Reading Level 1 interventions

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Are there words in the task (prompt and response) that the student doesn’t know?

• Define and review key vocabulary used in the task.
• Display key vocabulary words and definitions.
• Promote student practice with vocabulary sentence strips, guided notes, response cards, or notecards.

Does the student need additional support with identifying beginning, middle, or ending sounds?

Review the targeted sounds with the student. Use the table below and create your own word cards, or use Bear Bags Word Cards. For example, say the sound /t/ and prompt the student to point to or hold up a word or word/picture card that contains the same beginning sound.

Does the student need additional support with categorizing and sorting words based on beginning, middle, and ending sounds?

Replicate the Bear Bag exercise using pre-printed response cards and the table in the previous intervention, or use Bear Bags Word Cards. Provide the student with three response options (adjust to include more or less options based on student need). Say the word and then prompt the student to choose the word card that has the same sound from the array of 3 options.

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Are there words in the task (prompt and response) that the student doesn’t know?

• Define and review key vocabulary used in the task.
• Display key vocabulary words and definitions.
• Promote student practice with vocabulary sentence strips, guided notes, response cards, or notecards.

Is the student struggling to identify the main idea and key details?

• Provide multiple opportunities to practice completing short sentences.
• Have the student use a graphic organizer or table to organize the main idea and key details.
• Promote student practice by creating the opportunity to complete the sentence in response to pictures, videos, and text.

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Are there words in the task (prompt and response) that the student doesn’t know?

• Define and review key vocabulary used in the task.
• Display key vocabulary words and definitions.
• Promote student practice with vocabulary sentence strips, guided notes, response cards, or notecards.

Does the student require development with interpreting visuals/pictures?

Present pictures of events or actions and ask the student various questions about the picture. Below are some examples of comprehension questions to ask:

• Where is the event taking place?
• Where is the character?
• Who are the characters?
• What is the character doing?
• How does the character feel?
• Which character is the story about?

Does the student require development answering “wh” comprehension questions?

• Present a short text containing 1 to 3 sentences and ask “wh” (who, what, where, when, why, how, which) questions related to the text. Use the Buzz Fly Comprehension Questions Worksheet for this activity.
• Provide multiple opportunities for the student to practice answering “wh” questions in isolation. Notice which “wh” question the student is struggling with. Provide more practice with the type of “wh” questions that the student is demonstrating difficulty with.
• Model or think-aloud how to answer comprehension questions after reading a short passage.

Does the student struggle with attending when listening to a paragraph being read aloud?

• Model reading aloud with correct pace, intonation, and inflection.
• Provide a copy of the text being read. While reading aloud to the student, create stopping points to reflect on what the sentence or group of sentences mean. Use stickers, a marker, and/or sticky notes to mark or annotate important information that will help the student answer comprehension questions.

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Are there words in the task (prompt and response) that the student doesn’t know?

• Define and review key vocabulary used in the task.
• Display key vocabulary words and definitions.
• Promote student practice with vocabulary sentence strips, guided notes, response cards, or notecards.

Does the student require development with sight word recognition?

• Display a high-frequency word wall using the word list provided. Update the word wall frequently.
• Develop a classroom library with high interest texts. Include a variety of reading levels within the library to support all students.
• Use interactive and multi-sensory methods to practice reading words aloud. An example would be saying the word while clapping, snapping, or stomping while saying the word aloud.
• Allow the students to practice the word in isolation by playing matching games or by reading the words on individual notecards.
• Say the sight word aloud and then have the students hold up the pre-printed response card that matches the spoken work.

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Can the student hear the words clearly?

Check the student’s headset, volume controls, and background noise level.

Is the student answering impulsively?

If the student is working quickly and responding without pausing to think through their answers, sit with them as they work through 2-3 words in Magic Rabbit. For each word, ask the student to repeat the word that they heard, blend its sounds, and identify the number of sounds that they heard. Then ask the student to select the missing letter to complete the spelling of the word. Monitor the student as they work independently for 2-3 more words. If they continue to answer impulsively, prompt them to count the sounds that they hear for each word before selecting an answer.

Is the student identifying the correct number of sounds in each word?

Sit with your student as they work through 2-3 words in Magic Rabbit. For each word, ask the student to repeat the word that they heard, blend its sounds, and identify the number of sounds that they heard.

If they do not identify the correct number of sounds, repeat and blend the word slowly, and ask them how many sounds they heard. If they still do not identify the correct number of sounds, tell them the answer and draw Elkonin Boxes for each sound in the word on a piece of paper or whiteboard. Ask the student to name the letters that represent each sound, and write those letters in each box.

Monitor the student as they work independently for 2-3 more words. Encourage them to listen for each sound that they hear. As needed, prompt them to repeat and slowly blend each word that they hear before selecting an answer.

Is the student struggling with a specific phonogram (letter-sound correspondence)?

A phonogram is a letter or a letter combination that represents a sound. (For example, the letter combination [ck] makes the sound /k/). Look at the Errors section in the student’s Progress Report to determine the specific phonograms they are struggling with. Review the sounds of these phonograms with the student.

To review:

1. Write each phonogram on a flashcard.

2. Show the student the phonogram card.

3. Say the phonogram sound or sounds.

4. Have your student repeat the sound or sounds.

Conduct a “speed round” where you point to each phonogram card and ask the student to say its sound. If the phonogram has several sounds, you may give your student a hint by holding up the number of fingers that correspond to the number of sounds (for example, hold up one finger for the phonogram [th]).

Lastly, call out one sound at a time and ask the student to point to the correct phonogram card. (For example: What letters say /th/? What letter says /a/?)  If the student does not identify the correct letter(s), tell them the answer and ask them to repeat it to you. (For example: The letters th make the sound /th/. What letters make the sound /th/?)

Does the student understand the exercise goal/task?

Observe the student as they work through the exercise demo to determine where their understanding may be breaking down. If the student is demonstrating difficulty, take the following steps to help encourage accuracy, confidence, and independence.

1. Set a clear goal.
• Set a goal in student-friendly language prior to beginning the exercise. The goal should be positively stated, written using clear and concise language, and be observable and measurable.
• Review the goal with the student and check for understanding.
2. Introduce and model how the student will monitor their goal.
• Choose or create a self-monitoring chart for students to track their progress over time. Use the chart to motivate, encourage, and allow the student to practice self-monitoring. Include the goal on the self-monitoring chart.
• Explain and model the steps needed to complete and interpret the self-monitoring chart.
• Practice completing and interpreting the self-monitoring chart with the student.
3. Clarify the expectations by modeling and reviewing the specific steps required to complete the exercise.
• Review the steps of the activity with the student.
• Model or explain the steps of the activity.
• Practice completion of the task with the student.
• Encourage the student to explain or show you how to complete the task.
• Monitor independent practice and provide feedback and prompts as needed.

Is the student on task and engaged with the activity?

When a student is struggling to stay on-task and engaged, consider the strategies below as a starting point to increasing student engagement.

• Adjust the pacing or duration of instruction.
• Provide built-in breaks as well as allow the student to request breaks as needed. Involve the student in determining their preferred and most successful work schedule. Some students prefer longer work periods and longer breaks while others prefer shorter work periods and more frequent breaks. Adjust as needed to increase student momentum, success, and confidence.
• Consider student motivation. Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. How to motivate the student is largely dependent on their learning needs, preferences, and reinforcers. Student observation, reinforcer surveys, rapport building, and parent and student questionnaires can be helpful in determining how to increase student motivation.

Are there words in the task (prompt and response) that the student doesn’t know?

• Define and review key vocabulary used in the task.
• Display key vocabulary words and definitions.
• Promote student practice with vocabulary sentence strips, guided notes, response cards, or notecards.

Does the student struggle with sorting by category?

Practice sorting based on different kinds of categories using the Quail Mail Sorting Worksheet. You can use the Quail Mail reports to prioritize the areas that the student needs most help with. Below are some examples to get you started.

• Basic: Sort pictures of… frogs / butterflies / cats
• Superordinate: Sort a kind of… clothing / food / furniture
• Function: Sort things you can use for… writing / lunch / gym class
• Thematic: Sort things you can find in the… kitchen / classroom / playground
• Descriptive Functions: Sort things that you can… clean with / write with / eat with
• Descriptive Features: Sort things that are… fuzzy / smooth / rough
• Linguistic Syntax/Morphology: Sort words for… actions (verbs) / objects (nouns)

Does the student require development with vocabulary acquisition?

• Provide exposure to vocabulary words by creating a word wall that is updated based on the content being taught.

• Facilitate multiple opportunities to read and sort high frequency sight words and words at the student’s instructional and independent learning level.

• Build in practice with vocabulary words related to the content being taught.

• Pair pictures with vocabulary words if the student is struggling to read/identify the written or textual version of the word

Does the student need support with syntax/morphology?

• Utilize sentence starters and guided writing prompts to assist the student with sentence structure and development.
• Encourage multiple opportunities to practice vocabulary words in isolation and in-context.
  • Isolation: The student directly practices words in a reading or sorting activity. Notecards, sorting worksheets, and response cards are strategies that support targeted practice.
  • In-context: Develop a classroom library that is rich in a wide variety of high interest text based on the students’ learning levels.