Reading intervention is the process of educating students who are struggling with reading. It is usually a part of a school’s Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.
Reading interventions should be research-based and have a strong foundation in evidence. These include strategies that address decoding, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency.
Phonics
Explicit phonics instruction helps children learn the relationship between letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language. This learning enables them to decode new words (reading) and write them correctly, enhancing overall literacy skills.
Systematic phonics instruction has been shown to significantly improve kindergarten and first-grade children’s word recognition, spelling and reading comprehension. It has a particularly strong impact when it starts early in kindergarten or first grade, and is most effective when it is taught in conjunction with other reading intervention strategies.
Teachers can easily plan phonics interventions for struggling readers by using a clear scope and sequence, identifying specific students’ needs through tier 1 universal literacy screening assessments such as Fast Bridge or DIBELS, and by offering engaging research-based phonics resources that address those needs. With a clear understanding of the science of reading, these tools help struggling readers close gaps and become strong, confident readers.
Comprehension
Comprehension is the ability to understand the meaning of written words. It’s a necessary skill that allows students to engage with stories and information to gain knowledge, enjoy reading, and understand the world around them.
Reading comprehension requires the use of all aspects of language and cognitive processes, including attention, memory, inference, and critical thinking. Strong vocabulary and language skills help readers understand syntax, grammatical structures, and discourse patterns.
A recent study found that an intervention that provided instruction in reading comprehension strategies (i.e., identifying key words, formulating a main idea, and synthesizing important information across sections of text) produced small but meaningful gains on a standardized measure of reading comprehension. However, a preliminary probe measure indicated that these improvements were largely driven by students’ acquisition of background knowledge and understanding how to integrate this knowledge into the evolving situation model.
Teach students to activate prior knowledge by asking them to think about what they already know about a topic and connect this to the subject of the text. Also teach students about text structure by having them identify the types of information presented in different paragraphs and passages.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the core skills that supports reading comprehension. According to research, students with high vocabulary scores are more likely to demonstrate satisfactory or above-average comprehension.
This reading intervention strategy helps to build vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. It can be done individually or in small groups.
Start by selecting a text that includes vocabulary words you want to teach. Ideally, the words should be Tier 2 or higher. This means that they are new to the children and will be useful across a variety of texts. For example, words like limped and crimson.
Once you’ve selected the words, follow up with explicit instruction and a variety of practice opportunities to help the children learn the meaning of each word. Multiple exposures to the words are necessary for learning, as research shows that it can take up to 17 encounters before a word is learned. To maximize retention, use a consistent instructional routine that is highly interactive and provides plenty of visual support.
Fluency
Fluency refers to the ability to read at a rate that allows students to pay attention to meaning. It is also related to automatic word recognition, which in turn contributes to reading comprehension.
To develop fluency, children need to be exposed to a wide range of texts and reread them many times over. This practice, called “deep reading,” supports the development of fluency and stamina.
Reading aloud is also an important part of developing fluency and expression. It enables children to hear how other children read and model their own fluent reading. It is also an opportunity to monitor and record children’s oral reading rates and accuracy.
Several studies have found that Repeated Reading (RR) is an effective oral reading fluency intervention for students with reading difficulties. This instruction includes passage previews, modelling, repeated timed readings, and goal setting with feedback. This approach is appropriate for core and supplemental instruction and can be delivered through various instructional approaches such as peer assisted learning, group instruction, or progress mentoring.