Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) are two terms that describe a single concept: Schools should be organized to make the best use of scarce resources and employ best practices to help students achieve academic success and engage in appropriate classroom behaviors. The general education teacher is the RTI/MTSS first responder. This 6-page, quick-reference, laminated guide gives teachers at any grade level a convenient toolkit of ideas to provide timely Tier 1/classroom academic support for students who struggle with significant academic delays.These tools address:Core Instruction- Review the elements of strong direct instruction to ensure that your lesson plans are optimized to reach students with diverse ability levels.Root Cause Analysis- Consult the table listing the 6 most common reasons for student academic delay to better understand how to assist learners who fall into any of these categoriesScaffolding- Use these strategies to fortify students to take on demanding classwork.Retention- Consider these ideas for students who often have trouble retaining instructional content.Communication Tools That Motivate- Incorporate communication techniques like praise, growth-mindset statements, and wise feedback to increase the academic motivation of reluctant learners.