of the intervention required. For example, a student may start with universal supports available to all students, like differentiated instruction in the classroom. If those supports aren’t sufficient, they might move to more targeted interventions that focus on specific challenges they are facing, perhaps in small group settings.

This approach is effective because it allows for flexibility and differentiation in teaching, ensuring that each student receives the appropriate level of assistance according to their individual needs. The acknowledgment that students progress at different rates and may require varying intensities of support is fundamental to fostering an inclusive educational environment.

In contrast, standardized testing primarily assesses student performance but does not provide direct interventions or support for struggling students. Randomized control trials are research methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs; while valuable for data collection, they don’t serve as immediate interventions for students. Withdrawal from classes can negatively impact students by removing access to essential instruction and support, rather than providing necessary help. Therefore, tiered interventions stand out as a proactive strategy for assisting students who are struggling academically or behaviorally.