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Early identification and remediation of literacy, numeracy,
and social-emotional difficulties in kindergarten:
an examination of the efficacy of a multi-tiered system of
support (MTSS)

Identification précoce et remédiation des difficultés en littératie, en numératie
et sur le plan socio-émotionnel à l'école maternelle :
examen de l'efficacité d'un système de soutien à paliers multiples (SPSS en français, MTSS en anglais)

Frühzeitige Erkennung und Behebung von Lese-, Schreib-, Rechen-
und sozial-emotionalen Schwierigkeiten im Kindergarten:
eine Untersuchung der Wirksamkeit eines mehrstufigen Unterstützungssystems (MTSS)

Identificazione precoce e recupero delle difficoltà di alfabetizzazione,
calcolo e socio-emotive nella scuola dell'infanzia:
un esame dell'efficacia di un sistema di supporto multilivello (MTSS)

MTSS-K enters next phase after successful pilot study

In its continued effort to promote inclusion and equity in early childhood education, the MTSS-K consortium has reached an important milestone with the successful completion of its pilot study. This achievement marks a key step in evaluating the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) approach in kindergarten, an evidence-based, educational framework that provides tiered, early support to meet children’s diverse academic and social-emotional needs.

Conducted in collaboration with partners across six countries, the pilot phase focused on testing and refining the project’s tools, materials, and training procedures. It provided valuable insights into the instruments developed by the consortium in multiple languages, confirming their usability and adaptability across different educational contexts. These findings represent an important step toward helping kindergarten teachers better identify and respond to young children’s learning needs through early, targeted support. As project coordinator Christophe Dierendonck highlights:

“Early intervention and additional intensive support for students facing difficulties are at the heart of the MTSS approach. By helping teachers identify and respond to children’s diverse learning needs from the very beginning, we lay the foundation for every child to thrive – academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Next Steps: From Pilot to Full Implementation

Building on these achievements, the randomised controlled trial (RCT) phase has now begun, marking the next step in implementing and evaluating the MTSS approach in classroom settings. Students across the participating countries have been pre-tested, and teacher trainings are now taking place in all experimental groups. Early feedback from teachers has been very positive, reflecting both their engagement with the MTSS-K materials and their confidence in the framework’s potential to foster inclusion from the earliest stages of education.

In the coming months, the consortium will continue with coaching, classroom observations, and assessment activities. These will provide deeper insights into how tiered interventions can strengthen early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development, supporting teachers and schools in building more inclusive learning environments for all children.