1. Components of Effective Interventions
Be careful of Standard Protocols. They are “one size fits all interventions” and don’t necessarily target specific weaknesses
Problem solving important—matched with targeted needs, skills, or strategies
Options (always in addition to core)
Covers 2-3 developmentally appropriate reading tasks (20-40 min. daily)
In Research, typical group: 2-5 homogenous
Duration: regroup every 6 weeks
Scripts and lesson plans are recipes
Key Idea: It is important to match effective interventions with the student and the particular type of difficulty they are experiencing. Without this match, it may appear that the student is not benefitting and so is in need of higher level of service, when, in fact, it is the wrong intervention or intervention improperly applied. This could have the negative effect of having a student look disabled, when it is the lack of a good intervention instead.
Personal Notes/Story: Student is having difficulty with reading comprehension due to a language difficulty, but everyone struggling in reading gets an Orton-Gilingham type of phonics instruction. This will not address this student’s deficit and have desired results.
Presenter Tips:
Use: Recipe analogy--Scripts are important for volunteers and or paraprofessionals. Don’t have to follow slavishly; however, the provide guide of how session will go and increase likelihood of implementation. Insert your personality, student needs/motivation
Substitute for baking powder=
Link Standard Protocol to implemented as designed
T’s “6 weeks – I have to wait 6 weeks to refer this kid?” Coach response – “You get to work with this student on strategies to see if they help him progress.”

2. Components of Effective Interventions (cont.)
Correctly targeted
Explicit instruction
Appropriate challenge (controlled difficulty)
High ratio of opportunities to respond
Immediate and specific feedback
With contingent reinforcers
Implemented as designed-dosage, intensity, components, etc.
Here are some further things to think about when planning effective interventions.
Personal Notes/Story:
Presenter Tips:
Burns, VanDerHeyden, & Boice (2008)

3. More Critical Features of Intervention
Capacity to systematically maximize effect of instruction
Documented base of research to support
Matched to needs of students
Includes systematic and explicit instruction
Changes trajectory of performance by focusing on alterable variables (instruction, curriculum, environment)
Aligned with core instruction and grade level standards to increase skills and understandings within core instruction
Continuously evaluated for effectiveness
Student performance
Implementation effort
Implemented as designed
Key Ideas:
Not everyone agrees on the definition of an intervention. While it may be efficient to provide a specific definition there will be a missed opportunity to generate consensus and buy-in. Having a shared understanding, examples and non-examples of what an intervention is and isn’t is critical. If we don’t then we may have adults who are undermining the effectiveness of implementation of those practices or buying in to what we are trying to accomplish—accelerating achievement for all students.
Personal Notes/Story:
Presenter Tips:
The bullets are some examples that can be used to facilitate discussion. They are not intended as a MDE sanctioned definition

4. More Critical Features of Intervention
Documented base of research to support (Scientific Research-Based Interventions or SRBI)
Matched to needs of students
Implemented as designed
Continuously evaluated for effectiveness (groups and individuals)
Key Ideas: Continued
Personal Notes/Story:
Presenter Tips: