Research-Based Reading Interventions for Elementary Students

Literacy skills developed in elementary school set the stage for children’s academic journey and lifelong learning. Foundational reading skills, including decoding, fluency, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension, are essential for success in all content areas. In addition to enabling students to derive meaning from text and develop critical thinking, strong literacy skills can foster a love of reading and a lifetime of intellectual curiosity. So, when students fall behind in reading, the effects can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Implementing research-based reading interventions for elementary students as soon as possible can put students back on track. If you’re teaching upper grades, check out our middle and high school reading intervention strategies.

Importance of Reading Intervention for Elementary Students

The importance of reading intervention for elementary students cannot be overstated. Stepping in with the right strategies can prevent long-term reading difficulties which impact all areas of learning. Interventions can also help students build confidence and maintain a positive attitude toward learning. A successful intervention can make a significant impact on a child’s entire educational experience.

6 Elementary Reading Intervention Strategies 

To be most effective, reading intervention strategies for elementary students need to match the specific needs of learners. However, there are six strategies that underpin many successful interventions, whether students need acceleration toward a specific learning goal, small-group targeted support, or intensive individualized instruction. According to the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University, research-validated reading interventions are built on the following strategies:

• Systematic Instruction: Carefully planning and sequencing lessons that build on one another, moving from simple to more complex skills and concepts

• Explicit Instruction: Teaching a specific skill or concept by using direct language, identifying learning expectations, highlighting important details, providing precise instructions, and connecting new learning to previously learned material
• Immediate Corrective Feedback: Providing feedback as soon as possible following the performance of an activity to inform students when and how a response is inaccurate and to correct understanding of the skill or concept
• Frequent Review: Revisiting a skill or concept over time to assess understanding and mastery and to ensure that the skill is maintained
• Opportunities to Practice: Helping students to build mastery and maintain previously mastered skills through guided and independent practice
• Scaffolded Instruction: Including instructional supports to enhance students’ learning and aid in mastery

In addition to these instructional strategies, students experiencing reading difficulties require an approach that matches their specific level of need. With response to intervention (RTI), schools use universal screening, tiered interventions, progress monitoring, and data-driven decision making to identify and support students who are not making adequate progress. RTI sits within the larger framework of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), which includes three tiers:

• Tier 1 (Core Instruction): This tier involves high-quality, evidence-based instruction and support provided to all students for optimal learning outcomes.
• Tier 2 (Targeted Interventions): This tier addresses specific needs identified through ongoing assessments and progress monitoring. Students who require additional support receive targeted interventions in small groups.
• Tier 3 (Intensive Interventions): This tier provides intensive and individualized support for students who continue to struggle despite targeted interventions. This may include instruction provided by specialists or special education professionals.

While Tier 1 interventions can be done, they typically only occur when 80% or more of a class is not meeting a learning goal and a generalized intensification of instruction is required. What is more commonly needed in Tier 1 is differentiation. The goal of accelerated growth is what distinguishes intervention from differentiation. While differentiation embeds individualized instruction to help all students achieve learning goals and stay on track, intervention focuses on grade-level catch-up growth to get students back on track. For this reason, we’ll focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention recommendations.

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, conducted a comprehensive review of the research available on using response to intervention to help elementary students succeed at reading. (Here’s the WWC’s report on HMH’s Read 180 intervention program.) The WWC’s review produced several research-based instructional recommendations, two of which specifically address Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Let’s take a look at these recommendations now.

Tier 2 Reading Interventions for Elementary

The WWC’s recommendation for Tier 2 of RTI reading interventions for elementary students is to “provide intensive, systematic instruction on up to three foundational reading skills in small groups to students who score below the benchmark on universal screening.”

The report further states that “Tier 2 instruction should take place in small homogenous groups ranging from three to four students using curricula that address the major components of reading instruction (comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary). The areas of instruction are based on the results of students’ scores on universal screening. Instruction should be systematic—building skills gradually and introducing skills first in isolation and then integrating them with other skills. Explicit instruction involves more teacher-student interaction, including frequent opportunities for student practice and comprehensible and specific feedback. Intensive instruction should occur three to five times per week for 20 to 40 minutes.”

Steps for implementing the Tier 2 recommendation:

1. Use a curriculum that addresses the components of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency) and relates to students’ needs and developmental level.
2. Implement this program three to five times a week, for approximately 20 to 40 minutes.
3. Build skills gradually and provide a high level of teacher-student interaction with opportunities for practice and feedback.

Progress monitoring is essential in Tier 2. Assessment and observational data are needed to regroup students, complete interventions, or move students who are not making progress into Tier 3.

Tier 3 Reading Interventions for Elementary

WWC’s recommendation for Tier 3 of RTI reading interventions for elementary students is to “provide intensive instruction on a daily basis that promotes the development of the various components of reading proficiency to students who show minimal progress after reasonable time in Tier 2 small group instruction.”

The report further states that “instruction should be intensified by focusing on fewer high priority reading skills during lessons and scheduling multiple and extended instructional sessions. One-on-one or small-group instruction also provides intensity as students have more opportunities to practice and respond. One-on-one instruction includes giving students feedback based on their individual responses, teaching students to mastery based on individual learning progress, and planning instruction with materials and an instructional sequence that meets individual student needs.”

Steps for implementing the Tier 3 recommendation:

1. Implement concentrated instruction that is focused on a small but targeted set of reading skills.
2. Adjust the overall lesson pace so instruction is slow and deliberate.
3. Schedule multiple and extended instructional sessions daily.
4. Include opportunities for extensive practice and high-quality feedback with one-on-one instruction.
5. Ensure that students master a reading skill or strategy before moving on.

Progress monitoring is needed in Tier 3 to assess effectiveness and determine whether the reading intervention program needs to be refined to enhance growth.

Tips for Implementing Reading Intervention in Elementary Schools

Effective elementary reading intervention requires careful planning and thoughtful strategies. Here are some tips to guide the implementation of reading intervention:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Start with a thorough assessment of each student's reading skills. Use data to identify specific strengths and areas in need of improvement. NWEA's MAP Growth, for instance, measures achievement in K–12 reading and provides actionable evidence to inform instructional strategies.
• Set Clear Goals: Establish clear goals for each student based on their individual needs. Goals aligned with reading benchmarks should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. 
• Frequent Progress Monitoring: Regularly assess and monitor students' progress. Use formative assessments to gauge their understanding and adjust the intervention as needed. Be flexible and willing to adjust interventions based on ongoing assessments. If a particular strategy is not yielding the desired results, consider modifying the approach. For teachers using Read 180 intervention program, the Program Activity Report (PAR) provides data on student performance and utilization metrics, such as completed topics, sessions, and session duration.
• Create a Positive Learning Environment: Foster a supportive atmosphere during intervention sessions. You can start by building a strong classroom community using these six strategies. Encourage a love for reading by making the learning experience enjoyable and engaging. You might create a cozy space in the classroom for reading, and build a library that reflects students' interests and includes diverse and inclusive books. 
• Involve Parents and Caregivers: Keep parents informed about the intervention process. Provide resources and suggestions for supporting their child's reading development at home. Practicing reading out loud at home can support reading fluency interventions. For access to a library of resources in English and Spanish that provide families and caregivers the tools they need to support their child’s learning, HMH educators can visit Family Room on our learning platform Ed.
• Utilize Technology: Incorporate technology-based tools and resources. When aligned with intervention goals, educational apps and online reading programs can enhance the learning experience and increase engagement. HMH's Read 180 student application provides adaptive practice, immediate feedback, progress tracking, among other benefits.
• Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge the achievements and progress of students. Positive reinforcement boosts motivation and creates a more positive attitude toward reading. That's why the Read 180 intervention program provides teachers with a variety of certificates for celebrating students' reading milestones, from showing perseverance to reading books in a range of genres to moving up a level.  

Literacy skills influence learning across all domains, and elementary students who face reading challenges are susceptible to enduring setbacks. Implementing reading intervention strategies for elementary students at the earliest opportunity can make a profound and lasting impact on the lives of these children.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.

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Explore how Read 180, developed using the latest cognitive neuroscience, can help students in Grades 3–12 gain up to two years average growth in one year.