Selecting, Implementing, and Evaluating Reading Interventions
Reading intervention is an essential component of schoolwide literacy improvement frameworks such as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Due to the challenging and high-stakes nature of providing reading intervention, it is understandable educators are sometimes looking for intervention to provide a quick fix. Although there are several effective reading intervention programs available, simply purchasing new programs is not likely to be sufficient. The effectiveness of reading intervention programs can be increased when attention is paid to how programs are selected, implemented, and evaluated. Let's dive into each of these factors.
Where to Begin?
Building an effective system of intervention starts with program selection. School leaders who are responsible for purchasing intervention programs need deep knowledge of the research about effective reading intervention. This involves knowing what to look for in program design and delivery. Additionally, just because a program is designed based on research, or even has research about its effectiveness, doesn't mean it will necessarily work with the students in front of you. Intervention selection decisions should be based on assessment data that specifies the needs of at-risk and struggling readers. Even students with identified reading disabilities do not all need the same reading intervention. Programs should be selected to target the specific needs of students. And finally, intervention selection should depend on the capacity of the school to implement the program. If sufficient time isn't available for planning and delivering the intervention, or funding isn't available for professional learning and coaching, even the most research-aligned interventions may fail.
Next, Implementation
Implementing an effective system of intervention depends on a careful match between the requirements of the program and elements of the school system such as teaming, alignment across tiers, and flexible service delivery. Ideally, grade-level and building-level teams use student assessment data to plan intervention implementation based on factors such as the schedule, availability of materials, staff knowledge, and alignment across tiers of support. Students have the best probability of making catch-up growth when their intervention instruction is aligned to their classroom instruction. In many cases, this may mean de-implementing ineffective instructional approaches and programs.
The Right Assessment is Key
Selecting and implementing the right reading intervention programs is just the beginning. Direct, curriculum-based assessments (such as Acadience® Reading) are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. These brief indicators are used to repeatedly measure student growth, allowing interventionists to make real-time decisions about maintaining, fading, or intensifying intervention. For some students, especially students with reading disabilities such as dyslexia, the process of evaluating and refining the intervention will be ongoing across time.
So, before you make an impulse purchase in the exhibit hall at the next conference you attend, think back to this guidance. Be aware of the needs of your students and the data about the effectiveness of any programs you may be considering. Pay attention to the time, training, and staff knowledge required to implement the intervention as designed. And finally, don't expect any reading intervention program to necessarily work for all students. Be prepared to evaluate intervention effectiveness and make changes that will maximize learning. I’ll be sharing more about this topic during an upcoming EDVIEW360 podcast called "Research-aligned Decisions About Implementing Reading Interventions". I hope you’ll join me.