Reading intervention involves intensive or targeted instruction on reading skills to accelerate students who are reading below grade level. It is often part of a school’s (federally mandated) RTI/MTSS framework.
Comprehension is a key reading skill. It allows students to visualize stories, predict what will happen next, and make inferences.
Individual
Reading intervention offers a structured, guided path for students to build essential components of literacy and boost confidence in reading. These interventions are often administered by teachers who have received extensive training on the program or approach being used.
Individual reading interventions are typically based on a student’s current level of reading ability and may include a combination of strategies to build foundational skills, reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. They can be delivered in small groups, whole class or one-on-one by general classroom teachers, reading specialists and/or volunteers.
Individual reading intervention programs are available for all ages and grade levels and can be implemented in RtI/multi-tiered reading frameworks. The What Works Clearinghouse provides a searchable database to find specific intervention programs for elementary (both beginning and upper elementary), middle and high school, as well as for English Language Learners. The database includes program designs, evidence ratings and additional features such as target populations and grades.
Group
A popular option, group reading intervention involves teaching a small group of students with similar reading difficulties simultaneously. The advantage of this approach is that it allows educators to provide more targeted instruction and help students make significant progress.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the effectiveness of grouping for reading instruction is dependent upon the skill and needs of individual students. For example, groups should only be formed based on a clear need assessment that includes decoding inventories and fluency screeners.
In addition, teachers should consider the amount of time they’re able to spend with each student in the group. For best results, students should be grouped based on their level of need and meet daily for a minimum of 10-20 minutes. This is the only way to give students the accumulated time, intensity and frequency of practice needed to see sustained growth as readers.
Blended
Teachers can support students through a blend of digital curriculum and classroom-based instruction. Research shows that when the combination of a digital program with a structured lesson and classroom discussion leads to larger reading gains than either alone.
The targeted comprehension small group takes students beyond decoding to help them gain deeper understanding of text content and themes. It also helps students to develop their ability to make predictions and connect with text. A study by Fisher and Frey found that incorporating classroom discussions or book talks in this group can deepen students’ connection with the text, making it more meaningful to them.
Core5 is a fully blended learning reading intervention that integrates into English Language Arts (ELA) lessons and provides students with an individualized learning path to develop reading skills. Research has shown that use of the Core5 program improves student reading outcomes compared to traditional instruction. This is especially true for students who are non-proficient or struggling.
Special Education
Students with reading disabilities that are not responsive to evidence-based instruction often require intensive intervention. A seamless system of specialized instructional support includes screening, progress monitoring, and increasingly customized instruction based on instruction response; this model is commonly referred to as a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).
This method allows for more focused attention in smaller groups, where teachers can provide specific instruction that addresses reading challenges. For example, Lexia’s reading lessons can help educators build reading comprehension skills such as summarizing, predicting and questioning in students of all ages with targeted one-on-one instruction and repeated readings of high-interest passages at their skill level.
Enhanced core reading instruction also helps prevent reading difficulties in the first place, so students are less likely to fall behind grade-level benchmarks and become eligible for special education services such as dyslexia. Read Naturally, Great Leaps Reading and Lindamood Bell programs are research-proven reading interventions that address sensory-cognitive processing in students with special needs.