Reading intervention has many different elements, including strategies and exercises to improve a child’s reading skills. This approach is geared toward a particular student’s unique reading needs, but it can be used to help many individuals with similar challenges. Interventions typically focus on phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness. It is also useful for struggling readers and writers. But, there are some important things to keep in mind before implementing an intervention in a classroom.
Although the process of teaching reading can be difficult, students with learning disabilities benefit from intensive word-reading interventions. These programs help students develop reading confidence and master the language skills required to improve their comprehension. A student with dyslexia or an attention-related learning disorder is likely to have difficulties sitting still, and teachers should try to identify the root cause of the student’s difficulty so they can develop strategies that will help them focus during reading sessions. Using strategies such as setting aside quiet time, minimizing distractions, and creating an environment that is quiet can all help. In addition, students with ADHD may be suffering from slow processing, which affects reading fluency and cognitive processes.
Using data and the RTI process, teachers can assess which students are eligible for intervention. Although the ultimate goal is for the student to read at grade level, it may not be realistic in the context of the student’s age, current reading proficiency, or the length of the intervention. Using S.M.A.R.T. goals, teachers should set achievable, time-bound goals for the intervention. Keeping parents informed throughout the intervention is a good practice. Parents should receive regular progress reports.
The same text is often read several times to improve fluency and comprehension. Students who read many times can develop a sense of motivation by reading the same text repeatedly. They can also notice contextual cues and improve their comprehension by being exposed to the same text over. As long as these strategies are used appropriately, reading becomes easier and more enjoyable for students with learning disabilities. The benefits of reading interventions are numerous. So, if you want to make reading easier and more fun for your students, you should implement some of the strategies listed above.
As long as standardized assessments are used in school systems, reading interventions should be provided to students who score significantly below grade level. Moreover, a school board should define what constitutes a “significantly below grade level” in reading. Remember that this term can differ across schools. In addition, requiring students to be behind grade level to access interventions violates the scientific properties of assessments, and sets the stage for a “wait to fail” system.
Many children with reading difficulties need explicit instruction to improve their skills. This instruction must be accompanied by modeling and practice of vocabulary and reading comprehension. Moreover, many students need additional instruction in phonics and word study. A child with a reading disorder needs explicit instruction, modeling, and practice. Even though this approach is relatively new, it has proved effective for many students. This is a crucial component of reading intervention, and should not be ignored.
Progress monitoring should be a major part of intervention. School boards should use standardized measures of student progress to evaluate how well a program is working. Progress monitoring can help educators identify which interventions are the most effective. If the intervention is successful, it should improve a student’s outcomes to the average range. Failure to improve means further programming needs to be developed. However, a good monitoring system can help educators identify students who are not progressing in reading as intended.
Teachers should implement interventions that focus on reading skills in small groups or whole classes. Using a multi-tiered approach is also effective. Teachers can implement a program geared toward the specific needs of the student in question. They should use evidence-based curricula that are designed to get kids excited about reading. Teachers should also use frequent assessments to identify kids who fall behind and target resources accordingly. The closing of the reading gap requires a transformative change in the classroom and ongoing support.
In addition to the benefits of reading interventions, research has shown that they can have a positive impact on children’s development. A recent study found that a child who is able to read a few simple words can achieve higher reading comprehension than a child who has mastered only one or two words. Several research studies have shown that children with these problems often also struggle with oral language. These studies also show that decoding skills and comprehension are linked, so there is a high likelihood that a child with language-related problems will have reading problems.