Whole-to-Part Targeted Interventions

Word Identification
(Word identification is lowest in profile or tied for lowest with silent reading comprehension.)

RED
Description
Intervention
Focus
Example
Materials &
Methods

Word identification is at a level of primer or lower.

Language comprehension is within 2 levels of grade level.
Development of phoneme-by-phoneme decoding, onset-rime decoding,
and automaticity in word identification through wide reading of very easy
text.
Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use
Wilson
Language!
Or any of the interventions listed for the BLUE group below

BLUE
Description
Intervention
Focus
Example
Materials

Word identification is at a level of primer or lower.

Language comprehension is 2 or more levels below grade level.
Development of phonics using a spelling based approach (e.g., making
words)
Guess the Covered Word for 1st Grade
Making Words for 1st Grade
Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use
Language Experience Approach
Word Wall

GREEN
Description
Intervention
Focus
Example
Materials

Word identification is at the first grade level.

Analogy-based (onset-rime) approaches to reading words.
Two-syllable word decoding.
Development of automaticity in word identification through wide reading
of very easy text.
Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use
Reading/Writing Simple Rhymes: Rhymes with One Spelling Pattern

ORANGE
Description

Intervention
Focus

Example
Materials

Erickson, K. 2015

Word Identification is at the second grade level.

Student is not successful in decoding unknown words with 2 or more
syllables, but may have letter-sound approaches to try to sound out
unknown words.
Teach students to recognize more complex spelling patterns in one and
two syllable words. Teach students to read unknown words using an
analogy-based approach.
Wide reading of text at the 2nd grade or lower to build automaticity in
word identification.
Big Words for Big Kids
Reading/Writing Complex Rhymes: Rhymes with More Than One Spelling
Pattern
Guess the Covered Word for Second Grade

Whole-to-Part Targeted Interventions

PURPLE
Description
Intervention
Focus
Example
Materials
BLACK
Description
Intervention
Focus
Example
Materials

Erickson, K. 2015

Word identification is at the Third or Fourth Grade Level

Teaching strategies to read big words using word parts (prefixes, suffixes
and roots).
Prefixes and Suffixes: Systematic Sequential Phonics and Spelling
Rewards (Sopris West)
Nifty Thrifty Fifty
Word identification is at the Fourth Grade Level or Higher with Silent Reading
at least one level higher
The intervention for this group is much more like the print processing
interventions than word identification. These students can read words - they
have many strategies, but they haven't developed automaticity in word
identification beyond the 4th or 5th grade level.
Start-to-Finish Blue, Core Content, and texts at the 4-5th grade level. Repeated
reading of passages from this level.

Whole-to-Part Targeted Interventions

Language Comprehension Groups

(Listening comprehension is lowest in profile or tied for lowest with any other area.)

ORANGE
Description
Intervention Focus

Example Materials

Listening comprehension is at the primer level of lower.

Teach students to make connections while reading and/or listening
to text. Focus on early text-to-self and text-to-world type
connections. Maximize interactions while reading the text. Use a
variety of listening, echo reading, choral reading, and silent
reading formats.
Primer level (Level E) and lower texts.
Start-to-Finish Literacy Starters - easy books for older readers
Guided Reading a la Fountas & Pinnell with more emphasis on
pre-reading connections to known information.
Tarheelreader.org as a source of very easy materials

GREEN
Description
Intervention Focus

Example Materials

Listening comprehension at the first or second grade level.

Teach students to read and/or listening to increasingly longer
sections of text. Emphasis on setting purpose and allowing
students to read independently to achieve the purpose. Focus on
Main Idea,
Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way
Short texts selections from basals and other sources that can be
read in a single session
Texts at the first grade level or lower.
Some Start-to-Finish Literacy Starters (Enrichment) and Start-toFinish Gold

RED
Description
Intervention Focus
Example Materials

Listening comprehension at the 3rd -4th grade level.

Teach students to read independently for predetermined purposes.
Teach students to: generate their own questions while reading;
summarize; use graphic organizers
Soar to Success
Start-to-Finish Blue
Reading materials at the 3rd grade level and easier.

BLUE
Description
Intervention Focus
Example Materials

Erickson, K. 2015

Listening comprehension at the 5th grade level or higher

Summarization, Graphic Organizers, Character Intentions, Author
Intentions,
Strategies that Work
Reading materials at the 5th grade level and easier.

Whole-to-Part Targeted Interventions

Print Processing Groups

Silent reading comprehension is lowest in profile.

GREEN
Description
Intervention Focus

Example Materials

Silent Reading comprehension is at the 1st grade level or lower.

Provide students with lots of practice with text below the 1st grade
level. Emphasis reading with intonation in oral and silent reading.
Use strategies like repeated readings of easy texts, reading books in
a series, readers theater with silent reading practice, poems in two
voices.
Wide selection of books, poems, song lyrics and
other reading materials at the 1st grade level and lower.
Readers Theater for Building Fluency: Strategies
and Scripts for Making the Most of This Highly Effective,
Motivating, and Research-Based Approach to Oral Reading
Messing Around on the Monkey Bars: and Other
School Poems for Two Voices by Betsy Franco and Jessie
Hartland
Start-to-Finish Literacy Starters

ORANGE
Description
Intervention Focus

Example Materials

Silent reading comprehension is at the 2-3rd grade level

Provide students with lots of practice with text below the 2nd grade
level. Emphasis reading with intonation in oral and silent reading.
Use strategies like repeated readings of easy texts, reading books in
a series, readers theater with silent reading practice, poems in two
voices.
Wide selection of books, poems, song lyrics and
other reading materials at the 2nd grade level and lower.
Reader's Theater Scripts, Grade 2
Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices
I am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices
Start-to-Finish Gold

BLUE
Description
Intervention Focus

Example Materials

Erickson, K. 2015

Silent reading comprehension at the 4th grade level or higher.

Provide students with lots of practice with text below the students
silent reading level. Emphasis reading with intonation in oral and
silent reading. Use strategies like repeated readings of easy texts,
reading books in a series, readers theater with silent reading
practice, poems in two voices.
Wide selection of books, poems, song lyrics and
other reading materials at the
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Start-to-Finish Blue

Whole-to-Part Targeted Interventions

Erickson, K. 2015