Evidence-Based Reading Interventions

The Just Read, Florida! office was tasked in s. 1001.215(8) F.S. to work with the Florida Center for Reading Research to identify scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading instructional and intervention programs that incorporate explicit, systematic and sequential approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and text comprehension and incorporate decodable or phonetic text instructional strategies.

The resources and review tools provided below include interventions studied by independent clearinghouses that have evaluated the existing research on specific interventions to assist educators in making evidence-based decisions when selecting interventions to support instruction for students that have been identified as needing a tiered system of reading support.

A glossary of terms is also available for educators to assist with building a common understanding of language focused on improving reading instruction and intervention.

Florida Statutes

Evidence-Based Reading Intervention Resources and Review Tools

FCRR Reading Program Repository

The Reading Program Repository was established to provide a one-stop shop to support Florida Local Education Agencies (LEAs) with being good consumers of research when selecting reading programs that best meet the needs of their students. The collection of reading programs listed in this repository is based on LEA program selections through the High-Quality Reading Curriculum Grant. The Reading Program Repository will continue to expand, including only programs of interest to Florida LEAs. Each of the programs included in the repository have been reviewed by Evidence for ESSA or the What Works Clearinghouse.

Evidence for ESSA

This source can be referenced when working to identify the level of evidence found for specific reading intervention programs geared towards elementary students (both for beginning reading and upper elementary reading), students in middle and high school and English Language Learners. For each grade level, you will be able to find program designs, evidence ratings, grade level specific interventions, subgroups and other features. The programs are rated with the required scale of strong, moderate and promising. Programs with limited evidence and programs that were found to have insufficient evidence of effectiveness or had no qualifying studies are also listed.

What Works Clearinghouse

The What Works Clearinghouse's (WWC's) Find What Works resource allows users to identify interventions, programs, policies and practices that have been shown to have a positive impact on student outcomes.

National Center on Intensive Intervention

The National Center on Intensive Interventions website provides information on the importance of instructional practices and interventions specific to the student’s need. This site also provides guidance for educators, interventionists and others working with students who struggle with reading in identifying intervention tools, resources, materials, example lessons and evidence-based programs specific to the five components of reading.

Implementing Evidence-Based Literacy Practices Roadmap

This roadmap was developed by the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast in collaboration with the Institute of Education Sciences to help state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) implement evidence-based literacy practices.

An LEA or School Guide for Identifying Evidence-Based Interventions for School Improvement

Glossary of Terms

Differentiation: The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) defines differentiation as the matching of instruction to meet the different needs of learners in a given classroom.
Evidence-based intervention: The Guiding Tools for Instructional Problem Solving (GTIPS-R) defines evidence-based interventions as interventions for which evidence of effectiveness in increasing student learning exists.
Explicit instruction: The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) defines explicit instruction as teacher-led, interactive instruction where the words and actions of the teacher are unambiguous and direct. The teacher begins with a clear explanation of the targeted skill, followed by modeling of the skill. Ample practice opportunities, including guided practice with corrective feedback, supported application and student independent practice using aligned student materials help the student to apply what they have been taught.
Intensive intervention: The Guiding Tools for Instructional Problem Solving (GTIPS-R) defines Tier 3 intensive interventions as the most intense (increased time, narrowed focus, reduced group size) instruction and intervention based upon individual student need provided in addition to and aligned with core and supplemental academic and behavior curriculum and instruction.
Multisensory instruction and intervention: The International Dyslexia Association defines multisensory instruction as involving the use of visual, auditory and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously or sequentially to enhance memory and learning of written language.
Research-based intervention: Research-based interventions are based on information available in the research literature. What Works Clearinghouse is an example of an organization that reviews the existing research on different programs, product, practices, and policies in education.
Sequential and systematic instruction: Both the International Dyslexia Association and the Florida Center for Reading Research offer definitions for sequential and systematic instruction and discuss the importance for instruction being organized so that it follows a logical order and the sequence begins with the easiest and most basic concepts and progresses methodically to more difficult material. Each concept must also be based on those already learned. Concepts must be systematically reviewed to strengthen memory.
Strategy: The Florida PS/RtI project defines a strategy as an instructional action that has definable elements of proficiency and an instructional purpose of appropriateness. A strategy can also be identified as a method, or activity that aids any student in the learning of a skill. Strategies are not tracked and do not provide information for progress monitoring of problem solving decision making. A more detailed description of the difference between a strategy and an intervention can be found on the Understood website.
Targeted intervention: The Guiding Tools for Instructional Problem Solving (GTIPS-R) defines Tier 2 targeted supplemental interventions as a more focused, targeted instruction/intervention in addition to and aligned with the core academic and behavior curriculum and instruction.