Running Head: READING INTERVENTIONS

Resource Handbook: Evidence-Based Reading Interventions

Alyssa Amendola, Sarah Dawson, Katherine Stenglein, and Brian Zambrzycki
Marist College

READING INTERVENTIONS

Thank you for reading this manual on interventions and related resources for students
experiencing difficulties with various components of reading in the classroom. We hope you
will find this to be a useful tool when exploring options to better aid children in the development
of reading. This booklet has been divided into the following sections: websites for educator use,
simple interventions, and suggested apps to aid in the improvement of reading
comprehension. References for each section are listed immediately following the discussed
information. If you have any additional questions, please contact:

Alyssa Amendola: [email protected]

Sarah Dawson: [email protected]
Katherine Stenglein: [email protected]
Brian Zambrzycki: [email protected]

READING INTERVENTIONS

Table of Contents
Part I: Reading Intervention Website Summaries

4-13

Website Summary: Center on Instruction

5-6

Website Summary: Iowa Reading Research Center

7-8

Website Summary: Neuhaus Education Center

9-10

Website Summary: Reading Recovery

11

Website Summary: Texas Center for Learning Disabilities

12-13

Part II: Evidence-Based Reading Interventions

14-39

Phonological AwarenessOverview

15-16

Intervention Coach Card: Say It, Move It

PhonicsOverview
Intervention Coach Card: Silent e Changes
FluencyOverview
Intervention Coach Card: Choral Reading
VocabularyOverview
Intervention Coach Card: Word Associations
Reading ComprehensionOverview
Intervention Coach Card: Story Mapping

17-19
20-21
22-24
25-26
27-29
30-31
32-34
35-37
38-39

Part III: Recommended Apps that Help Develop Literacy Skills

40-44

Part IV: Appendices

45-51

Appendix A: Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Two-Phoneme)

46

Appendix B: Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Three-Phoneme)

47

Appendix C: Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Four-Phoneme)

48

Appendix D: Silent e Changes Two-Columned Sheet

49

Appendix E: Silent e Changes Sample Word List

50

Appendix F: Advanced Story Mapping Worksheet

51

Part V: References

52-54

READING INTERVENTIONS

Part I: Reading Intervention Website Summaries

READING INTERVENTIONS

Summary of Center on Instruction: Literacy

Website: http://www.centeroninstruction.org
Mission: The Center on Instruction (COI) is comprised of a collection of research-based
resources on literacy instruction. The COI provides research summaries and meta-analyses,
practitioner guides, professional development training materials, hand-on tools for educators,
examples from the field, and standards and assessments for each of the sub-categories within
Literacy. The materials and resources offered are aimed to help educators improve academic
outcomes for students, address the problems of struggling readers, and meet instructional
challenges of diversity in students ability and readiness in learning to read. The goal of the COI
is to provide useful and relevant resources to educators who are striving to improve current
literacy instruction.
What it includes:
Foundational Reading (K-3)

Offers professional training modules and webinars that provide strategies for improving
and supporting reading comprehension as well as other literacy skills for all grade-levels.

Provides guides for principals and teachers targeting an abundance of areas including
intensive reading interventions, reading assessment plans, and differentiated reading
instruction.

Includes resources regarding the alignment of reading instruction with the Common Core
Standards.

Struggling Readers

Offers free online courses covering areas such as providing intensive interventions for
students struggling in reading

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Provides intervention reports, which summarize the research findings for extensive
reading interventions for grades K-3, interventions for adolescent struggling readers, and
language and reading interventions for English language learners.

Includes practitioner guides targeting a variety of areas including the effective instruction
of adolescent struggling readers and providing interventions for struggling readers in
early elementary school.

Offers professional development modules aimed at improving literacy instruction in

different types of school settings.

Instruction

Offers webinars that explore topics such as informing literacy instruction through the use
of data and improving adolescent literacy in rural schools.

Provides online course in areas including academic literacy instruction for adolescents
and research-based recommendations for the instruction of adolescent newcomers.

Includes publications regarding instructional models and strategies for teaching English
language learners.

Adolescent Literacy

Provides online courses and practitioner guides for adolescent literacy instruction and
bringing literacy strategies into content instruction.

Limitations:

The resources provided particularly target students in the lowest performing schools,
students with learning difficulties, students needing intensive instruction, and special
needs of diverse learners such as English language learners, rather than being useful for
all students.

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Summary of Iowa Research Center

Website: http://www.iowareadingresearch.org/about
Mission: The work of the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) focuses on statewide
instructional strategies and interventions, student reading assessments, a statewide data system,
community partnerships, family resources, professional development for educators, and an
intensive summer reading program. Additionally, the IRRC provides a vast online collection of
literacy resources made available to the public for teaching, learning, research and at-home
support for reading.
What it includes:
Resources for Families and Educators

Offers a search tool to filter web-based literacy resources by skill: alphabet skills,
comprehension, fluency, motivating readers, phonics and site words, phonological
awareness, print awareness, vocabulary and language, and writing; by age/grade: ages 15 and grades K-6; and by resource type: activities, articles, guides, and videos.

Other Websites

Provides links to various websites of organizations that offer a wide variety of resources,
activities, and information for families and teachers to support literacy development with
children.

Supporting Materials

Includes a glossary of important terms and definitions related to reading.

Parent Support Checklist: Outlines steps parents can take when they have concerns
regarding their childs reading performance.

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Administration Guides for Educators: Includes administration guides and benchmarks for
Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST). Information is provided comparing FAST
vs. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). This section also provides
pronunciation guides for assessment administration and scoring and includes videos on letter and
vowel sounds as well as a vowel and consonant Quicksheet.

Parent Letters for Schools: provides letters used to communicate with families about universal
screening assessments and results that can easily be downloaded and edited to meet the needs of
your school. The parent letters are offered in various languages such as English, Bosnian, Karen,
Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Research

The IIRC applies current research for the development and dissemination of best practices around
literacy instruction. This section provides extensive research regarding reading instruction,
universal screening and progress monitoring, as well as articles that highlight the importance of
summer reading, family involvement, and at-home learning.

Practice Guides

Offer professional practice guides that provide recommendations for educators to improve student
growth and achievement through best practices.

Limitations:

The website is geared toward reading in the state of Iowa and provides information regarding
reading instruction, literacy standards/guidelines, and links to community agencies in Iowa that
may not pertain to those outside the state.

Literacy resources provided focus primarily on students K-6, so there are limited resources
available for reading at the secondary level.

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Summary of Neuhaus Education Center

Website: http://www.neuhaus.org
Mission: Neuhaus Education Center is a non-profit educational foundation dedicated to
promoting reading success. Neuhaus provides evidence based training and support to educators,
supplies information and resources to families, and offers direct services to adult learners.
What it includes:
Identify Reading Issues

Provides information on dyslexia and reading disabilities

Provides screening measures for listening comprehension for the second grade and
reading comprehension screening tools for grades 2-5. There is also a screening tool for
oral language and word knowledge that can be used on grades K-6. This section provides
a Retelling Rubric that provides screening, formative, and summative information about a
students ability to translate ideas from stories into words, which can be included in
student portfolios and used as RtI data.

Educators

This section provides classes (both online and in-house), special programs, district
support, and an online store.

Reading Teachers Network

Provides a multimedia library of explicit classroom instruction in form of lessons,

songs/sounds, videos, webinars, and articles about best practice.

A search tool is available to look up various classes of reading instruction: basic

language skills, developing metacognitive skills, developing vocabulary for reading
success, language and literacy for young learners, language enrichment, multisensory

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grammar, reading comprehension, reading readiness, scientific spelling, structured

handwriting, and written composition fundamentals; and various topics: comprehension,
decoding, fluency, general information, oral language, phonological awareness,
readiness, spelling, vocabulary, and written language.

Offers a collection of reading tools, consumables, manipulatives, lesson plans, games,

word decks, and a list of recommended books for teaching reading and writing.

Parents

Provides resources for parents including suggested readings and links to valuable
resources as well information and scheduling for parent seminars that aim to provide
parents and professionals in depth information and strategies.

Limitations:

Many of the professional development opportunities for parents and educators (e.g.,
classes and webinars) are costly, and certain classes are only available at the center in
Houston, Texas.

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Summary of Reading Recovery

Website: http://readingrecovery.clemson.edu/
Mission: Reading Recovery is a short-term intervention for first grade students demonstrating
extreme difficulty with early reading and writing. Specially trained teachers work individually
with students in daily 30-minute lessons lasting 12 to 20 weeks. After a full series of lessons,
about 75% of these formerly struggling students reach grade-level standards. The website
provides training and ongoing professional development for teachers in the areas of early literacy
assessment, instructional strategies, and the teaching of struggling readers and writers.
What it includes:

The Reading ProcessTypes of Primary Reading Instruction: Provides descriptions and

examples of the five types of primary reading instruction: Teacher Read-Aloud,
Interactive Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, and Independent Reading.

Engagement and IndependenceCreating Classroom Environment: Details a general

understanding of the elements needed for children to take responsibility for their own
learning, especially while the teacher is meeting with small groups or conferring with
individual children.

Instructional Decision Making: Provides records to support teachers in maximizing the

impact of their guided reading lessons and is intended for the inexperienced teacher.

Limitations:

Reading Recovery is not an approach that can be generalized to classrooms or small

group teachingit is delivered in a one-on-one setting.

Individuals cannot be trained in Reading Recovery independently of a school or a school

system.

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Summary of Texas Center for Learning Disabilities

Website: http://www.texasladcenter.org/teachers
Mission: Texas Center for Learning Disabilities (TCLD) is a multidisciplinary research center
funded by the National Institutes of Health. It investigates a broad range of scientific inquiry
related to learning disabilities, including classification, early intervention, and remediation. The
purpose of their website is to disseminate resources on learning disabilities to parents, teachers,
and researchers. Specific to reading, TCLD supports research that leads to a more integrated
understanding of how to provide intervention to children with reading problems, and has
developed a compilation of materials specifically developed for teachers working with struggling
readers.
What it includes:
Lesson Plans

Provides sample reading intervention plans for struggling readers at the elementary
(specifically grades 1-3) and middle school (grades 6-8) levels.

Elementary Lesson Plans include four intervention overviews and sample lesson plans
focusing on comprehension, word study, or phonics.

Middle School Lesson Plans includes two lesson plans for improving reading
comprehension, and these are based on specific novels used within the curriculum.

Additionally, an extensive lesson development guide is provided that describes strategies

to utilize before, during, and after reading to improve comprehension, and includes
instructions, sample scripts/materials, and planning templates. The guide is intended for
teachers to either use within the aforementioned lesson plans, or to facilitate the
development of their own plans.

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Professional Development

Exclusively focuses on reading remediation in adolescence.

Provides additional information about implementing the middle school level instructional
practices and strategies discussed in the Lesson Plans section.

Provides links to outside resources, with helpful descriptions. Resources include practice
materials, expert interviews, videos, learning modules, presentations, and other tools.

Videos

A collection of free reading disability related videos addressing such topics as:
o Implementing RTI for reading difficulties with older students
o Research suggestions for reading interventions at the Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels
o Monitoring responsiveness
o How small-group reading instruction differs between Tier 1 and Tier 2

Provides a video to accompany and elaborate upon the content included in the TCLDs
lesson development guide.

Limitations:

Many of the resources provided are specifically developed to align to the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills standards, and as such, teachers from other states will need to be
aware of how to adjust these plans accordingly to meet their own states standards.

The interventions and lesson plans were only researched within Tier 2 implementation.

Professional development materials provided focus primarily on students above the

elementary level.

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Part II: Evidence-Based Reading Interventions

14

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Phonological Awareness
What it is:
Phonological awareness is a necessary broad reading skill in which students learn to identify and
manipulate units of oral language (e.g., words, syllables, onsets, rimes).
Key Teacher Tips:
Instruction in phonological awareness is critical for kindergarten students and those in the
beginning to middle of first grade. Lessons should be explicit, as well as systematic. When
examining phonological awareness instruction, it is important to consider the following:
1) Teach skills in a progression from those that are easier (e.g., rhyming) to more difficult
(e.g., segmenting).
2) When teaching and practicing segmentation, go from big to small (e.g., words in
sentences, to syllables in words, to phonemes).
3) Use manipulatives (e.g., fingers) when possible.
4) Look to use letters to manipulate phonemes, as soon as possible.
Struggling Student Profile:
A kid's perspective:
Children typically have limited language to express complex emotions such as frustration,
and will often rely instead on broad statements like "I hate reading!" or "This is stupid.
However, this is how a student might describe how this particular skills deficit is affecting
their reading:

I don't know any words that rhyme with bat.

What do you mean when you say, "What sounds are in the word crush?"

I'm not sure how many syllables are in my first name.

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I don't know what sounds are the same in lit and kit.

A teacher's perspective:
Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with this particular skill:

She doesn't correctly complete blending activities; for example, put together sounds /t/ /u/
/ck/ to make the word tuck.

He doesn't correctly complete phoneme substitution activities (e.g., change the /l/ in late
to /gr/ in order to make grate.

He has a hard time telling how many syllables there are in a presented word.

She has difficulty with picking words that rhyme, syllabication, or spelling a new words
by how they sound.

Citations:
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf
WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

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Intervention Coach Card

Say It, Move It
Target Skills: Phonemic Awareness
Goal: To increase phoneme awareness by identifying individual sounds in words.
Location: Classroom or resource room; Individual, small group, or whole class; Tiers 1-3
Materials:

One Say-It, Move-It worksheet per student, with the corresponding number of sound
boxes for the corresponding number of phonemes in each word

Two to four manipulatives (e.g. pennies, checkers, disks, etc)

List of instructionally appropriate words, each consisting of two to four phonemes

Frequency: 5x weekly for a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks; 5-minute sessions.

Directions:

Depending on the maturity level of the child, the teacher may want to practice
appropriate movement of the manipulative prior to starting the intervention, in order to
ensure the child does not later become distracted.
1. Provide each student with one Say-It, Move-It worksheet and the appropriate number
of manipulatives (between two and four).
2. Place the manipulatives on the picture of the treasure chest.
3. Prompt the child to Watch me and listen. Im going to say a word.
4. Say the word.
5. Tell the student Now I am going to say a word, and I am going to move it.
6. Place one finger on the manipulative and slowly annunciate the first phoneme while
shifting that manipulative from the treasure chest to the first sound box.

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7. Repeat this movement with the next manipulative, making sure once again to
annunciate the second phoneme while moving to the second sound box.
8. Repeat this process until every phoneme in the word has been pronounced.
9. Say the word again. Slowly repeat the word, while moving your finger from left to
right under each manipulative.
10. Prompt the child. Now its your turn. Say (word) and wait for the student to
respond to this prompt.
11. Prompt the child Now say it and move it.
12. If the student is correct, provide them with verbal praise and move on to a randomly
selected word from the generated list. Otherwise, repeat steps 9 through 11 and wait
for the students response.
Variations/Modifications:

Instead of using two- to four-phoneme words, use individual letter sounds if the child is
needs enhanced assistance.

Increase difficulty by having students listen for a specific phoneme, and have them place
a manipulative in the appropriate box based on the sounds sequence within the word.

This intervention can also be delivered as a paired activity intervention, otherwise known
as Treasure Chest (for further information, see Antonacci, & Callaghan, 2012),

Progress Monitoring:

Potential measures of phonemic segmentation can be constructed by the teacher or may

be provided through the school from sources such as:
o easyCBM Phoneme Segmenting

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o DIBELS Initial Sound Fluency (ISF), First Sound Fluency (FSF), or Phoneme
Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
o AIMSweb Test of Early Literacy Phoneme Segmentation Fluency

Baseline: Administer at least three (3) iterations of the selected phonemic awareness
measure prior to implementing the intervention.

Intervention: Continue administering the selected measure at least weekly. Data should
be recorded and analyzed to evaluate progress.

Citations:
Antonacci, P., & Callaghan, C. (2012). Essential strategies for teaching phonemic awareness. In
Promoting literacy development 50 research-based strategies for K-8 learners. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Blachman, B. A., Ball, E. W., Black, R., & Tangel, D. M. (2000). Road to the Code: A
Phonological Awareness Program for Young Children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Center for Testing and Learning. (2015). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://dibels.uoregon.edu/market/assessment/dibels
Dally, E.J., Chafouleas, S., & Skinner, C.H. (2005). Interventions for reading
problems: Designing and evaluating effective strategies. New York: Guilford Press.
EasyCBM. (2015). Assessments on easyCBM. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://www.easycbm.com
Thornblad, S. C., & Christ, T. J. (2014). Curriculum-based measurement of reading: Is 6 weeks
of daily progress monitoring enough? School Psychology Review, 43(1), 19-29.

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Phonics
What it is:
Phonics is one approach to reading instruction that teaches students principles of letter-sound
relationships, how to sounds out words, and exceptions to the principles.
Key Teacher Tips:
Instruction in phonics is critical for every grade level. Lessons should be explicit, systematic,
and differentiated for each student. Instruction provided on a first-grade level will look
extremely different from instruction on a third-grade level. When examining phonics instruction,
it is important to consider the following:
1) Teach skills in a progression from those that are basic (e.g., identifying letter names and
sounds) to those that are more complex (e.g., using structural analysis to read words).
2) Use an effective method for teaching students how to blend sounds to read words.
3) Teach irregular words and review these words on a regular basis
4) Connect encoding (spelling) with decoding (reading).
5) Have students read texts that allow them to apply their knowledge of the phonics
elements and irregular words.
Struggling Student Profile:
A kids perspective:
Children typically have limited language to express complex emotions such as frustration,
and will often rely instead on broad statements like I hate reading! or This is stupid.
However, this is how a student might describe how this particular skills deficit is affecting
their reading:

I just seem to get stuck when I try to read a lot of words.

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Figuring out the words takes so much of my energy, I cant even think about what it
means.

I dont know how to sound out these words.

I know my letters and sounds, but I just cant read words on a page

A teachers perspective:
Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with this particular skill:

She has difficulty match sounds and letters, affecting her ability to read and spell.

She decodes in a labored manner.

He has trouble reading and spelling phonetically.

She exhibits a high degree of difficulty with phonics patterns and activities.

He guesses on words based on the first letter or two.

Even though I taught multiple short vowel sounds (or other letter sounds), these letters
are not included in his writing samples.

Even though I taught certain letter patterns, she is not able to recognize them when
reading words.

Citations:
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf
WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

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Intervention Coach Card

Silent e Changes
Target Skills: Phonics
Goal: To improve phonics by familiarizing students with the long vowel silent e pattern.
Location: Classroom or resource room; small group, large group, or whole class sessions; Tier 3
Materials:

Sheets of paper

Index cards

Pencils

Frequency: 3x weekly for 6 weeks; 20 minute sessions

Directions:
Step 1: Prior to the class period, create sheets with two columns on each page titled Short
vowel and Silent e. Also, create word cards by writing silent e words (i.e. cute, ripe) on
index cards, and fold them so that the e is hidden. Each pair of students should receive 15-20
word cards, depending on reading level.
Step 2: Put students in pairs and provide each student with a prepared sheet and a set of word
cards.
Step 3: Explain the directions to the class: You will be working with your partner. You each take
a turn picking a word card. Once you pick the card, read it when the flap is folded back. Then
read it again with the flap pulled forward. When you have read it both ways, you will write the
words in the column where they belong. For example, I read the word with the flap folded back
and it says rip. Then I pull the flap forward and read that it says ripe. Now I will write the word
rip in the column that says Short vowel because here the I says its short vowel sound. I will

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write the word ripe in the column that says Silent e because now the sound of the I has
changed due to the silent e.
Step 4: Students take turns reading aloud the word cards that have the silent e folded back.
Step 5: Students then read the word again once the silent e has been folded to the front.
Step 6: Students write the words in the correct columns after they say them out loud.
Step 7: Continue the activity until all of the words have been read.
Variations/Modifications:

To minimize preparation time, skip the word cards and simply say the words aloud as you
write them on the board. Add the silent e to the end of the word and have the student
reads the word with and without the silent e. Students talk in partners as words are
presented and write the words in the appropriate columns on their sheet.

Progress Monitoring:

Potential measures of decoding and phonics can be constructed by the teacher (i.e. utilizing
the silent e flash cards for progress monitoring) or may be provided through the school from
sources such as:
o easyCBM Letter Sounds
o DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF),
o AIMSweb Test of Early Literacy Letter Sound Fluency, Nonsense Word Fluency

Baseline: Administer at least three (3) iterations of the selected phonics measure prior to
implementing the intervention.

Intervention: Continue administering the selected measure at least weekly. Data should be
recorded and analyzed to evaluate progress.

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Citations:
Brown-Chidsey, R., Bronaugh, L., & McGraw, K. (2009). RTI in the classroom: Guidelines and
recipes for success. New York: The Guilford Press.
Center for Testing and Learning. (2015). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from
https://dibels.uoregon.edu/market/assessment/dibels
EasyCBM. (2015). Assessments on easyCBM. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://www.easycbm.com

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Fluency
What it is:
Fluency is a necessary reading skill in which students read with speed, accuracy, and proper
expression.
Key Teacher Tips:
Instruction in fluency is critical for increasing students abilities to read for meaning.
Participation in fluency instruction aids students in their comprehension of text. When
examining fluency instruction, it is important to consider the following:
1) Utilize reading passages that are at students instructional or independent level.
2) When engaged in fluency instruction, tell students that the objective of the lesson is to
become more fluent readers, which means that they want to improve their rate, accuracy,
prosody, and expression of reading.
3) Model examples of fluent and non-fluent reading.
4) Use various instructional methods to teach fluency such as repeated reading, choral
reading, echo reading, etc.
Struggling Student Profile:
A kids perspective:
Children typically have limited language to express complex emotions such as frustration,
and will often rely instead on broad statements like "I hate reading!" or "This is stupid.
However, this is how a student might describe how this particular skills deficit is affecting
their reading:

I just seem to get stuck when I try to read a lot of words

It takes me so long to read something.

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Reading through this book takes so much of my energy, I cant even think about what it
means

A teachers perspective:
Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with this particular skill:

She is below grade level considering the amount of words she can read correctly
within a minute.

He has difficulty and becomes frustrated when reading aloud due to either speed or
accuracy.

She does not read aloud with expression (e.g., no change in tone).

He does not chunk words into meaningful units.

She doesnt pause at meaningful breaks when reading.

Citations:
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf
WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

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Intervention Coach Card

Choral Reading
Target Skill: Oral Reading Fluency
Goal: To increase reading fluency through repeated, supported reading.
Location: Classroom or resource room; small group, large group, or whole class sessions; Tier 1
Materials:

Grade-level choral reading text (i.e. script, book)

Copies of choral reading text for each student

Frequency: 3x weekly for 6 weeks; 20-30 minute sessions

Directions:
Step 1: Inform students that they will be divided into two groups, but these groups will shift
during the session. For example: boys and girls, brown eyes and blue/green eyes, odd number
birthdays and even number birthdays, or odd number birth month and even number birth month,
etc.
Step 2: Review and clarify groups with the student so that each student knows which groups
they will be in.
Step 3: Provide each student with a copy of the text they will read aloud.
Step 4: Introduce the text to the students. Read it aloud while they follow along silently. Set the
pace and read with proper phrasing and expression.
Step 5: Instruct all students to read the text aloud in unison, at least one time. Direct students to
point to each word as it is spoken, reading those words aloud that are known, and listening to
others read when words are unknown. All students should read the text a few times in order to
become familiar with it.

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Step 6: Ask different groups of students to take turns reading lines, stanzas, or paragraphs of the
text together. For example, say: Boys read the first two lines and girls read the next two lines. If
you have blue or green eyes, read the next paragraph and if you have brown eyes, read the
following paragraph. When students reread the text, create different groups, thereby giving all
students a chance to read.
Progress Monitoring:

Potential measures of reading fluency can be constructed by the teacher or may be

provided through the school from sources such as:
o easyCBM Passage Reading Fluency
o DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
o AIMSweb Reading Assessment Oral Reading

Baseline: Administer at least three (3) iterations of the selected reading fluency measure
prior to implementing the intervention.

Intervention: Continue administering the selected measure at least weekly. Data should
be recorded and analyzed to evaluate progress.

Citations:
Carrick, L. U. (2015). Strategy guide: Choral reading. Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/choral-reading30704.html
Center for Testing and Learning. (2015). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from
https://dibels.uoregon.edu/market/assessment/dibels
EasyCBM. (2015). Assessments on easyCBM. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://www.easycbm.com

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Schoolwires, Inc. (2015). Choral Reading. Retrieved from http://www.swsc.org/page/725

Wright, J. (2013). How to: Assess reading speed with cbm: Oral reading fluency passages.
Retrieved from http://www.jimwrightonline.com/mixed_files/lansing_IL/_Lansing_IL_
Aug_2013/2_CBA_ORF_Directions.pdf

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Vocabulary
What it is:
Vocabulary refers to the words we must understand to communicate effectively. Educators often
consider four types of vocabulary: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Key Teacher Tips:
In order for students to understand what they are reading, it is key to deliver explicit instruction
in the meaning of words and strategies for learning those words. When providing vocabulary
instruction some important ideas to consider include:
1)

Identify words that will be useful for students when they are listening, speaking,
reading, and writing.

2)

Pay close attention to the words students choose to use and scaffold that language to
teach them new words and concepts.

3)

When doing read-alouds, build in structured vocabulary lessons to teach specific

words explicitly.

4)

Encourage wide reading (reading a lot and reading a variety of texts).

Struggling Student Profile:

A kids perspective:
Children typically have limited language to express complex emotions such as frustration and
will often rely instead on broad statements like I hate reading! or This is stupid!
However, this is how a student might describe how this particular skill deficit is affecting
their reading:

I heard my friend tell what happened in the movie, but I didnt really understand what he
said about it.

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I feel like I just use the same words over and over again in my writing.

I dont like to read on my own because I dont understand lots of the words in the book.

A teachers perspective:
Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with this particular skill:

He has questions about a lot of word meanings in a grade appropriate text.

She seems to have a weak vocabulary.

He is not able to make connections among words in various texts.

She is often not able to find the right word to describe something.

Citations:
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf
WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

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Intervention Coach Card

Word Associations
Target Skills: Vocabulary
Goal: To increase vocabulary knowledge as new words are introduced and practiced.
Location: Classroom or resource room; Individual, small group, or whole class sessions; Tier 3
Materials:

Set of new vocabulary words

List of questions that target the new words

Overhead projector/Smart Board/Chalkboard

Dry erase marker/chalk

Frequency: 3x weekly for 6 weeks; 20-minutes sessions

Directions:
Step 1: Prior to the class period, prepare a list of target vocabulary words that will be the focus
of the session. The list of target words varies depending on the age and ability of the student but
typically 4-6 new words should be chosen. Also, prepare a list questions that you will eventually
ask students to pair with the vocabulary words.
Step 2: Write the new vocabulary words on the board (e.g. discussion, struggle, duties, and
unusual).
Step 3: Ask students to indicate which word goes with the description you provide (e.g. Which
word goes with responsibility? Which word goes with out of the ordinary? Which word goes
with difficulty? Which word goes with conversation?).
Step 4: For each pairing, ask students why they picked the word they did. This can be done with
individual students or the whole class.

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Progress Monitoring:

Potential measures of vocabulary can be constructed by the teacher or may be provided

through the school from sources such as:
o easyCBM- Vocabulary
o DIBELS- Word Use Fluency
o Intervention Central- Maze Passage
o AIMSweb- Maze

Progress can also be monitored by administering a one-minute speed test known as a

probe, where students must match terms with definitions. The probe consists of the words
students have just been taught and provides information on the students fluency and
accuracy.

The use of CBM methods for monitoring progress has been extended to students at the
secondary-school level, not only in basic skill areas, but also in content-learning areas
such as social studies and science. A 5-minute vocabulary-matching measure (comprised
of 20 terms and 22 definitions) is a valid and reliable indicator of students' performance
and progress in the content areas and is relatively easy to develop
o Baseline: Administer at least three (3) iterations of the selected vocabulary
measure prior to implementing the intervention.
o Intervention: Continue administering the selected measure at least weekly. Data
should be recorded and analyzed to evaluate progress.

Citations:
Brown-Chidsey, R., Bronaugh, L., & McGraw, K. (2009). RTI in the classroom: Guidelines and
recipes for success. New York: The Guilford Press.

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Espin, C. (2015). TeachingLD. Curriculum-Based Measures: Are There Ways to Use CBM in
Content Areas? Retrieved from http://teachingld.org/questions/12
National Educational Psychological Service. (2012). Effective Interventions for Struggling
Readers Resource Pack. Retrieved from http://www.education.ie/en/EducationStaff/Information/NEPS-Literacy-Resource/neps_literacy_resource_pack.pdf
Vadasy, P. and Nelson, R. (2012). Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling Students. The Guilford
Press: New York, NY.

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Reading Comprehension
What it is:
Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately
understand written material, children need to be able to (1) decode what they read; (2) make
connections between what they read and what they already know; and (3) think deeply about
what they have read.
Key Teacher Tips:
The goal of reading is comprehension. Although one beneficial way to improve students
reading comprehension is by asking questions that promote discourse and thinking about the text,
other instructional methods are also helpful for improving students comprehension. When
providing explicit comprehension instruction, consider the following:
1) Provide direct instruction in various comprehension strategies to use before, during, and
after reading (e.g., predicting, monitoring comprehension, finding the main idea,
summarizing, generating questions, using graphic organizers).
2) Model the use of these strategies through think-alouds.
3) Allow students to practice using one strategy multiple times before having them combine
strategies.
4) Have students read and practice using strategies with both narrative and expository texts.
Struggling Student Profile:
A kids perspective:
Children will usually express their frustration and difficulties in a general way, with
statements like I hate reading! or This is stupid! But if they could, this is how kids might
describe how comprehension difficulties in particular affect their reading:

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It takes me so long to read something. Its hard to follow along with everything going
on.

I didnt really get what that book was about.

Why did that character do that? I just dont get it!

Im not sure what the most important parts of the book were.

I couldnt really create an image in my head of what was going on.

A teachers perspective:
Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with comprehension:

He seems to focus on the wrong aspect of a passage; for example, he concentrates so

much on the details that the main idea is lost.

She can tell the outcome of a story, but cannot explain why things turned out that way.

He does not go behind what is presented in a book to think about what might happen next
or why characters took the action they did.

She brings up irrelevant information when trying to relate a passage to something in her
own life.

He seems to have a weak vocabulary.

She cannot tell the clear, logical sequence of events in a story.

He does not pick out the key facts from informational text.

He cannot give you a picture of whats going on in a written passage; for example,
what the characters look like or details of where the story takes place.

Citations:
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf

READING INTERVENTIONS

WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target

37

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Intervention Coach Card

Story Mapping
Target Skills: Reading Comprehension
Goal: To increase the use of cognitive strategies to build knowledge from the text.
Location: Classroom or resource room; Tier 2
Materials:

Narrative story

Story mapping worksheet

Overhead projector/Smart Board

Computer

Frequency: 3x weekly for 6 weeks; 15 minutes for grades 1-2 and 30 minutes for grades 3-6
Directions:
Step 1: Explain the parts of the story mapping worksheet

Go to interventioncentral.org and click on Intervention Ideas. Scroll down to the

Reading Comprehension section and click on Advanced Story Map. Then click on
the Advanced Story Map link included in the intervention descriptionprint the story
map and make copies for each student.

Step 2: Preview the story with students. Today we are going to talk about (title of the story
here). We are going to look for the main parts together using the story map worksheets.
Step 3: Together identify the important characters, main problem, solution, and theme.
Complete the parts of the worksheet as a class.
Step 4: Provide time for error correction to ensure that students understand the main
components.

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Step 5: Instruct students to read a new story independently. Have them identify the main
components on their own.
Progress Monitoring:

Potential measures of reading comprehension can be constructed by the teacher or may

be provided through the school from sources such as:
o Intervention CentralMaze Passage CBM

Baseline: Administer at least three (3) iterations of the selected reading comprehension
measure prior to implementing the intervention.

Intervention: Continue administering the selected measure at least weekly. Data should
be recorded and analyzed to evaluate progress.

Citations:
Brown-Chidsey, R., Bronaugh, L., & McGraw, K. (2009). RTI in the classroom: Guidelines and
recipes for success. New York: The Guilford Press.
InterventionCentral (2015). Assessments on InterventionCentral. Retrieved March 24, 2015,
from http://www.interventioncentral.org/teacher-resources/test-of-readingcomprehension

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Part III: Recommended Apps that Help Develop Literacy

Skills in Each of the Five Components of Reading
Instruction

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Recommended Apps that Help Develop Literacy Skills in Each of the Five Components of
Reading Instruction

The mastery of early literacy skills is an essential prerequisite for academic success in
American schools. Up to third grade children have to learn to read and starting in the fourth
grade they must read to learn. Those who have not mastered literacy by the end of third grade
will most likely struggle to keep up.
Mobile apps serve as a new, and often inexpensive, resource now available to parents
and teachers. This technology can help enhance learning and understanding for struggling
readers who are having difficulties mastering early literacy skills. As children today are more
technological savvy, mobile apps serve as both fun and educational resources that will provide
struggling readers the practice they need with the essential literacy skills.

I. Phonological Awareness:
Strategy: Rhyming
Rhyming is essential to develop phonemic awareness. Rhyming allows the child to hear and
manipulate the individual sounds in words, and is a key skill for reading success.
Recommended App: Superwhy! ($2.99- iPhone/ $3.99 iPad)
Grade Level/Age: PreK-2
This is one app of many that focuses on rhyming activities with popular characters. Superwhy!
contains other activities besides rhyming: each of the four characters in the app allows students
to develop other ills in other areas of literacy.
Strategy: Blending/Segmenting

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Blending and Segmentation are also two essential skills to develop phonemic awareness. In
blending, students listen to a sequence of separately spoken phonemes, and then combine the
phonemes to form a word. In segmentation, students break a word into its separate sounds.
Recommended Apps: ABC PocketPhonics and Read&Write
Grade Level/Age: ABC PocketPhonics- Kindergarten, Read&Write- All grade levels
Both these contain letter tracing activities. As the student traces he or she can hear the sounds of
the letters at the same time. Multisensory techniques (VAKT- Visual/Auditory,
Kinesthetic/Tactile) are recommended for those students who might be at risk for or have been
diagnosed with a reading disability.

II. Phonics:
Strategy: Alphabet Matching
The alphabetic principle is the understanding that there are systematic relationships between
written letters and spoken sounds.
Recommended App: Interactive Alphabet ($2.99- iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch)
Grade Level/Age: Pre-K-2nd grade
This app matches letter sounds with a highly interactive activity

III. Fluency:
Strategy: Shared Reading
Shared reading allows students to access reading materials they might not otherwise be able to
read on their own. Additionally, it models correct expression and reading fluency for the student,

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as well as providing opportunities to access additional vocabulary. Interactive books on the iPad
or iPod are a great shared reading experience.
Recommended App: Alice for iPad ($8.99)
Grade Level/Age: 5+
Incredibly well designed and interactive app that is considered by some as the best e-book
around it motivates children and adolescents to read classic English literature and really brings
the story to life.

IV. Vocabulary:
Strategy: Identifying antonyms
A child's vocabulary can be expanded through repeated exposure to new words and by thinking
about word meanings.
Recommended App: Opposite Ocean (Free- iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch)
Grade Level/Age: 2nd-6thgrade
In Opposite Ocean, Luna and Leo must master the magic of words by correctly identifying the
antonym that is the opposite of the given keyword. Children earn pearls when they drag the
correct bubble word to the enchanted clam. This app was developed in association with the
Virginia Department of Education.

V. Comprehension:
Strategy: Mind mapping
The ultimate goal of reading is good comprehension. Strategies to develop comprehension
include sequencing, differentiating between fact and opinion, developing word awareness

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(through antonyms, synonyms, and homophones), as well as several mind mapping apps. Mind
maps are visual diagrams that help students represent words or ideas and can be used in reading
and writing.
Recommended App: SimpleMind ($0.99-$6.99- iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch)
Grade Level: 2nd-6th grade
SimpleMind is a basic mind mapping tool that turns an iPhone/iPod into a brainstorming, idea
collection and thought structuring device. SimpleMind's limited options make it a good tool for
students that are new to mind mapping.

There are noted gaps in two specific areas:

1. Apps for older students (upper elementary, middle school and high school).
2. Apps for reading comprehension.

Citations:
Pressman, H., Pietzryk, A. (2014). Central Coast Childrens Foundation, Inc. Literacy Apps for
Struggling Learners. Retrieved from
http://www.education.nh.gov/instruction/special_ed/documents/apps_early_literacy.pdf

Prupas, A. (2011). Inov8 Educational Consulting. Theres a special app for that-part 7: Apps
that support literacy instruction. Retrieved from http://www.inov8ed.com/2011/03/theres-a-special-app-for-that-part-7-apps-that-support-literacyinstruction/
Reading Rockets. (2015). Educational Literacy Apps. Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/literacyapps

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Part IV: Appendices

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Appendix A
Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Two-Phoneme)

Adapted from: Daly, E.J., Chafouleas, S., & Skinner, C.H. (2005). Interventions for reading
problems: Designing and evaluating effective strategies. NY: The Guilford Press.

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Appendix B
Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Three-Phoneme)

Adapted from: Daly, E.J., Chafouleas, S., & Skinner, C.H. (2005). Interventions for reading
problems: Designing and evaluating effective strategies. NY: The Guilford Press.

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Appendix C
Say-It, Move-It Worksheet (Four-Phoneme)

Adapted from: Daly, E.J., Chafouleas, S., & Skinner, C.H. (2005). Interventions for reading
problems: Designing and evaluating effective strategies. NY: The Guilford Press.

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Appendix D
Silent e Changes Two-Columned Sheet

Name: __________________ Date: ___________________

Silent e

Short-Vowel

1. ___________________________

1. ___________________________

2. ___________________________

2. ___________________________

3. ___________________________

3. ___________________________

4. ___________________________

4. ___________________________

5. ___________________________

5. ___________________________

6. ___________________________

6. ___________________________

7. ___________________________

7. ___________________________

8. ___________________________

8. ___________________________

9. ___________________________

9. ___________________________

10. __________________________

10. __________________________

11. __________________________

11. __________________________

12. __________________________

12. __________________________

13. __________________________

13. __________________________

14. __________________________

14. __________________________

15. __________________________

15. __________________________

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Appendix E
Silent e Changes Sample Word List

Silent e

Short-Vowel

1.

ate

1.

at

2.

made

2.

mad

3.

plane

3.

plan

4.

cane

4.

can

5.

kite

5.

kit

6.

ride

6.

rid

7.

bite

7.

bit

8.

slide

8.

slid

9.

note

9.

not

10. spine

10. spine

11. pine

11. pin

12. rage

12. rag

13. hope

13. hop

14. cube

14. cub

15. huge

15. hug

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Appendix F
Advanced Story Mapping Worksheet

http://www.interventioncentral.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/pdfs_interventions/advanced_story_map_works
heet.pdf

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Part V: References

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References
Antonacci, P., & Callaghan, C. (2012). Essential strategies for teaching phonemic awareness. In
Promoting literacy development 50 research-based strategies for K-8 learners. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Blachman, B. A., Ball, E. W., Black, R., & Tangel, D. M. (2000). Road to the Code: A
Phonological Awareness Program for Young Children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Brown-Chidsey, R., Bronaugh, L., & McGraw, K. (2009). RTI in the classroom: Guidelines and
recipes for success. New York: The Guilford Press.
Carrick, L. U. (2015). Strategy guide: Choral reading. Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/choral-reading30704.html
Center for Testing and Learning. (2015). Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://dibels.uoregon.edu/market/assessment/dibels
Dally, E.J., Chafouleas, S., & Skinner, C.H. (2005). Interventions for reading
problems: Designing and evaluating effective strategies. New York: Guilford Press.
EasyCBM. (2015). Assessments on easyCBM. Retrieved March 19, 2015, from
https://www.easycbm.com
InterventionCentral (2015). Assessments on InterventionCentral. Retrieved March 24, 2015,
from http://www.interventioncentral.org/teacher-resources/test-of-readingNational Educational Psychological Service. (2012). Effective Interventions for Struggling
Readers Resource Pack. Retrieved from http://www.education.ie/en/EducationStaff/Information/NEPS-Literacy-Resource/neps_literacy_resource_pack.pdf
Schoolwires, Inc. (2015). Choral Reading. Retrieved from http://www.swsc.org/page/725

READING INTERVENTIONS

54

Thornblad, S. C., & Christ, T. J. (2014). Curriculum-based measurement of reading: Is 6 weeks

of daily progress monitoring enough? School Psychology Review, 43(1), 19-29.
Vadasy, P. and Nelson, R. (2012). Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling Students. The Guilford
Press: New York, NY.
Wright, J. (2013). How to: Assess reading speed with cbm: Oral reading fluency passages.
Retrieved from http://www.jimwrightonline.com/mixed_files/lansing_IL/_Lansing_IL_
Aug_2013/2_CBA_ORF_Directions.pdf
University of Texas System. (2010). Response to Intervention: Intervention instruction.
Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/3_Handouts.pdf
WETA Public Broadcasting. (2015). Target the Problem! Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target