Literacy intervention refers to targeted strategies and programs designed to support individuals who struggle with reading, writing, speaking, or understanding language. It involves specialized instruction aimed at addressing specific challenges that hinder a person’s literacy skills. These interventions can vary widely based on the individual’s needs and might include personalized tutoring, specialized teaching methods, phonics instruction, comprehension strategies, assistive technology, or small group interventions. The goal is to improve literacy abilities and promote better overall proficiency in language-related tasks.
Reading Instructional Practices
Learn how you can support readers with the following research-based literacy teaching methods:
Five Pillars of Reading
According to the National Reading Panel, the “five pillars of reading” are:
- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Reading Fluency
- Vocabulary Development
- Comprehension
Literacy as it is currently understood rests upon these pillars. Thus, instructional methods used in early literacy intervention programs systematically target these components based on these specific reading needs of children. Here is a brief overview of each:
Phonemic Awareness is the ability to hear, recognize, and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Phonemes are the smallest parts of sounds, and children begin to recognize them during the preschool years.
Phonics is the process of pairing letters or groups of letters with spoken sounds. Children begin to learn phonics at ages 3-4 as they enter kindergarten.
Reading Fluency is the ability to read a text quickly, accurately, and expressively. Fluency can be broken down into stages, with novice readers emerging at ages 6-7.
Vocabulary Development is the process by which we acquire words, and for many, this is a lifelong affair. By age 5, most children are able to recognize and use 5000+ words.
Comprehension is the ability to read, process, and understand text. Children begin to read and comprehend texts as they reach the ages of 6-7 in the first and second grade.