Making Tier 1 Instruction Work for All Learners

The Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) is a framework many schools use to ensure all students get the academic and behavioral help they need. While Tiers 2 and 3—the small group and intensive interventions—often get a lot of attention, we need to talk about the foundation for all learning: Tier 1 Supports.

Tier 1 is the instruction delivered to all students in the general education classroom. It's the core curriculum, the daily teaching, and the classroom environment. Think of it as the strong foundation of a building. If the foundation is solid, the whole structure is stable and fewer repairs are needed later on.

And when it comes to education, learning is much more fun, engaging, and accessible when Tier 1 is solid!

The Importance of Strong Tier 1

When we provide high-quality, evidence-based instruction right from the start, we minimize the number of students who will need more intensive supports later on. This is huge!

Imagine a classroom where teachers are truly solid in their instructional strategies and content areas.

• Kids get a better quality education that's often more engaging.

• Teachers can naturally incorporate differentiation that helps all learners.

• Most importantly, providing deep, high-quality content at Tier 1 can act as a preventative measure. Some students who might otherwise struggle and be identified for Tier 2 or 3 interventions—or even move toward an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and special education services—might actually thrive in a solid Tier 1 environment with a teacher who has the skills and content knowledge to support all kids.

  
  

In essence, a strong Tier 1 ensures that any student struggling later on is genuinely struggling with a skill deficit, not simply with a lack of access to quality teaching.

Good vs. Poor Tier 1 Instruction: A Comparison

So what might quality Tier 1 instruction look like? Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to observe Mrs. C., a 3rd-grade teacher, who was teaching a unit on reading comprehension, specifically focusing on identifying the main idea. Ms. C used an explicit, systematic approach that is research-backed. She first models the process ("I do"), thinking aloud as she reads a paragraph and highlights key details to find the main idea. Then she guides the students to practice together ("We do") using shared text and a graphic organizer. Finally, students apply the strategy independently ("You do").

Her content was grade-level appropriate but she provided multiple means of engagement and representation. She used diverse texts, offered options for showing understanding (writing, drawing, verbal explanation), and incorporated universal design for learning (UDL) principles.

She did have some students who were identified with some potential struggles.  For Leo, who had challenges with working memory and attention (a suspected disability), he benefited immensely. The explicit modeling reduced cognitive load, the graphic organizer provided a structured scaffold, and the guided practice ensured he didn't get lost before attempting it alone. This high-quality, universally-designed core instruction was exactly what Leo needed to keep pace with his peers, ultimately reducing the need for intensive pull-out services.

What happens when there is poor quality Tier 1 instruction? Mr. D, another teacher on Ms. C’s team, was teaching the same unit on main idea. Mr. D told the class to "find the main idea" and assigned a chapter to read, saying, "If you don't know it, just try your best." He offers no explicit modeling, no guided practice, and no structured tools. He assumes students already know the strategy or can pick it up by just reading. His struggling students, who needed clear structure and explicit instruction, were left to “their own devices” and were frustrated. Since they didn’t understand how to find the main idea, and because Mr. D didn't teach the skill clearly, they started to fail assignments. Their struggles were not necessarily a learning disability, but a failure of instruction. Three of these students were then referred for testing for additional interventions and/or special education services. 

Why are we assuming that a student needs an IEP or a 504 Plan when there was a failure to provide quality instruction? 

A rhetorical question to be sure, but it should make us stop and think…

Mr. D’s instruction began to shift with some intentional and goal-driven instructional coaching that initially focused explicit and systematic instruction and moved towards differentiation with supportive strategies. 

So What Can We Do?

Provide high-quality, ongoing Professional Development (PD) for teachers that focuses on evidence-based instructional strategies and deep content knowledge.

Teachers, commit to constantly reflecting on and refining your craft. Focus on making your core instruction explicit, systematic, and engaging for every single student.

By prioritizing and consistently working towards quality Tier 1 instruction, we build solid foundations for every child. We create a more equitable system where every child has the best possible chance to succeed, reducing the need for intensive, costly, and sometimes stigmatizing, interventions down the line. Tier 1 should ROCK!

Inclusiveology provides coaching and Professional Development that supports the learning and engagement of kids with disabilities and other kids with neurodivergencies.