Intervention can have multiple meanings in an education context however within the context of this resource, we will consider intervention as short-term focused support in specific areas with clear objectives. It can be carried out in small groups with children who have similar needs or on a one-to-one basis.

In some cases, these needs might be gaps in components of reading such as decoding or fluency however for some children, intervention might focus on other aspects of reading, such as extending reading engagement and motivation. Children may have identified reading needs in more than one area so we should consider which to prioritise in terms of focused instruction.

As intervention is short term focused, it is different to the ongoing planned adaptations which an educator makes to their teaching following observation and assessment of pupil progress. These adaptations to planning would be considered as differentiation where an educator tailors input or instruction to meet the needs of a child, group or class. This is explored in more depth within the ‘Responsive planning of universal approaches’ video.

Through dialogue with others, educators must establish a clear understanding of specific needs/barriers before considering an intervention.

Consider what you already know about a child’s reading profile:

• knowledge and skills of reading – the 5 components (vocabulary, phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency) and how they interconnect,
• phonological awareness, concepts of print, and oral language skills,
• background knowledge and experiences – including their reading identity - how they see themselves as a reader, the influences of their family, peers and culture.
• motivation to read, including reading for pleasure and for purpose.

All forms of assessment should support us to better understand the progress and needs of our learners.

Educators often have a range of assessment opportunities and information at their fingertips to build a comprehensive picture of children’s needs. Assessment types will include formative, diagnostic and summative. These assessment types will overlap and it is important to use a range of data to identify a suitable intervention. Relying on just one type of assessment alone will not provide enough insight into a child’s reading needs when considering an intervention.

There are a number of potential barriers to reading and associated behaviours we may observe through assessment:

• phonological awareness
• comprehension
• oral language
• sensory impairment – sight, hearing
• decoding
• working memory
• attention/concentration
• motivation and engagement

This list is not exhaustive and as mentioned already, children may require support in multiple areas. More details on these areas and associated behaviours are explored in the accompanying video.

Developing understanding of a child’s needs and barriers relies upon partnerships with colleagues and families, and most importantly children themselves. This is particularly relevant in the context of interventions, where children and their families should view the process as being done ‘with’ them rather than ‘to’ them (Cameron et al, 2022).

When selecting, planning, delivering, and evaluating interventions, it is crucial to involve and collaborate with a range of people. As mentioned above, this includes the children and their families, as highlighted in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as various colleagues such as practitioners, support staff, allied health professionals, or specialist teams where appropriate.

Knowing and understanding the child and their reading profile is important in selecting effective targeted interventions. The Strathclyde Three Domains model (Ellis and Rowe, 2020) is a useful tool which encourages educators to reflect on a child’s cognitive skills and knowledge, such as decoding and fluency, alongside their cultural and social capital, and their reading identity and motivation. More details on the model can be found within the video.

In the context of this resource, we describe a research or evidence informed intervention as one in which the pedagogical approaches adopted are based on high quality research or evidence. In some cases, schools may buy commercial interventions. In other cases, educators may use interventions which have been developed or adapted at local authority level to take account of existing approaches or systems.

Our decision to choose a particular intervention may be partly based on data gathered from a research study however we may also use school-based evidence from practical experience or local level data.

Before selecting an intervention, it's crucial to reflect on how well it matches with your group or individual child, the school context, and resources available for implementation (International Literacy Association, 2024).

The questions below will support teams to reflect on the planning, delivery and evaluation of interventions.

• Who will oversee and deliver the intervention?
• What are the key principles or non-negotiables?
• What are the aims and/or targets of the planned intervention?
• When and where will it take place?
• How will the intervention link to day-to-day teaching in classroom/setting?
• Will there be opportunities for quality assurance? - e.g. training and ongoing development
• Are there scheduled opportunities to monitor and evaluate progress through discussion and reflection?
• When and why is data collected? How will the data gathered inform next steps for the child?
• Do those implementing and delivering the intervention have a clear understanding of progress and what this will look like?

These reflective questions are based on reading from the Education Endowment Foundation (2020; 2021), International Literacy Association (2024), and Bradford Research School (2018; 2019). Please see full reference list below.

Please watch the accompanying video for further detail and explanation around these questions.

The rationale for chosen interventions should be based upon the context and needs of the child

Education Endowment Foundation (2020). Improving literacy in key stage 1.

International Literacy Association (2024). Selecting a Literacy Intervention and Planning for Implementation: A Guide. Reading Teacher, 77(6), 949-957.

Nation, K. (2019) Children’s reading difficulties, language, and reflections on the simple view of reading. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 24(1), 47–73.

Such, C. (2021) Chapter 18: Literacy interventions: Putting theory into practice. In The art and science of teaching primary reading (pp. 115- 117). Sage Publications Ltd.

Through dialogue with others, establish a clear understanding of specific needs/barriers before considering an intervention

Addressing Dyslexia Scotland (2024). The Reading Circle, Addressing Dyslexia.

Cameron, C., Smith, A., & Brown, S. (2022) Understanding the value of parental engagement through pupil voice in a Scottish Primary School. Education 3-13.

Education Endowment Foundation (2020). Improving literacy in key stage 1.

General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). (n.d.). A guide to the professional standards. GTCS.

Nation, K. (2019). Children’s reading difficulties, language, and reflections on the simple view of reading. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 24(1), 47–73.

National University Health System. (n.d.). Reading difficulty in children. National University Health System.

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Common types of reading problems and how to help children who have them.

Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2011). Interventions for children's language and literacy difficulties. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 46(4), 468-479.

UNICEF UK. (n.d.). UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF UK.

Ensure decisions around chosen interventions are research-informed and appropriate to your school context

Education Scotland. (n.d.). The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Scots law | Professional learning blog.

Ellis, S., & Rowe, A. (2020). Literacy, social justice and inclusion: A large-scale design experiment to narrow the attainment gap linked to poverty. Support for Learning, 35(4), pp.418 - 439.

Ellis, S., & Smith, V. (2017). Assessment, teacher education and the emergence of professional expertise. Literacy, 51(2), 84-93.

Education Endowment Foundation. (n.d.). Teaching and learning toolkit.

International Literacy Association (2024). Selecting a literacy intervention and planning for implementation: A guide. Reading Teacher, 77(6), 949-957. (p.953).

Evidence 4 Impact. (n.d.). Effective educational intervention database.
The School Psychology Service (2020). What works for literacy difficulties (6th ed.).

Understand the purpose of a chosen intervention, how to implement it effectively and evaluate its impact

Bradford Research School. (2018). Literacy interventions part 1: Choosing interventions. Bradford Research School.

Bradford Research School. (2019). Literacy interventions part 2: Delivering interventions. Bradford Research School.

Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Implementation guidance report.
Education Endowment Foundation (2020). Improving literacy in key stage 1.

Education Endowment Foundation (2021). One to one tuition. Education Endowment Foundation.

International Literacy Association (2024). Selecting a literacy intervention and planning for implementation: A guide. Reading Teacher, 77(6), 949-957.

Portsmouth Local Offer. (n.d.). Supporting CYP with Reading Difficulties.

Rohrer, D. (2012). Interleaving helps students distinguish among similar concepts. Educational Psychology Review, 24, 355-367.

Such, C. (2021). The art and science of teaching primary reading (pp. 115- 117). Sage Publications Ltd.

Such, C. (2021). The art and science of teaching primary reading (pp. 118 - 121). Sage Publications Ltd.