A proposal for adapting tiered models of support to foreign language writing instruction

Abstract

The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a preventive framework that has demonstrated its effectiveness in early literacy instruction. However, its applicability to foreign language writing teaching has yet to be explored. The present study aims to address this educational shortcoming. A total of 132 students from fourth, fifth, and sixth grades of primary education were asked to write a narrative in English as a foreign language (EFL). The texts were analyzed according to the types of errors produced. This enabled four distinct writing profiles to be identified, corresponding to the tiers of support within the MTSS: Strong Writers (47.73%, Tier 1), Grammar-Weak Writers (32.58%, Tier 2), Spelling-Weak Writers (12.88%, Tier 2), and Poor Writers (6.82%, Tier 3). These findings suggest that the MTSS model can be effectively adapted to narrative writing instruction in EFL contexts. Furthermore, in the absence of standardized assessment tools, analyzing errors in written narratives could provide a practical method for categorizing students into these tiers. Finally, the study outlines key considerations for implementing MTSS in this context. It offers guidance for applying evidence-based intervention strategies across different levels of support. Here you can access a video summary and an infographic of the article, both generated with NotebookLM.