Blog Post #5: Early Intervention by Catherine Valantasis

While reading the chapter for this module, I found it interesting that our schools have depended on what is known as the discrepancy model, in order to properly diagnose a child with a learning disability. According to our textbook, the discrepancy model is defined as one that identifies a severe discrepancy between one's intellectual ability and academic functioning. The authors of our textbook had mentioned that controversy has surrounded this model for many years, due to the fact that this model uses a "wait-and-fail" approach. This model uses standardized testing in order to identify the severe discrepancy; however, the issue arises when discrepancies are not discovered until many years after the fact, which causes children to fall extremely behind their peers.

In contrast to the discrepancy model, there is the response to intervention model, which encourages educators to discover a child's academic needs before they have a chance to fall behind. This model is composed of three tiers, the first one being the least amount of intervention, while the second and third tiers progressively become more intense in their interventions. The idea is to see whether the child will respond to the interventions in the first tier and, if they do not respond, they are then moved to the second tier. The same method is used if the child needs a more intense intervention than what the second tier offers. The authors of our textbook mention that this intervention is a way to catch students who are struggling and give them the assistance that they may need. This intervention promotes early intervention so that students do not get lost in the shuffle.

I believe that it is extremely important to recognize a child's learning needs early in order to give them the help that they need. As educators, we want our students to reach their full potential in order to live fulfilling and independent lives. If we do not recognize that a child is struggling, and use the "wait-and-fail" approach, we are not giving them a chance to succeed. By using such models as the discrepancy model, we are implementing a reactive approach instead of a proactive approach. I feel as though every child should be given the opportunity to show their abilities. If they are not given that chance, they may feel as though they have to struggle in most aspects of their lives, which could lead to feelings of failure and incapability. As educators, we are responsible for recognizing a child's needs and providing them with the appropriate interventions in order to help them succeed.