We know as educators how important it is to reteach, yet intervention time seems to be the hardest time of day to plan. As a literacy and math coach, I have had several discussion with teachers on this very subject. Here are the common pain points surrounding intervention:
- I have all of this data…what do I do with it?
- There is simply no time during the day for intervention. How do I fit in all of the things?
- How do I make small group learning manageable? I don’t have time to prep every center.
- How do I keep behaviors in check during this time?
If you find yourself asking any of these questions, you’re in the right place! In this blog post, we will address or maybe even eliminate these roadblocks to your intervention time.
Pain Point #1: Scheduling
Intervention needs a dedicated slot of time during the school day. This may see near impossible, but trust me…it is completely doable! The key is to not look at this time as “wasted time”. The students not receiving intervention should be working on assignments or projects where they need more time (i.e. PBL projects, writing assignments, challenge projects, etc.). I know what you are thinking…won’t my intervention students need time for those assignments too? Yes, but you can weave those assignments into your small group instruction or even have them work on them while you are meeting with another group.
I don’t call this block WIN time for nothing! For those of you not familiar, WIN stands for “What I Need”. For me, this is differentiation time. It can also be called RTI, or Response to Intervention/Instruction. Regardless, this is the time to meet with students who have not met the standards.
| Time | Block |
| 8:00-8:20 | Morning Work or Reading Workshop |
| 8:20-9:20 | Math |
| 9:20-10:20 | ELA |
| 10:20-10:40 | Recess |
| 10:40-11:40 | Intervention / WIN |
| 11:40-12:00 | Read Aloud |
| 12:00-12:40 | Lunch |
| 12:40-1:40 | Social Studies or Science |
| 1:40-2:30 | Special (art, music, PE, etc.) |
Pain Point #2: Planning Time
The key to a successful intervention block is making it manageable. Make sure that whatever activities you choose, they are easy to implement and do not require a lot of ongoing prep time. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned over the years:
- Laminate, laminate, laminate! A laminator is your new best friend. I recommend prepping reading games or math games that can either be easily copied or laminated. This allows for easy prep or no prep at all. The best part about it is that once laminated, students can use dry erase markers to reuse the materials over and over again. The games will last you for years!
- Use online programs. There are so many online programs that provide engaging lessons and activities. These programs are not “busy work” but rather allow students to continue progressing and learning even when you are with another group. Click here to learn about by top 5 programs.
- Differentiate to meet the needs of ALL learners. Even if you teach whole group regularly, having this WIN/RTI time allows you to consistently meet with the students who need you the most. Your other students, however, should be working at their levels as well. Read more about differentiated instruction here. Perhaps students who are currently meeting ELA standards continue to practice those standards using Nearpod while those who need a challenge work in their Book Clubs.
- Use this time as “extra work time” as needed. If your class needs to work on their PBL projects in social studies, use this block of time. If your class needs to revisit their narrative stories, use this block of time. Although I do not recommend only using this chunk of time as “independent work” time, I do think it is beneficial to have that option. Wiggle room in your day is always a good idea!
What would really save you time? Getting resources that are ready-to go! Browse the resources below. They are perfect for both math and literacy centers.
CVC Word Center Ideas
| Station | Level | Activity | Prep |
| Small Group Instruction | Intervention | Elkonin Word Lists | Laminate |
| Group Game | ALL Levels ALL Levels | BINGO Board Game | Laminate Laminate |
| Independent Practice or Partner Work | ALL Levels | CVC Worksheets | Copy |
| Tech Time | Grade Level or Intervention | Nearpod: CVC | Share Link |
Phonics Center Ideas
| Station | Level | Activity | Prep |
| Small Group Instruction | ALL Levels ALL Levels | Literacy Center Packets: Long Vowels Literacy Center Packets: Consonant Digraphs | Copy Copy |
| Group Game | COMING SOON | COMING SOON | COMING SOON |
| Independent Practice or Partner Work | ALL Levels | Fluency Passages | Copy |
| Tech Time | ALL Levels | Nearpod: Consonant Digraphs & Long Vowels Nearpod: R-Controlled BOOM: Diphthongs | Share Link |
Fluency & Comprehension Center Ideas
| Station | Level | Activity | Prep |
| Small Group Instruction | Intervention | Fluency Passages (up to 2nd grade level for perfect for upper grade intervention) | Copy or Laminate |
| Independent Practice or Partner Work | ALL Levels Grade Level | Nonfiction Back to School Packet Holidays Around the World Nonfiction Packet | Copy Copy |
| Tech Time | COMING SOON | COMING SOON | COMING SOON |
Fractions Center Ideas
| Station | Level | Activity | Prep |
| Small Group Instruction | COMING SOON | COMING SOON | COMING SOON |
| Group Game | COMING SOON | COMING SOON | COMING SOON |
| Independent Practice or Partner Work | ALL Levels | Equivalent Fractions Worksheets | Copy |
| Tech Time | Any Level (depends on grade taught) Any Level (depends on grade taught) | Nearpod: Adding & Subtracting Fractions Nearpod: Dividing Fractions | Share Link Share Link |
Pain Point #3: Classroom Management
Small group learning, particularly intervention, can be difficult to manage. I get it! No matter what age group you are teaching, it can be challenging to work effectively with a group of students and keep the rest of the class engaged. The good news is that I have a few tricks I have learned over the years that will help make this intervention block a success. Many of these tips came from my favorite professional development books. Read more on the blog!
- Task Board: I have a section in my room where I post their assignments during our intervention block. At the start of the year, I train the students to look to the board and complete the three tasks in order. Make sure that the last task is ongoing. An educational game or online program work great! Alternatively, you can use an “Extra Time Chart”, where you can list assignments and projects that students need to finish. Read more about this chart in the next bullet.
- Extra Time Chart: This is often called a “must do, may do list”. In my classroom, we call it the E.T. Chart. Students work on the assignments listed on the E.T. Chart whenever they finish any given task., including the first two tasks of our intervention block. The chart is divided into three sections: red, yellow, and green. The red portion is for assignments that are mandatory. For us, they are also the assignments that are due by Friday. Students who finish all of their work by Friday, are invited to “Fun Friday”, which is 30 minutes of free time and/or game time. The yellow portion lists 2-3 ongoing practice assignments. It could be independent reading, journal writing, or a lesson from an online platform. The choice is yours! The green section is comprised of fun, educational games and activities. This is essentially free choice for students who have finished everything. (I highly recommend including educational items.) I have found that it is best to have some way to hold the students accountable. For example, they can move their student number on a chart to show which section (red/yellow/green) they are currently working on.
- Post-it notes for small group learning: Imagine this…you have planned an engaging small group lesson. You have your materials ready and have finally set aside time for dedicated intervention. You call over your most at-risk students and begin teaching. As soon as you have their undivided attention, another student walks up and has a question. It turns out they just needed another pencil. Uugh! You begin teaching again, and a different student walks up because s/he needs to use the restroom. And so the cycle continues…Before you know it, your intervention time has ended and you never even taught the core part of the lesson. We’ve all been there. Two solutions: one is post-it notes. The other I will discuss next… First, post-it notes! During small group time, have a pad of post-its and pencils nearby. Students may write a question on the post-it, and place it next to you. They then return to their desks until you are ready to answer the questions. (They should be working during this time.) This is a life-saver! I know what you’re thinking…won’t students be constantly writing on post-its? There is a way to avoid this! Read on!!!
- Hand gestures: This is an oldie but a goodie. Use hand gestures so students can quietly ask to use the restroom, drink water, ask a question, make a comment, etc. This way, you can silently excuse students by simply waving your hand, pointing, or nodding your head. This will prevent your teaching from being constantly interrupted. This is true for both whole group and small group learning.
Now that we have addressed some of the most common hurdles, I hope you feel ready to start your own intervention block. As always, I love collaborating and would be more than happy to work with you to help you get started. Join my email list, and email me your questions!
Next time, we will take a deeper dive into intervention, and discuss how to prep, implement, and assess small group instruction. Stay tuned and keep learning!