I like to try to make things as easy and as simple as possible. Getting ready for reading intervention groups is no different. I need simple steps to help me prepare for pulling students, especially during the crazy, hectic beginning of the school year times.

For me, I assess my students, group them, and begin matching my interventions to their needs.

Assess Your Students

Assessing your students should be the first thing you do when beginning to think about your reading intervention groups. I like to consider the following things when choosing assessments.

  • What skills do I need to assess for my grade level(s)?
  • How long will it take to complete these assessments?
  • When will I complete these assessments?

For me, I like to try to find assessments that I can complete in just a few minutes. I’d like to be able to tell what a student can do in about 5-10 minutes. For reading, I like to start by having students decode words that follow typical spelling patterns and read high frequency words.

Create Groups

Once you’ve assessed your students, I use these steps to create groups.

  1. Gather Assessment Data
  2. Print Planning Page
  3. Organize By Grade Level & Skill
  4. Add Assessment Results
  5. Make Adjustments, If Needed
  6. Try It & Revise

Match Students to Interventions

This is where the magic happens. 😍

Now that you know the present levels and goals of your students, it’s time to open up your closet and start matching students to the interventions available.

  • What interventions do you have available to you?
  • What are your interventions designed to do?
  • What interventions best match the group’s needs?