We teach. Students learn. We follow a scope and sequence and deliver systematic, explicit phonics instruction, and add in some comprehension skills. Many students become successful readers. Illiteracy is addressed, and all seems right in the world.
It sounds simple, right?
As the Reid Lyon data presented in Part 2 of my series shows, the process is relatively straightforward for some students, but for others, it can be far more complex. This article, Part 3 of my series, explores what to do when learning to read is not so simple. Importantly, the solution is not to “give it more time” (the so-called “wait to fail” model), nor to “pass them through” and leave the problem for someone else to solve.
What We Know
To become skilled, independent readers, students must develop both strong decoding skills and strong comprehension skills. A weakness in either area can negatively affect the other, as illustrated in Gough and Tunmer’s Simple View of Reading equation:
The key to understanding this equation is recognizing that it represents multiplication: if either decoding or language comprehension is absent or weak, overall reading comprehension will be significantly impaired. This underscores the need to develop both areas concurrently, rather than prioritizing one over the other. They must grow together, much like parallel lines advancing side by side.
A strong foundation of skills is essential. Advanced reading abilities cannot develop without it. Teachers should integrate new skills into practice while applying them in real reading experiences (Hoover & Tunmer, 2019).
Pinpoint Students in Need
Selecting an effective universal screener is essential for identifying at-risk students and determining their specific areas of need. Ensure adherence to recommended progress monitoring practices and data collection targets. According to The Reading League’s Defining Guide to the Science of Reading (2022), screening measures should focus on the foundational indicators of reading development — particularly phonological awareness, letter-sound correspondence, decoding, and oral reading fluency. Once students are formally identified through these measures, rather than by instinct alone, they become your targeted intervention group.
Review Universal Screeners Here:
Academic Screening Tools Chart
Determine Next Steps Here (page 6):
https://intensiveintervention.org/sites/default/files/DBI_Framework.pdf
Target Areas for Growth
Administering a diagnostic assessment provides deeper insight into the specific skill deficits of your most at-risk students. Priority should be given to identifying gaps in phonological awareness and phonics, as these foundational skills must be firmly established before higher-level reading development can occur. While building language comprehension is also important and can happen concurrently with teacher support, the ability to independently read words is essential for accessing grade-level texts.
Got Data? Now What?
Once you have identified student needs through diagnostic assessment, it is essential to design targeted small-group or individual instruction aligned to those needs.
Effective intervention for decoding difficulties should follow a structured literacy approach, characterized by explicit instruction, systematic skill progression, cumulative review, and ongoing diagnostic assessment.
Educators may design their own structured intervention lessons using research-based frameworks (see Part 1), or implement established approaches that prioritize foundational reading skills. When selecting programs or materials, it is important to ensure alignment with the Science of Reading principles and evidence-based practices.
Helpful resources for designing and delivering effective interventions include:
- What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides (U.S. Department of Education)
- Intensive Intervention Framework (National Center on Intensive Intervention)
- The Reading League’s Science of Reading Defining Guide
For a more detailed model of the Simple View of Reading, see The Cognitive Foundations Framework (Hoover and Tunmer, 2019).
Guiding Principle
Structured intervention is not optional for struggling readers; it is essential for equipping students with the tools they need to become independent, skilled readers.
Diving Deeper
In our next installment, we move beyond the Simple View of Reading to explore what happens when strong, research-based classroom instruction is not enough. Some students, despite explicit phonics and comprehension work, still struggle to achieve mastery. Part 4 will highlight the importance of collecting meaningful data through universal screening and diagnostics, then using that information to target specific areas of need. We will look at how educators can respond to gaps in phonological awareness, phonics, and beyond, ensuring that no student is left to “wait it out” without the intervention they deserve.
References
Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/074193258600700104
Hoover, W. A., & Tunmer, W. E. (2019). The cognitive foundations of learning to read: A framework for preventing and remediating reading difficulties. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 24(1), 75–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2019.1614081
The Reading League. (2022). Science of Reading: Defining Guide. The Reading League.
Available at: https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/
Jenn is a Pennsylvania public school kindergarten teacher with 20 years of experience. She is a 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year finalist and serves as Vice President of the Board for Teach My Kid to Read. Additionally, she is a Board Member of the Pennsylvania International Dyslexia Association and a National Teacher Advisory Board Panelist for McGraw Hill. Jenn is actively involved in literacy advocacy as a member of the PA Literacy Coalition, International Dyslexia Association, The Reading League (National and Pennsylvania chapters), Pennsylvania State Education Association, National Education Association, and Decoding Dyslexia Pennsylvania. She holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading and is Orton-Gillingham Level 1 trained in reading and Basic Concepts trained in math. She is also LETRS trained, having completed all eight units with mastery level. Her professional development includes a microcredential in The Reading Teacher’s Top 10 Tools, completion of Dr. Sally Shaywitz’s Overcoming Dyslexia course, and the PaTTAN PA Science of Reading: Knowledge Course, fulfilling the PA Chapter 49 Structured Literacy amendments. She has additionally completed over 70 other trainings in literacy and structured literacy instruction. Jenn is a structured literacy grant recipient, conference presenter, and a three-time finalist for the Goyen Foundation Fellowship.
