Explanation of Tier 2

According to the website, www.undestood.org, it explains that Tier 2 provides students with "more targeted help." However, this does not mean that this targeted help will replace the instruction already being provided in the regular education classroom. Instead, this targeted help is an additional support along with the instruction given in the classroom. "Tier 2 interventions take place a few times a week during elective or enrichment activities such as music or art so [that students] don't miss any core instruction in the classroom." At this time, small groups will be created and students will be taught "using a different method than in Tier 1 because the first method wasn't successful." Within this Tier, teachers may encourage parents to work with students at home. Once again, students progress will be closely monitored in order to collect data and to see whether or not they are making any progress.

Another website, rtinetwork.org, offers a more detailed explanation of what occurs within Tier 2.
It explains that students "are provided with increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and rate of progress." It's focus is primarily on the student, and providing him or her with the support in order to meet their academic needs. Which is completely different from what Tier 1 focuses on. It continues by saying that "intensity varies across group size, frequency and duration of intervention, and level of training of the professional providing instruction or intervention." This website explains that "in the early grades (kindergarten through 3rd grade). interventions are usually in the areas of reading and math." Since this Tier offers students with more intense instruction it takes "a longer period of time" to make sure that students are able to understand and obtain the instruction to help them succeed.

Again, as mentioned before, if students do not show any progress within this Tier, they will be moved on to Tier 3 in which they will receive an even more intense level of intervention.

Strategies used within Tier 2

According to a website,
http://www.escambia.k12.fl.us/pbis/rtib/Tier%202%20Intervention%20Toolbox.pdf

• Behavior Contracting:
•  "an agreement between the child and teacher and often includes the student's parent/guardian(s) . . . a written agreement about how the individual will behave."
• Contract is collaboratively written by the student and the teacher
• Cooperative Discipline:
• a theory of discipline that seems to work for children of today . . . offers corrective, supportive, and most important preventive strategies . . . promotes cooperative relationships among the main participants: students, teachers, administrators, and parents (or guardians)."
• "uses three sets of strategies to encourage students to behave appropriately and choose responsible behavior."
• Peer Tutoring:
• "a way for all students to get one-on-one help and enough time to practice and learn."
• "organized to be a school-wide initiative to help facilitate both academic and behavior gains through and among classrooms and grade levels." 
• " every student in the class is paired with another . . . the teacher writes lessons that one student uses to teach or tutor another . . .  during the tutoring, one student explains the work to another student, asks the student to answer questions, and tells the student whether his or her answers are correct. "