Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Natalie Rathvon has produced a practical, empirically based guide to interventions that work. This book stands out in contrast to other compilations offering brief lists of 'interventions' that typically are not well described, are overly labor intensive, and are not well supported by research. I highly recommend this book not only as a manual on specific interventions, but also as a guide to high-quality intervention planning in general." --Janet L. Graden, PhD, School Psychology Program, University of Cincinnati
"With its contemporary emphasis on proactive strategies for preventing problems, and intervention and support strategies appropriate for classwide use, Effective School Interventions is bound to be well received by teachers, school psychologists, counselors, and other school professionals. In addition, the easy-to-read format and presentation make this a book professionals will turn to again and again in their daily work." --Gary Stoner, PhD, School of Education, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
"The book contains a wide range of interventions that are useful to school psychologists-in-training." --Jeff Laurent, Professor of Psychology, Illinois State University
"Here is a comprehensive menu of time-tested, well-documented whole-group (or classroom) interventions designed to improve academic achievement and social competence for students in elementary through high school grades....These interventions are cost-effective, efficient, easy to implement, and thoroughly documented as successful with whole groups. Each is formatted in a clear, easily understood layout that includes methods of evaluation." --Readings
"Rathvon's presentation of alternative measures of child and teacher performances directly related to problem solving and intervention design is of critical importance....Rathvon's book synthesizes ideas to help classroom teachers, school psychologists, counselors, and administrators with school reform and professional revolutions by considering specific examples of interventions having empirical support and appropriate evaluation practices....Rathvon's book comes at the right time and place to help with reform initiatives. The greatest contributions are the ideas of natural and empirical interventions that may be of immediate use for school personnel, and appropriate measures for problem solving and evaluation....School teams may want to ensure that at least one team member is knowledgeable and fluent in practical measurement and intervention design, as well as with the special legal and ethical considerations which are required by intervention decisions. Rathvon's book will help professionals with these efforts." --Contemporary Psychology
Review
"I have recommended Rathvon's book so many times, I stopped counting. This is a 'must-have' resource for school psychologists, teachers, and administrators for building your RTI toolkit. Rathvon helps us to navigate through successful evidence-based interventions in a very user-friendly format. This book is invaluable in offering research-supported, successful interventions while saving time (due to the easy-to-understand academic and behavioral interventions and step-by-step directions for implementation) and money (cost effective with 70 interventions provided). This is a highly valuable and very rare find as a school resource."--Paula Freer, PhD, past president, Student Support Team Association for Georgia Educators
"This second edition is an essential book for professionals working with school-age children or consultants assisting classroom teachers. The empirical citations provided for each intervention will assist school personnel in the identification of RTI-compatible interventions. In addition, I highly recommend this text as a learning tool for graduate students in school psychology, special education, teacher education, and educational administration programs."--Merilee McCurdy, PhD, School Psychology Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
"Covering a broad range of important topics, including classroom management, classwide peer tutoring, vocabulary instruction, and comprehension, Rathvon uses a 'solid science' perspective to identify strategies that make a difference. This text is an invaluable resource for graduate students who are learning that, indeed, some interventions work much better than others to produce meaningful student outcomes. In addition, readers with little background in scientifically based academic and behavior interventions will find this book to be an excellent starting point."--Mark R. Shinn, PhD, Educational Psychology Program, National-Louis University
Review
"Thorough, descriptive and well-written text. I have already recommended this book to the clinicians on our school consultation team and to the Education students I teach, and it is already well used."--Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Review
"The book uses a lesson-plan-like format to describe the intervention and implementation process. The inclusion of a detailed table of contents, cross references, key concepts, and an appendix at the end of each section helps the reader locate appropriate strategies. The amount of information presented by Rathvon, as assistant clinical professor of psychology at George Washington University, is extensive but extremely user-friendly....Using the interventions on an as-needed basis makes this a valuable tool for administrative libraries."--The School Administrator
Synopsis
This highly practical resource and text presents 70 interventions that have been demonstrated to improve the classroom learning environment, academic achievement, and student behavior and social competence. Each intervention is presented in a brief, standardized format with step-by-step procedures that can easily be implemented by Pre-K-12 teachers and other school-based professionals. The volume includes best-practice guidelines for designing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based school interventions, as well as strategies for combining multiple interventions to create a comprehensive program at the individual, class, or schoolwide level.
Synopsis
This practical sourcebook presents more than 70 interventions that have been empirically demonstrated to improve the classroom learning environment, bolster academic achievement, and enhance student behavior and social competence. Each intervention is delineated in a brief, standardized format that describes its purpose, lists needed materials, and provides step-by-step implementation procedures. Geared toward optimal utility and accessibility, all of the interventions can easily be delivered by regular classroom teachers and make use of existing or readily available resources. The book includes guidelines for designing, implementing, and evaluating school-based interventions, as well as case examples illustrating how several interventions can be combined to create a comprehensive program for individual students or entire classes.
About the Author
Natalie Rathvon, PhD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University. A former teacher, guidance director, special education coordinator, and counselor educator, she provides consultation and professional development to schools and agencies in the areas of assessment and accountability, reading, problem-solving teams, and school-based interventions. She has been a trainer for Reading First, trainer and peer reviewer for Early Reading First, and member of the U.S. Department of Education technical workgroup reviewing Even Start state accountability systems. Dr. Rathvon is a member of the board of directors of SchoolTalk, Inc., a nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia that develops models and provides training for dispute resolution and home-school collaboration in special education service delivery. She is the author of the first edition of Effective School Interventions, subtitled Strategies for Enhancing Academic Achievement and Social Competence; Early Reading Assessment: A Practitioner's Handbook; and The Unmotivated Child: Helping Your Underachiever Become a Successful Student.
Table of Contents
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Intervention Assistance Approach to Solving Classroom Problems
3. Proactive Interventions: Strategies That Create a Productive, Disruption-Free Classroom Environment
*Overview
*The Importance of Proactive Classroom Management
*Evaluating the Effectiveness of Proactive Interventions
*Proactive Classroom Management Interventions
*Supplementary Readings
4. Interventions to Improve Academic Performance
*Overview
*Targets of Academic Interventions
*Evaluating the Effectiveness of Academic Interventions
*Interventions to Improve Academic Productivity
*Interventions to Improve Homework Completion
*Interventions to Improve Reading Performance
*Interventions to Improve Mathematics Performance
*Interventions to Improve Written Language Performance
*Interventions to Improve Social Studies and Science Performance
*Supplementary Readings
5. Interventions to Modify Behavior and Enhance Social Competence
*Overview
*Evaluating the Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions
*Interventions to Increase On-Task Behavior and Reduce Inappropriate Behavior in the Classroom
*Interventions to Improve Behavior in Special Classes and Less Structured Situations
*Interventions to Decrease Verbal and Physical Aggression and Increase Cooperative Behavior
* Supplementary Readings