Reading Intervention For Elementary Students

Reading Intervention For Elementary Students

Hey friends. Most of you know that I've taught in a variety of states due to my husband's military service. There is several benefits (and drawbacks as well) to this set up. The biggest advantage to moving every few years is seeing how each and every district runs their reading intervention programs. While in Virginia, I really feel like that's where my teaching was fine tuned. At this school,  we had a school wide reading intervention program. In this program, we sent out students who were high achieving for enrichment activities. We split the struggling students into groups of three. The best part of this system was that every staff member on campus was utilized during this time. Scheduling an intervention block is an essential component to a successful elementary school. This is how you can reach your lowest quartile of students the most effectively. A school wide intervention system may not be in reach for you at this time, so I'm going to share some suggestions to make your intervention system work for you.

Scheduling Your Intervention Block

One way to think of your reading intervention time is an extra instructional block in the skill students are the weakest in. I really make an effort from day one to schedule my intervention block in so that time is always used for something. I try to make sure that my intervention block is always scheduled at a separate time than reading or math. This is done on purpose. Intervention shouldn't just be and extension of your reading lesson where you keep the lower group "longer". I really try to make sure it's a complete different set up than our guided reading or guided math groups.

Student Grouping 

Student grouping is essential to a successful intervention block. I strive to make sure I have no more than three students in an intervention group. Here's why: This is an intensive instructional strategy to ensure that each student really receives the attention they need. I know this is a very difficult task with having 23 other students that need your attention. I try to think about it this way, if I don't help the most struggling students, who will? They came to me as struggling students  and unless I do something drastic, they will remain struggling students. This is the attitude we need to have in regards to students who receive intensive intervention. Some ideas to help is to ask if your office clerk or school nurse could come in your classroom for 25 minutes a day. They maybe able to work with a medium/low group while you work with the lowest group.  Here's the thing, I know it's awkward to ask other people for help. I get it. Everyone has a job and a purpose on that campus. At the end of the day, though, it is the job of the school community to ensure that EVERY child is successful. Maybe the nurse can only come down two days a week, TAKE IT. Give them the materials to use and make it easy for them. Make sure to make a huge deal out of how much help it is. I've asked and been told no. But more times than I've been told NO, I've been told YES. 

What are the other students doing during intervention?

This is not an easy question to answer. Let me tell you why. It depends on your students. If you are a third or fourth grade teacher with a well behaved group of students, I encourage you to think about doing a book study. Something the students can read and answer questions on their own and is a separate book than their guided reading set. If you have a group of rowdy first graders, than you might need to consider allowing them this opportunity for seat work. I'm not a fan of  a designated "seat work time", however, one year, I had a group that could not handle another center rotation or any cooperative learning more than during guided reading. With this group, I created folders for the students to complete at their own pace. I collected them weekly and checked for completion (unless major errors where obvious). My saving grace for this was The Moffatt Girls! This product SAVED me.  I've also used these literacy center mats for my students who are not in my intervention group. 

What about Math Intervention?

Math intervention is also a very important part of your classroom. If you only have one block of time for "intervention", I encourage you to rotate between math and reading. You could also glance at your data and see how many students truly need math intervention. If you only have one or two students, maybe you could convince someone to help you during guided math. 

How do I know a student needs further testing?

This is a question I get asked on my Facebook page often.  Here's my recommendation: whenever you begin an intensive intervention process, you should go ahead and document what you are doing. This way, if the student continues to not make progress with intensive intervention in place, you may need to look into the testing process. However, you will have weeks and weeks of documented intervention data to show that you've made every attempt to help the student.  Documentation does not have to be difficult. I struggled for many years with how to document my reading intervention program and then I created progress monitoring components to help me stay on track with the documentation process.

Understanding Response to Intervention: A Guide for Teachers and Parents

As a classroom teacher who has moved all over the country, understanding how each district does RTI can be difficult.However, with a strong understanding of the purpose of Response to Intervention and the goal, Response to Intervention does not have to be difficult.  RTI is a process that helps identify students who are experiencing difficulty in the classroom.

                                  Understanding the Levels of Interventions

Response to Intervention or RTI has three levels.  I have always been told to look at it like it was a pyramid.   The framework for RTI is detailed for each tier, but how you instruct at those levels vary from district to district. I believe that regardless of what "tier" students are on, students need the opportunity to have an intervention time to work out problems. 

Picture from: St. Croix Center for RTI

Tier One Instruction in the RTI Framework

Tier one instruction is the level that all students receive. At this level, teachers should provide high quality instruction and assessment. Teachers are able to screen students to determine their deficiencies.  Assessment is key, because it gives the teachers information. This is the level that nearly 80% of students fall in for instruction and intervention. One common misconception that children should not receive intervention in tier 1 instruction. RTI does not say that, and their is no research to support that. I base my intervention groups off of classroom needs and what my data shows. If your district uses a computer based assessment, that's great for a starting point. Often times, we can provide intervention and fill the gaps, students will demonstrate success and no longer need intervention services.

Tier Two Instruction in the RTI Framework

Students who are not progressing in Tier 1, should be moved to Tier 2 with adequate time given. Each district has a different requirement, but if you ask me, I believe it should be at least 6 weeks. This is where we look at more targeted instruction. Often times, computer based assessments can be skewed, so I like to give my own assessment to be sure it matches up.  In tier two, we are focused on specific skills. We should have less students in Tier 2 than Tier 1. It's generally no more than 15% of your students. It's important to think about group size for Tier 2. A lot of times, we will just keep our lowest group and say that we are providing Tier 2 instruction. However, if the instruction is not targeted and purposeful, that is not the case. Questions I like to ask myself "Does each student struggle with the skill I am teaching?" or "Can I prove that through my data collection?". 

If  I have a students who failed a rhyming assessment, for example, then I would re-teach rhyming for one or two weeks, then test again. I would keep that cycle up until the student passes that specific skill. The key with RTI is documentation.  Below is an example of how I keep up with my data for RTI. I needed something that had the skill listed several times  to show the students progress or lack of progress after quality instruction has taken place.

Tier Three Intervention in the RTI Framework

Once a student has advanced to Tier 3, they should be receiving individualized instruction. The group consists of one on one instruction and is happening daily. If the student is still not making progress at this level, further evaluation might be needed. Questions that I ask myself when providing Tier 3 Instruction (And parents should ask their child's teacher):

-Is this instruction individualized for each specific student?

- Am I consistently providing instruction on their needs?

-Do I have the documentation to prove that?

-Have I  presented the skill in a variety of ways to give the students ample opportunity to learn?

That last question is where I sometimes have to make SURE I can answer. Sometimes, we can present the material over and over again with students who just don't get it. Reflection is a HUGE part of instruction, so I will reflect to make sure I am truly presenting it in another way. Sometimes, I'll ask a colleague to come in and try to present the same skill.  I find so many ideas for just watching all of the awesome educators I get to work with. 

Side bar--- One of the biggest downsides of this process that I've noticed, is once a student is moved out of Tier 3, tested and found eligible for services, the one on one instruction stops from the general education teacher. If you are a parent, advocate for that to continue. If you are a teacher, remember the student maybe receiving services, however, they still likely will benefit from one on one instruction. I know this can be challenging, trust me, I've been there. That's really not related, but it's just something important to me. I've seen it happen to my own child and students in nearly every district I've been in.

Back to Tier 3--Once a student gets to Tier 3, a parent can request an evaluation at this point. It is important to know and understand that not all students in Tier 3 are special education students. Students can struggle without having a disability, but that is why we have to continue to work on providing targeted instruction. If targeted and intensive instruction is being provided ( and documented), parents and teachers should be able to see some growth. Parents, don't be afraid to ask about the specific interventions taking place with the teacher. Sometimes, districts will offer tutoring services and intervention with a volunteer. This does NOT take the place of tier 3 intervention that should be conducted by the classroom teacher. In other words, if the teacher isn't pulling the student one on one, I would question the validity of that tier 3 data. As a parent, I would not accept a computer based program as tier 3 intervention. 

Collecting Data for RTI

The process of RTI can be difficult. Without proper documentation to show that you have moved students between each tier,  you are unable to move forward with the evaluation process. While each state and district have their own specific paperwork, the skills that you teach have to be documented. I created a system so that I could adequately test my students through the LITERACY FRAMEWORK. I didn't mean to  shout, wait, YES I DID!  We have to assess the literacy framework to find the students true deficiencies. 

Reading Instructional Strategies for Struggling Readers

Reading Instructional Strategies For Grades K-3

Many of us don’t recall what it was like learning how to read. However, our current reading skills may be traceable to those early primary grades and the way we were taught how to read. Struggling readers require assistance but how exactly can you provide reading intervention and still keep all students on track? We all learn at different speeds, don’t we? Well, here are some suggestions that involve proven techniques that can help not just K-3 students. These methods are also effective when used with other students.

1 – Use Visual Aides as an Instructional Strategy. 

Who doesn’t like pictures? With the age of the young struggling readers considered, what better way to help classify concepts than with some visual aids? We’re not just talking pretty pictures here, either. Maps, graphs and charts can all become teaching aids and although the amount of text is reduced, these tools can have a huge impact on learning.

2 – The Text Monitor- Using Self Monitoring Strategies

This is sort of verification in favor of using pictures and other graphics. One way to truly see what level of comprehension it being achieved (or maintained) is through regular monitoring of what a student is reading and how much of it is being absorbed. One way to look at it is to put yourself in the reading situation. But instead of you reading about flowers and friends and happy stories, you are reading a legal document written by a lawyer with an extremely high IQ. You are going to find the pages upon pages of text dry and hard to figure out. The same principle applies to your young readers. What some of them are reading they just don’t fully understand. This is why you need to make adjustments along the way. These adjustments can include re-reading a section,  sentence or paragraph, breaking the text down, providing instructional level materials, scaffolded reading support or changing the reading speed so that each word and sentence is fully understood.

3 – Provide Clear Answers

How do you gain extra knowledge about something? You probably ask questions. This also works well as a form of elementary reading intervention. The questions from reading students can also be valuable gauges to you on what they understand about the text they are reading. By providing time to answer their question before, during and after reading you will not only help in reinforcing what is being read, you will be able to help clear up small misunderstandings of more than just the students who spoke up with the questions.

4 – Good Readers ask Questions

You had to see this coming. If you are going to answer questions to help struggling readers, why not ask them some question as well? Your questioning can take place before, during and after reading and can be directed primarily at the text being read. What do you think this means? What did they mean by saying that? If you engage your students in regular participation with their reading activities they will be more likely to open up and give you indication of where their reading skills need help. Teach students that good readers always ask questions while they read. 

5 – Painting The Bigger Picture

Every story contains a plot. Every plot contains characters and activities. Showing students the basics of story structure (plots, characters, etc.) it assists them in putting together the reasoning behind a chain of events and why certain things happen. Even if all they are doing is reading a story. Jack and Jill went up the hill for a purpose. They weren’t just floating around with no real reason. When young readers grasp the mechanics behind story structure it not only gets them excited about reading, it helps to fuel their individual imaginations. They soon begin telling their own stories with improved structural construction. But before any of this can happen, they need to understand that there is a much grander scheme at work in the text they are reading.

6 – What Did You Learn Today?

The final step in elementary reading intervention is a review. After reading activities have completed and questions have been answered, the best way to solidify the understanding of the text that was read is through a review. A summary of the key points will help to put together the dots in some of the minds of struggling readers. We know Jack and Jill were in need of water. They knew where the well was and they both went to it together. A mishap occurred and well, you get the picture. When you are able to summarize the key points the storyline, with plot points, is revealed. Even if the students don’t completely connect the actions as plot elements, they will understand that they are an important part of the storyline.

And If These Tips Don’t Work…

Not every student will reach the same reading level at the same time but by implementation of these six tips, you stand a better chance at catching  struggling readers early. In fact, early reading intervention activities will  result in greater success. However, there are going to be a few readers who will require additional assistance. This means one-on-one instruction. One on one instruction may sound intimidating, but the right tools make it SO much easier. It may also involve constant one-on-one instruction away from the classroom as well. This means getting parents and older siblings involved where possible. Screening assessments carried out in individual school districts will provide verifiable proof of where some students will require additional reading support. It is with this data that one-on-one instruction should focus on as an effort to correct reading difficulties. Reading in a group with students learning and sharing together is also another valuable teaching tool in the classroom. By grade 3, students should be able to read fluently with comprehension of what they are reading. This marks the completion of the learning to read phase of their schooling. In grade 4 the shift is to reading to learn. Thanks to several proven reading intervention techniques and instructional strategies, struggling readers have the support they need to bring their reading skills up to that of their peers. Using a intention reading intervention plan will aide you with ensuring that your students make progress! 

Reading Intervention In the Upper Grades

Reading Intervention in Upper Elementary

 Hey Friends! This last year, I switched to fourth grade. My group of students were on a variety of reading abilities. How I did ran my reading intervention  groups for fourth grade  literally made all of the difference in my students progress. My schedule was so jammed tight just like all of you. I knew I had to fit in intervention and had no IDEA how. My schedule felt so blocked and I was determined to figure out a way to have a separate intervention time. This is the BEST I could come up with. For me, the BEST intervention happens at a separate time than our regular reading block. I believe that intervention does not replace the guided reading instruction and they should be done cohesively. 

 

I would switch off between reading and math intervention, depending on my students needs. To start, I assess my students with running records to determine their instructional reading level. Once I determine their level and independent weaknesses, I determine which section the student would benefit the most from out of our intervention binder.  If I believe the students have a phonics deficiency, than I use this screener to pinpoint exactly where it is.  We had a variety of needs, like most of you. Some students needed to focus on word work and decoding strategies while others needed straight comprehension skills.  I also focus on each component of reading so that my students are able to continuously practice those skills. Even in the upper grades, students need to be able to understand why they are doing what they are doing. By teaching the five components of reading, you are giving students the foundation they need in order to be successful readers.

When students struggle with fluency, there are so many ways provided to practice. Through activities like "I Say, You Point" students practice difficult vocabulary/sight words in isolation. Fluency is so important because it helps students transition from just word recognition to comprehension. Once students can read the word accurately, with the correct expression and rate, they are able to cognitively begin to sink deeper into the meaning of the words within the text. Students have to be able to read words accurately, quickly and with expression in order to move on the next phase. That's why the Read It Right activities are so helpful. They give students the opportunity to practice similar words that they will come across in text.

One of the biggest struggles in third and  fourth grade, was getting students to think while read and activate their self monitoring strategies.  This is why I firmly believe it is imperative that we teach self monitoring strategies from the primary grades on up. 

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is probably one of the most skipped over components of reading. We often feel like once students are strong with phonics, decoding and fluency, then comprehension will naturally follow. However, we are forgetting that if students do not understand or have a deep connection to a word, they can not apply the comprehension strategies.  Research suggests that students need 12 organic interactions with a word before they truly understand it. So how to we increase our instruction in vocabulary while still hitting the other components? The first step is EASY. When you are teaching phonics strategies, do NOT just focus on the phonics feature. Be sure to address the words meaning and how it relates to every day life. Do not JUST teach vocabulary in isolation. Embed vocabulary in everything you do. 

Another way to increase vocabulary is to model for students how to use different words. I write down three or four words that I use ALL the time. I purposely think of DIFFERENT words or synonyms that mean the same thing to use instead. By showing students a technique for using different words, students can actually apply this idea. Students probably have four to five words that they use over and over each day, encourage them to make their own "replacement list". 

My students enjoy playing a game called "Word Detective". Students are given a card and have to offer clues to their partner in order for their partner to be able to determine the word. 

Figurative language is a skill that naturally opens the door to teaching vocabulary. 

What seems like an activity focus on spelling, can easily transition into a vocabulary experience. Encourage students to use different words in different scenarios. 

We had to really dive deep into the comprehension strategies and take apart the standards. 

I essentially need to reteach my student how to THINK while reading. Through interactive read alouds, guided reading and intervention time, I focused on explicitly teaching my students how to reading was thinking. Students need to understand the difference between word calling and reading at this stage. Often, they think because they can read such large words, that they are successful readers. As teachers, we need to continue to explicitly teach them so that they can take their awesome word calling skills and dive so deep into the text that they get lost.

Comprehension Anchor Charts 

Visual aides are so helpful even in a small group setting. There are several  ways to use these anchor charts. You could display them while teaching or have students create a guided reading or intervention notebook. They could keep the anchor charts to refer back to. This way, they always have a reference point if they need to refresh their memory, 

 So how do you get your students so deep into a text that they are LOST in it? How to you motivate those readers that are struggling? The key is your intervention time. You see, presenting the material in a different and engaging way is a #GAMECHANGER! 

The FIRST thing I teach my students is to always visualize themselves in the story as they are reading. How would YOU feel if this EVENT was happening to YOU? Has this ever happened to YOU? How did YOU feel? If students can make connections or thinking about how they can relate to the story, the comprehension will increase automatically. I taught my students how to fall in love with reading.  This encouraged the lower students to WANT to read and by wanting to read, their readability will increase.

    Here's a glance inside my guided reading lesson plans I used during guided reading time. I wanted this time to be different than intervention so that my students aren't bored and look forward to coming to see me! I needed standards based plans that I could easily use with each individual group's instructional reading level. These plans are written for a third grade level. I purposely schedule my intervention time separate from my guided reading time. Intervention is not an extension of guided reading. 

Now we will take a tour of the  fourth grade intervention binder

Each section has an anchor chart to review before teaching the skill.

We included passages levels N-P in this binder and are working on adding more!

Assessment is KEY to any instructional program, so we've included assessments for you to track your students progress.

 Teacher tips and instructional guides are included so that ANYONE can use these binders. We often have our paras or parent volunteers use the binders with one or two students.

I've included data sheets after each section so that you can track your students progress over time. 

Click below to see our Fourth Grade  Reading Intervention Binder 

Here's a look inside our Fifth Grade Reading Intervention Binder

Click the image below to check out our Fifth Grade Reading Intervention