An Examination of Reading Interventions at the Upper Elementary Level

Students of all ages face challenges in their reading and while some challenges begin early in learning to read, other challenges develop as students begin reading more complex texts. However, research into the most effective forms of intervention for students who struggle with reading have focused more on beginning readers in the lower elementary grades. As students enter the upper elementary grades, there are increased demands on foundational reading skills with multisyllabic words, comprehension, and the added pressure of standardized testing. Changing demands on reading skills result in a more diverse need to intervention as students may struggle with foundational reading skills, such as word reading, comprehension, or some combination of skills. The research that follows recounts effective ways to assess students’ reading abilities to determine intervention needs as well as the best ways to implement intervention for students in upper elementary grades through the theoretical lens that students need to be active in constructing their understanding. Following the research, a PLC framework is provided for use by upper elementary teachers and support staff to develop or improve intervention for upper elementary students with considerations for assessment, intervention structure, and instruction. The PLC framework also provides opportunities for reflection rooted in evidence of student growth to allow for ongoing adjustments to intervention to best meet the diverse needs of upper elementary students