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Research

Home » Research » 3-Tier

Preventing Reading Difficulties:
A Three-Tiered Intervention Model

Principal Investigator

Sharon Vaughn

Other Investigators

Sylvia Linan-Thompson, Batya Elbaum

Funding Agency

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs

Description of the Project

The 3-Tier Reading Model holds promise for reducing overall reading problems by providing intensive early intervention for the students most at risk for reading difficulty. It consists of three tiers, or levels, of reading instruction: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Movement through the tiers is a dynamic process, with students entering and exiting as needed. This project will make a highly significant contribution to the knowledge base on preventing reading disabilities through effective early reading instruction and improving early and appropriate placement in special education.

Population/Participants

Follows three cohorts of students from kindergarten to third grade

Sites

Elementary schools in Del Valle

Timeline

January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006

Publications

Cavanaugh, C. L., Kim, A., Wanzek, J., & Vaughn, S. (in press). Kindergarten reading interventions for at-risk students: Twenty years of research. Learning Disabilities Journal: A Contemporary Journal.

Denton, C. A., & Vaughn, S. (2003). Bringing research-based practice in reading intervention to scale. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 18, 201-211.

Hjelm, J., Wanzek, J., & Vaughn, S. (in press). Preventing and remediating reading difficulties for elementary and secondary students. In G. D. Sideridis & T. A. Citro (Eds.), Best practices in learning disabilities: Volume 2.

Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. (2005). Introduction to the 3-Tier Reading Model: Reducing reading difficulties for kindergarten through third grade students (4th ed.). Austin, TX: Author.

Vaughn, S. (2002). Using response to treatment for identifying students with learning disabilities. In R. Bradley, L. Danielson, & D. P. Hallahan (Eds.), Identification of learning disabilities: Research to practice (pp. 549-554). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Vaughn, S., & Briggs, K. L. (Eds.). (2003). Reading in the classroom: Systems for the observation of teaching and learning. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

Vaughn, S., & Fuchs, L. S. (2003). Redefining learning disabilities as inadequate response to instruction: The promise and potential problems. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 18, 137-146.

Vaughn, S., & Linan-Thompson, S. (in press). Reading: Effective instructional activities for elementary students. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Vaughn, S., & Linan-Thompson, S. (2003). What is special about special education for students with learning disabilities? The Journal of Special Education, 37, 140-147.

Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., & Denton, C. (in press). Teaching elementary students with learning disabilities. In L. Florian (Ed.), Handbook of Special Education.

Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., & Fletcher, J. M. (in press). Multiple tiers of intervention: A framework for prevention and identification of students with reading/learning disabilities.

Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., Linan-Thompson, S., Murray, C. (in press). Intervention for students at-risk for reading difficulties: High and low responders. In S. R. Jimerson, M. K. Burns, & A. M. VanDerHeyden (Eds.), The handbook of response to intervention: The science and practice of assessment and intervention.

Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., Woodruff, A. L., & Thompson, S. (in press). A three-tier model for preventing reading difficulties and early identification of students with reading disabilities. In D. H. Haager, S. Vaughn, & J. K. Klingner (Eds.), Validated reading practices for three tiers of intervention. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

Wanzek, J., & Vaughn, S. (2006). Bridging the research to practice gap: Maintaining the consistent implementation of research-based practices. In B. Cook & B. Schirmer (Eds.), What is special about special education? Examining the role of evidence-based practices (pp. 165-174). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.