Literacy Intervention Strategies that ALWAYS Work

Need fresh ideas for young readers? If the same old routine doesn’t seem to be working, consider trying a few new literacy intervention strategies!

Renowned teacher Rafe Esquith famously said “Reading is not a subject. Reading is a foundation of life, an activity that people who are engaged with the world do all the time.” With many modern schools establishing reading as a central component of learning, that quote rings true now more than ever. And we’re here to help you build a solid literacy foundation for students as they traverse the world of education.

We need our students to become proficient in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary fluency, and comprehension. Thankfully, evidence-based literacy intervention strategies are within our reach! In this article, we’re going detail a few of the best, and by the end, you’ll have a few extra ideas about how to approach reading with students who need an extra push. Let’s take a look!

Before we begin

Have you ever wondered why literacy interventions for struggling readers dominate educational policy and classroom instruction?

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 37% of U.S. fourth graders do not meet basic levels of reading achievement. Since this study, students have faced major disruptions in their education, due to the pandemic.

As a result, the percentage of students reading below grade level has risen even more. The reading deficit also has the potential to worsen as children continue through their education, but we have the power to intervene and provide effective strategies that aid struggling readers in their development of essential skills for their future success.

Literacy Intervention strategies, tips, and activities

How can you support struggling readers? Whether you’re concerned with child or adult literacy intervention, there is a multitude of highly effective strategies widely used in classrooms across the nation. Finding options is not difficult; however, their effectiveness must be researched before implementing as a literacy intervention.

Remember that consistency is key! The students we identify for reading interventions will require additional practice time, with different types of texts, to build the necessary skills.  Below you will find some research-based literacy interventions you can try today!

Tip #1- Provide Repeated Readings

Provide students with repeated reading opportunities using appropriately leveled reading passages (at a student’s independent reading level). Each passage is read at least three times, focusing on increased fluency, rate, and accuracy. To make this repetitive exercise more motivating and engaging, try including a graph and a timer.  Students can track the number of words read correctly in a minute. This is a fun and rewarding way to watch their reading fluency improve-as well as their confidence! Parents love to see their child’s improvements too!

Tip #2 – Use Flash Cards

Tip #3- Incorporate Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)

PALS is a class-wide peer tutoring program that incorporates strategies such as Paragraph Shrinking. Paragraph Shrinking is a tool used to determine how well students comprehend a reading passage. Partners take turns reading a short passage to their partner and then summarizing the main points.  It is important to pair a struggling reader with a stronger one, so a model is provided first by the stronger reader. This is a fun way to provide a literacy intervention that also allows for reciprocal teaching. 

Final Words

Literacy intervention strategies will remain a prevalent focus as we continue to learn different, effective ways to help our students become fluent and confident readers. Stay informed with important educational content by liking and following the Classroom Camp Facebook page!