The Biggest Mistake We're Making in Literacy Intervention

This is a bold claim - we understand. But here’s the thing we’ve noticed after years of intervention work and years of working with hundreds of literacy interventionists.

The culture of literacy intervention has built up this idea that we have to be perfect to get started. This idea is that if we don’t do everything just so …. our students will suffer. It has led to the idea that there is a “perfect way” to implement effective literacy intervention.

But here’s the thing, for every guru that has one way of teaching a concept, another guru has another way of teaching that same concept. And the crazy thing is - they can both be right.

So let’s start to break down this idea, because…

The biggest mistake we’re making in literacy intervention is creating barriers that stop us from starting where we are.

Are there key principles we need to follow to make sure we’re implementing research-based instruction? Absolutely.

Research has been clear that effective literacy intervention must be explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic-prescriptive based on student needs. Implementing an approach that follows each of these principles is absolutely critical and having someone who can guide you and train you on how to do this can absolutely make a massive difference in the type of intervention you’re providing for your students.

But the problem is - we’ve put up SO MANY barriers. We’ve talked about this before, and we will talk about this again. We need to take down the barriers.

The barriers such as:

It has to be perfect in order for my students to get results.

Says who? We’re not perfect, not even close. We have lessons that go as far from perfect as can be imagined, and you know - our students make incredible growth anyway. Your students will make incredible growth anyway. By just showing up, by just being authentic, and exactly who you are - your students will make growth. And they will learn that they don’t have to be perfect either, and if that’s not the most beautiful lesson we can teach them, then I don’t know what is.

I have to find the best program to target each different component of literacy.

Here’s the thing…it’s not about finding the perfect program in every possible domain and duct-taping them altogether. It’s about connecting with your students, it’s about connecting with their needs. It’s about knowing why certain programs may be really effective in targeting certain areas and then asking better questions of your students no matter what program you’re using. If you’re looking for a program to get results for your students, you’re looking in the wrong place. Instead, remember that it’s not the program or curriculum that creates results - it’s your understanding of your students, your understanding of their needs, and your ability to adapt ANY activity to get them closer to the end goal.

I have to be certified to be effective in literacy intervention.

Really? While lifelong learning and a desire to improve ourselves and know more about how we can support struggling students is a value we should all aspire to - we need to STOP WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO HELP KIDS. Because at the end of the day, we can read all the articles, we can be the best “student” - transferring knowledge from our guru into our brains, and we can know all the theoretical and conceptual aspects of literacy intervention that exist, but until we can actually start working with students, and responding to them as individuals with their own needs and their own distinct learning profiles, we will never actually know. And if we stay stuck, waiting to submit videos, while worrying that we’re doing it all wrong and worrying that we are going to be critiqued about which hand motions we chose to use, students continue to struggle.

The best way to learn to swim is to jump in the pool and swim. Now can you continue to improve by having someone help you along the way?YES!!! But do we wait to start where we are until we’re perfect? NO.

So there you have it - the biggest mistake we’re making … is not making enough mistakes because we’re continuing to put up barriers.

Instead, be creative! Spend more time getting to know your students, learning how to analyze their strengths and struggles, and asking for help from mentors because you WANT it, and not because you NEED it! Stop asking for permission and go out there and make waves and do what it is you were meant to do on this earth!

For more information and next steps, check out our FREE workshop: How to Create Systematic, SOR-Aligned Lesson Plans. This workshop will help you determine what actually needs to be included in a Science of Reading-based lesson, how to build a lesson plan based on the Science of Reading, and how to optimize your lesson plans. Plus, we’ll share our lesson planning guides!