Useful Interventions and Programmes

Individual Interventions
Acceleread Accelewrite
Cued Spelling
METRA
Paired Reading
Paired Writing
Structured Peer Tutoring
Toe by Toe
Word Wasp
The Hornet
The Power of Two (Maths)

Useful Websites:

Name of intervention / Acceleread Accelewrite
Description / Use talking word processors to improve reading and writing skills through carefully structured phonic based sentences.
Age group / Suitable for 4 - 14 yr olds KS1, 2, 3
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / At least knowledge of basic phonemes and ability to blend to read and segment to spell cvc words.
Programme / Children read and reread a sentence from a card until they can type it in to a talking computer from memory with accuracy.
Focus of intervention / Reading, spelling and writing skills
Phonological.
Individual / small group / Children work individually in a group of up to 4.
Suggested duration / 20 minutes / day for 4 weeks
Resources needed / Talking word processor; eg: Clicker
Acceleread Accelewrite package includes CD-Rom(electronic manual) perforated, colour-coded flash cards, photocopiable record sheets, along with blank flash cards for you to print off with your own sentences.
Cost (2010) / £42.55
Delivered by / Supervised by TA
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / From following:
phonically regular words;
single word reading;
general reading ability;
reading comprehension;
spelling
Name of intervention / Cued Spelling
Description / Structured procedure for learning to spell words the pupil wishes to spell.
Age group / 7 yrs +
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / Read a bit, know the names and sounds of at least some letters and be able to write legibly.
(Those who can’t write might still be able to use a computer, letter cards or plastic letters.)
Programme / Paired work in spelling based on choosing cues to remember a word
– 3 x 15 minutes / week for 6 weeks.
Pupils identify 5 target words and methods to learn spelling
(HFW, decodable, topic)
10 steps
Focus of intervention / Spelling
Individual / small group / Pairs
Suggested duration / 3 x 15 minutes a week for approximately six weeks
Resources needed / web site:
Flowchart; Diary Sheet; Mnemonic Strategies; Handout Mnemonic Ideas; Handout How To Do It; Abbreviated Procedure; Evaluation Questionnaire (for Peer or Parent Tutor)
Cost (2010) / Not applicable
Delivered by / Adult and child
Child and child
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Standardised Spelling test
HF Words
Name of intervention / METRA
Description / Direct Instruction approach.
Structured, systematic multi-sensory programme. Teaches phonics in the context of reading and writing.
Age group / KS 1, 2, 3
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / Phonic assessment
Programme / The teaching method follows a routine of 'model-lead-check' that ensures success with new learning. Each lesson has the same predictable pattern.
Focus of intervention / Reading and spelling in a systematic phonics programme
Individual / small group / 1:1 or very small group of closely matched ability
Suggested duration / 15 -20 minutes daily
Resources needed / Letter cards / letters
Probes
Instructions
Whiteboard and marker pens; pencil and writing paper/book for each pupil
Cost / Photocopying
Delivered by / Teacher, TA
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Assessment as part of programme
Name of intervention / Paired Reading
Description / Highly structured but simple strategy used to practice reading aloud, first supported and then alone.
Age group / 6 –16 yrs KS1 - KS4
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / None
Programme / The student reads aloud in tandem with an accomplished reader. At a student signal, the helping reader stops reading, while the student continues on. When the student commits a reading error, the helping reader resumes reading in tandem.
Focus of intervention / Reading
Individual / small group / Pairs
Suggested duration / At least 3 times each week for 15-20 minutes
Varying durations – minimum of 6 weeks.
Resources needed / web site:
Reading book
How To Do It ; Method; Planning Proforma; Technique Checklist ; Diary ; Dictionary of Praise; Certificate of Merit; Beyond Paired ReadingHandout; Evaluation Questionnaires
Cost (2010) / Not applicable
Delivered by / Teacher, Parent, TA, volunteer or another pupil.
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Reading test
Name of intervention / Paired Writing
Description / Intervention offers a model of writing process in 6 simple steps:
Ideas/ Draft / Read / Edit / Best copy / Evaluate. Sessions practice a structure and prompts to support this approach to independent writing
Age group / Primary
Secondary
Y1-Y11
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / Pupils with general writing difficulties
Can include target specific skills, decided by CT, based on baseline assessment.
Pupils who need encouragement to writing independently.
Programme / Explicit teaching of how to plan, write and edit writing
Approach can deliver specific target skills decided by Class Teacher
Focus of intervention / Improving general writing skills
Supporting transfer of skills to independent writing tasks in class
Individual / small group / Can work with individual
Suggested 3-4 pairs in a group with adult support
Suggested duration / 20-30 minute sessions
3-4 sessions per week
Run for 6-8 weeks
Resources needed / Work area
Prompts and frameworks available in the package.
Resources/images to stimulate writing and model texts
Cost (2010) / Not applicable
Delivered by / Class Teacher / Teaching Assistant / SENCo
(Supported by more able trained peers, 8year olds+ work with 6year olds+)
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Use of independent writing assessments pre- and post –intervention
Tracking progress against related IEP targets
Progression on the Audit Continuum
APP
Name of intervention / Structured Peer Tutoring / 6-pocket folders
Description / A Direct Instruction approach to improve sight word recognition
tables, number bonds, French Vocabulary
Age group / Primary Secondary
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / Low number of HFW known
Programme / Model, Lead, Test, Review little and often approach.
Fast paced. New learning interleaved with familiar.
Focus of intervention / Sight word recognition sight word recognition
tables, number bonds, French vocabulary
Individual / small group / Pairs
Suggested duration / 5 minutes daily for 6 weeks
Resources needed / 6 pocket folders, timer
Instructions available from Educational Psychology Service
Cost (2010) / Not applicable
Delivered by / Adult (Teacher, TA, parent, volunteer) with pupil
Peer tutors (cross age-older pupil with younger pupil), (same age –mixed ability)
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Measure number of words pre intervention, post intervention
Name of intervention / Toe by Toe
Description / Highly structured multi-sensory reading
Age group / Older primary
Secondary
Entry criteria for selecting pupils / Pupils who guess at unknown words without any serious attempt to decode them.
Programme / Comprehensive synthetic phonics programme that uses repetition to learn the alphabetic sounds in English to allow easy decoding.
Very prescriptive and slow paced.
Focus of intervention / Teaches decoding skills Sounds Word-building
Reading Spelling Phonological.
Individual / small group / 1 : 1
Suggested duration / Daily 15-20 minute session. Most students need about 50 sessions to complete the book, though some take a lot longer as the programme adapts to individual needs.
Resources needed / Toe by Toe Reading Manual
Cost (2010) / £25
Delivered by / Teachers, parents, older pupil
Method of assessment for evaluating progress / Reading Test
Records in book.
NB Slow paced – can be boring for some pupils.
Parents can work through at home if they purchase the book but it is then out of the teacher’s control.