Intervention Instruction

To target the needs of all students, including struggling readers, we must first assess students’ knowledge and skills to identify areas of need and then differentiate instruction according to these data. Such differentiation can be accomplished in several ways, such as making instruction more explicit, increasing the intensity of instruction, or providing additional reading interventions. Research has shown that intervention is key to preventing and remediating reading difficulties (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998; Torgesen, 2004; Vellutino & Scanlon, 2001). Providing appropriate and timely reading intervention to struggling readers helps them develop the reading skills that they are lacking and that are essential for their academic achievement.

This booklet provides information related to the delivery, strategies, and content of effective reading interventions. The first section briefly discusses the features of high-quality, intensive, targeted interventions. The second section presents a set of charts illustrating the general continua of reading skills within reading components and within and across grade levels. The final section succinctly discusses key ideas in each of the five component areas, processes for examining student responses and adapting lessons, and specific instructional practices to look for when observing interventions.

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