Intro: Education is experiencing a shift from the Balanced Literacy(Small Group) to the Structured Literacy(Whole Group) model. No longer can Teachers/Reading Interventionists say that they looked at a Letter and then follow a rote script.
Now, practitioners analyze, evaluate and synthesize data and then implement interventions.
With that in mind, I put together “A Guide To Reading Interventions.”
Step 1: Gather Data
Every district, state, and country uses their own data gathering tools(I have screeners that I’m willing to share). No matter your tools. There are five areas that must be diagnosed.
- Phonological Awareness
- Phonics(Spelling)
- Vocabulary
- Fluency
- Comprehension
Step 2: Identify Foundational Weakness
After that data is evaluated, identify what that student/students’ lowest weakness or undeveloped strength.
Phonological Awareness is the lowest foundational skill. Comprehension is the highest skill. Even within those skills, there are sub-components–such as Phonemic Awareness, which is under the Phonological Awareness umbrella.
Step 3: Set Your Groups
Upon deciding where your students fall within the continuum, set your groups–classroom or intervention. Students typically fit into three separate groups(although 2nd grade classrooms look vastly different.).
- Red(Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary)
- Orange(Vocabulary, Fluency, Foundational Comprehension, Higher Order Comprehension)
- Green(Higher Order Comprehension)
Step 4: Attack The Gaps/Enhance Strengths
Once those gaps are determined, You attack them.
An intervention that I provide for Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Vocabulary is Phenomenal Word Power(Which I’ve presented at the State and National level).
Here are a few methods that I use to build Foundational Comprehension.
- Targeted Guided Reading(Retelling, Elements of Plot, Character Traits and Feelings)
- Explicit Teaching of Analyze Characters, Main Idea, Inference
- Video-Alouds
GUIDED READING!!! That’s not aligned to the Science of Reading.
Using it as your primary mode of instruction isn’t good practice but viable in limited doses. And in my version, I focus on one skill, not spiral several that students haven’t mastered.
Don’t forget about the students who are proficient in all areas. Push them, as well. Here’s how to encourage Higher-Order Comprehension.
- Closed Reading
- Analyze Complex Text
- Text Analysis (4-Step Rigor Method)
Conclusion: Differentiating interventions and growing students can be a challenge but if you follow this simple guide, your students will grow…and grow exponentially.
Be Phenomenal, Mr. Short
If your school or district would like a presentation on word study, intervention or comprehension, email thephenomenalstudent@gmail.com or call 281-254-0015.
My book on Intervention: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/phenomenal-intervention-the-playbook
The Phenomenal Student Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-phenomenal-student-podcast/id1607341077
The Phenomenal Student 