1. PHONEME SEGMENTATION
FLUENCY (PSF), UTILIZING
RESPONSE TO
INTERVENTION (RTI)
By Susan Black-Norton
Southern New Hampshire University

2. RTI & PSF Framework and Subsequent Research Results
 Research Question
 RTI Defined / PSF Defined
 Why RTI and PSF as framework for research
 School & Classroom Demographics
 Student Assessments and Identification
 Criteria for Formation of Tier 2 Group
 Specific Targeted Instructions
 Data Analysis of Pre and Post Test of Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation
 Future Strategies
 Recommendations / Further Resources and Study Ideas
 References

3. Research Question:
Does implementing RTI and establishing a targeted
intervention for a small group of students at the Tier
2 level, result in higher outcomes for that targeted
group?

4. RTI Defined
 RTI Response To Intervention
 Early / Identify & Support
 Students with Learning & Behavioral Needs
 Multi-Tiered Approach
 Three Tiers

5. Tier 1
 Tier 1 High Quality Classroom Instructions, Screenings and Group Interventions
 At Risk Students Receive Extra Help
 During Regular School Day / Approx. 8 Weeks
 In Regular Classroom
 Continually Monitored for Progress
 If Progress is Not Made –
 Recommendations to Tier 2
Retrieved from
http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

6. Tier 2
 Targeted Interventions / Increasingly Intensive Instructions
 Based on Students Needs /Continually Monitored for Progress
 Small Group Setting
 Longer Intervention than Tier 1
 Possible Duration, as Long as Grading Period
 If Progress is Not Made –
 Recommendations to Tier 3
Retrieved from
http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

7. Tier 3
 Intensive Interventions
 Target Specific Skill Deficit
 Individualized Instructions
 If No Progress
 During Interventions
 Student Receives a Comprehensive Evaluation
 Considered - Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act / IDEA (2004)
Retrieved from
http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

8. Phoneme Segmentation Fluency PSF
Breaking a word
apart into its
individual
sounds(Phonemes)

9. Phonemic Awareness
Provides a
Foundation for
Phonics & Spelling

10. PSF
One
of
the
more
difficult phonemic
awareness activity

11. RTI & PSF Framework
RTI
RTI
Early
“At Risk”
Identification
and Targeted
Interventions
PSF
PSF
Manipulating
Spoken
Language

12. RTI and PSF
RTI PSF
Improved
Literacy
Proficiencies

13. Classroom Demographics
• Rural School in NH
• PK – 4th Grade
• 570 Students
• Classroom Researched:
Kindergarten
• 1 Student with IEP W/Para
• 1 Student SL/OT/PT
• 1 Student Legally Blind
• Total of 15 Students
Assessed
• 4 Chosen for Tier 2 Group

14. Students Assessment and Identification
Step 1
• Yopp-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation
• On 9/14/2014 and 9/16/2014 - Test 15 K Students
Step 2
• 8 Students Scored 0
• 7 Students Scored as Follows – 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, &17
Step 3
• Analyze Formative Assessments & Determine Tier 2
• 4 Students Chosen for Tier 2 – Scores -3,0 & 1,2

15. Criteria for Formation of Tier 2 Group
 Students Considered “At Risk”
 “At Risk” Determined by Initial Data Analysis
 Yopp-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation
 In Conjunction with Observational Notes
 Children Who May Benefit From Small Group Instruction
 Children Who Also Demonstrated Readiness for Small Group Instruction
 2 Girls and 2 Boys Chosen / One of The Boys Legally Blind

16. Specific Targeted Instructions
 Lesson One:
 Modeling and Guided Practice
 Small wooden animals in a sack.
 “This is a dog and it starts with /d/.”
 Girl (A) and Boy (B) Understood Initial Phoneme
 Girl (R) Understood a 1/3 / Boy (S) Understood 0, Got /s/ on Spider 1-1

17. Specific Targeted Instructions
 Lesson Three:
 Elkonin Boxes Introduced
 Unsuccessful
 Unsure of themselves
 Focus on Initial Phonemes
 More Word Plays
 Example: /r/ /e/ /d/
 Slide Chips for Each Phoneme
 Next Slide Just Listen…

18. Specific Targeted Instructions
 Lesson Five:
 Silly Song Chart
 Very Successful
 Change Your Name
 Example; Susan to /T/ usan
 Used: /t/, /d/, & /f/
Retrieved from
http://youtu.be/bSyXyouWsbU

19. Specific Targeted Instructions
 Lesson Six:
 Warm up / Word Play with Kinesthetic Approach
 “Stretching Words”
 Fingertips Lightly Touch the Floor for the First Phoneme
 Stretched up the Middle, They Say Second Phoneme
 Reaching to the Ceiling They Sounded the Ending Phoneme
 Used Their Names & Pet’s Names for Relevance
 Successful
 (in the case of two phonemes a continuation of the second one towards the ceiling, or in three plus
phonemes just the ending one as they reach towards the ceiling.).

20. Specific Targeted Instructions
 Lesson Seven & Ten:
 Hula Hoop Phonemic Segmentation
 Very Successful / Kinesthetic Approach
 (A) & (B) Able to Segment 2 Phoneme Word(s) and 3 Phoneme Word(s)
 (R) Able to Segment 2 Phoneme Word(s)
 (S) Able to Segment One 2 Phoneme Word
Retrieved From
http://youtu.be/pywW8vne3d4

21. Tier 2 / Test Group
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Sept. 14 Oct. 14 Oct. 16 Oct. 20
Tier 2 Group / Test Group
Girl A Girl R Boy B Boy S

22. One Caveat…
 ? The Validity with One Students Results…
 (R) was Happy, Albeit, Unfocused on the Summative Assessment Day.
 Would Like to Reassess her

23. Control Group
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
Sept. 14 Oct.20
Control Group / All 0 score
Girl K Girl G Boy M

24. Analysis on Control Group
 (K) Was able to state ¼ of the first phonemes.
 Often did not Pronounce them Correctly /rah/ for /r/
 A Lot of Mistakes with Vowel /i/ for /ee/ and… /ah/ for /e/
 (G) Lots of Mistakes /nah/ for /n/ and…
 /da/ for /r/ *She sounded out last phoneme in word and did so incorrectly
 (M) Inattentive, Rubbing Eyes
 (M) Might be Responsive to
 a Kinesthetic Approach?
 Hula Hoops?

25. Future Strategies
 More Time, Extend to Grading Period
 4-5 X’s a Week ( Instead of the 2X’s)
 15-20 Per Session (Longer Than 20 Min. They Lose Focus)
 More Kinesthetic Approaches (Yoga?)
 Small Hula Hoops For Each Student
 More Songs and Word Plays.

26. Recommendations / Further Resources and Study Ideas
 Boy (S) Recommended for Tier 3 Instructions
 Use RTI in Literacy Instructions
 Extend RTI Framework for Other Areas Such as Math & Science
 Explore Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program (LiPS®)
 Formerly Called the ADD Program
 Individuals Become Aware of Mouth Actions Which produce Speech Sounds
 Then Able to Self- Correct in Reading, Spelling and Speech.
Reference
Bell, L. (1999). Lindamood- Bell Learning Proces

27. Q & A

28. Reference
Fixsen, D., Naoom, S., Blase, K., & Wallace, F. (2007, Winter/Spring). Implementation:
the missing link between research and practice. The APSAC Advisor, pp. 4–
10. Retrieved from
http://www.rtinetwork.org/images/content/downloads/get%20started/fixsen.pdf
Greenberg, P. (2006). Helping the Child Who Is Easily Distracted. Early Childhood
Today, 21(3), 21.
Hehir, T. (2014). Ensuring the success of students with learning disabilities.
Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIxTntbZts4
McMillan, J. H. (2012). Educational research: Fundamentals for the consumer. Boston,
MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

29. Continued:
New Hampshire Department of Education. (2014). English language arts side-by-side
alignment.kindergarten. Retrieved from
http://www.education.nh.gov/spotlight/ccss/side-by-side-english.htm
Prasse, D. P. (n.d.). Why adopt an RTI model? Retrieved from
http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whyrti
Riel, M. (2010). Understanding Action Research, Center For Collaborative Action
Research. Pepperdine University. Retrieved from
http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/define.html.
Riley, C. (2014). What is a multi-tier system of support? (MTSS) Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjyzTNfwdCU

30. Continued:
RTI. (2014). Action network. A program of the national center for learning disabilities.
Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn
RTI. (2010). Data in action. Retreived from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-fDELnReE
Tompkins, G. E. ( 2014). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.