Reading Intervention Programs: A Comparative Chart

By: Corrie Kelly (2011)

Educators work tirelessly to meet the academic needs of all students. An important part of instruction for struggling students is the use of the right intervention at the right time. With so many packaged intervention programs out there, it is difficult to keep up with them all.

Intervention programs for five components of literacy (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary) are included in the tables below. Columns within the matrix indicate the appropriate RTI tiers, approximate grade levels, most effective instructional format, instructional technology, embedded assessment, and related article or instructional strategy connections. (Find more information about Response to Intervention and the characteristics of the tiers in this article.)

Many of the programs listed below have been reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse and research centers such as the Florida Center for Reading Research and the Best Evidence Encyclopedia. Several also appear on statewide recommended intervention lists. Multiple research studies have demonstrated that the intervention programs listed below are capable of producing positive academic effects.

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Key to the charts

RTI Tier

Tier 1: This program is supplemental and is meant to enhance the core program for all students.

Tier 2: This program is to be used to prevent or remediate skill deficits for students who are somewhat below grade level.

Tier 3: This program is to be used intensively for students who are significantly below grade level.

GL: Grade Level

These are the grade level(s) in which a program will be most useful and has been proven to be effective.

IF: Instructional Format

This is the instructional format for the program:

1:1 with a licensed teacher or specialist

1:1 with a teacher, paraprofessional, or volunteer

Small group tutorials

IT: Instructional Technology

This program offers instructional technology. Some of the programs listed use technology as the main source of instruction, while others offer instructional technology as a supplement to the program.

EAP: Embedded Assessment Piece

This program offers an embedded assessment piece.

Related articles and strategies

Learn about instructional classroom strategies and resources that support phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

Phonemic Awareness

	RTI Tier	GL	IF	IT	EAP	Contact and Purchasing Information	Related multimedia	Related articles and strategies
Build Up Kit Complete	2,3	K-6			X	http://bit.ly/rbq2NE	None available	Rhyming Games
Early Reading Intervention	2,3	K,1			X	http://bit.ly/goMlhM	None available	Phonological Awareness
Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)	2,3	K,1				http://bit.ly/Ink2r	http://bit.ly/gnrbdM	Using Peer Tutoring to Facilitate Access
Funnix	1,2,3	K-2		X		http://bit.ly/hvjKnQ	http://bit.ly/4rXSRp	Computer-Assisted Instruction and Reading
Phonemic Awareness in Young Children	1,2,3	PreK-1			X	http://bit.ly/hNwkAC	http://bit.ly/3OpFc4	Phonemic Awareness
Voyager Passport	2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/gN1HVu	None available	Phonemic Awareness in Young Children
Road to the Code	1,2,3	K,1			X	http://bit.ly/g0gYBA	None available	Top 10 Resources on Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Waterford	2,3	K-2		X	X	http://bit.ly/h0ModW	http://bit.ly/eQSY28	Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
FOCUS	1,2	K-2		X	X	http://bit.ly/iaJbJK	None available	How Now Brown Cow: Phoneme Awareness Activities

Phonics

	RTI Tier	GL	IF	IT	EAP	Contact and Purchasing Information	Related multimedia	Related articles and strategies
Corrective Reading	2,3	1,2,3			X	http://bit.ly/18Qq0r	http://bit.ly/gpcBRe	Phonics Strategies
Touchphonics	2,3	K-5				http://bit.ly/flHvc0	http://bit.ly/2Bp2U3	Reading Methods for Students with LD
Headsprout	2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/XzGNR	http://bit.ly/hL0ipI	Assistive Technology Glossary
Project Read: Phonics	2,3	K-2		X	X	http://bit.ly/eLHibJ	http://bit.ly/hDALQQ	Phonics Strategies
Read Well	2,3	K-3		X	X	http://bit.ly/gsQPEu	http://bit.ly/dTuaWw	Phonics: Watch & Learn
Saxon Phonics	1,2,3	K-3			X	http://bit.ly/fZKU5K	http://bit.ly/dIPIdk	Phonics Instruction
SIPPS	2,3	K-5			X	http://bit.ly/futUWU	http://bit.ly/futUWU	The Alphabetic Principle
Build Up Kit-Complete	2,3	K-6			X	http://bit.ly/rbq2NE	None available	Phonics Strategies
Kaleidoscope	1,2,3	K-4			X	http://bit.ly/o7qNgE	None available	Best Practice for ELLs: Small-Group Interventions
Phonics for Reading	1,2,3	1-5			X	http://bit.ly/ehkYH9	None available	Phonics Strategies
Reading Mastery- Fast Cycle	2,3	K-3			X	http://bit.ly/dWr1YM	http://bit.ly/gAJowt	A Tale of Two Schools
Voyager Passport	2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/gN1HVu	None available	Reading 101: Phonics
Waterford	2,3	K-2		X	X	http://bit.ly/eGgK0Y	http://bit.ly/gyjOTd	Phonics: Watch & Learn

Fluency

	RTI Tier	GL	IF	IT	EAP	Contact and Purchasing Information	Related multimedia	Related articles and strategies
Read Naturally	2,3	2-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/5EQlog	http://bit.ly/evb5Q7	Reading 101: Fluency
Great Leaps	2,3	1-5			X	http://bit.ly/fNVomc	None available	Fluency articles
Quick Reads	2,3	2-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/dMlPuJ	http://bit.ly/fq8a52	Fluency: Instructional Guidelines and Student Activities
Corrective Reading- level a	2,3	1-4			X	http://bit.ly/18Qq0r	http://bit.ly/gpcBRe	Classroom Strategies: Fluency
Open Court	1,2,3	1-5		X		http://bit.ly/6dL6Qt	http://bit.ly/e0eWBy	Classroom Strategies: Fluency
Read Well	2,3	K-3		X	X	http://bit.ly/gsQPEu	http://bit.ly/dTuaWw	Developing Fluent Readers
Voyager Universal Literacy System	1,2	K-3		X	X	http://bit.ly/dFw8tc	None available	Two Methods for Developing Fluency
Horizons Fast Track	2,3	3-8			X	http://bit.ly/hNpjiw	None available	What Works in Fluency Instruction

Comprehension

	RTI Tier	GL	IF	IT	EAP	Contact and Purchasing Information	Related multimedia	Related articles and strategies
Comprehension Plus	1,2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/huLC0U	None available	Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension
Comprehension Strategy Posters	1,2,3	K-5				http://bit.ly/eE3UAx	http://bit.ly/bpaU5s	Tell Me About the Story: Comprehension Strategies for Students with Autism
Harcourt Accelerated Reading Instruction	1,2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/epRBvY	http://bit.ly/fopevy	Instruction of Metacognitive Strategies Enhances Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Achievement of Third-Grade Students
Kaleidoscope	1,2,3	K-4			X	http://bit.ly/o7qNgE	None available	Key Comprehension Strategies to Teach
Soar to Success	1,2,3	1-5			X	http://bit.ly/dMcv85	None available	Classroom Strategies: Comprehension
Voyager Passport	1,2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/gN1HVu	None available	Classroom Strategies: Comprehension
Voyager Universal Literacy System	1,2	K-3		X	X	http://bit.ly/dFw8tc	None available	Classroom Strategies: Comprehension
Waterford	2,3	K-2		X	X	http://bit.ly/eGgK0Y	http://bit.ly/gyjOTd	Classroom Strategies: Comprehension

Vocabulary

	RTI Tier	GL	IF	IT	EAP	Contact and Purchasing Information	Related multimedia	Related articles and strategies
Language for Learning	2,3	K-5			X	http://bit.ly/re25MZ	http://bit.ly/e5EJT4	Reading 101: Vocabulary
Vocabulary for Achievement	2,3	3-5			X	http://bit.ly/gne3oL	None available	Teaching Vocabulary
Accelerated Vocabulary	1,2,3	K-6				http://amzn.to/hraeQa	None available	Target the Problem: Vocabulary
Breakthrough to Literacy	1,2,3	K-4			X	http://bit.ly/g4gF5r	None available	Classroom Strategies: Possible Sentences
Kaleidoscope	1,2,3	K-4			X	http://bit.ly/o7qNgE	None available	Classroom Strategies: Word Maps
Language for Thinking	1,2,3	2-6			X	http://bit.ly/re25MZ	None available	Vocabulary Instruction for Reading Comprehension
Read Well	2,3	K-5		X	X	http://bit.ly/gsQPEu	http://bit.ly/dTuaWw	Classroom Strategies: Vocabulary
Voyager Passport	1,2,3	K-8		X	X	http://bit.ly/gN1HVu	None available	Vocabulary articles