Synopses & Reviews
Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos
Interventions That Work:
A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Preventing Reading Failure in Grades K–3
Celebrated literacy experts Linda Dorn and Carla Soffos guide teachers and administrators in implementing effective reading interventions with their Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM). The framework is based on years of research and features a series of small group instructional strategies designed to prevent reading failure in the early grades.
Paired with the five-part DVD series, A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Preventing Reading Failure in Grades K–3 provides training and support for teachers in learning about small groups as an intervention. Each of the DVDs—Guided Reading Plus Group (Grades 1–3), Assisted Writing Group (kindergarten to Grade 3), Comprehension Focus Group (Grades 4–8), Content Strategy Group (Grades 5–12), and Using Data for Progress Monitoring (Grades K–8)—include two disks of classroom video and resources along with a Facilitator’s Guide and can be used as a Response to Intervention method.
“Dorn and Soffos seamlessly integrate teaching, assessment, and professional development. Their model has been burnished by years of field-testing in a wide range of contexts. Interventions that Work provides the conceptual framework, the practical details, the tools, and the necessary understanding of literacy, teaching and learning. For educators looking for a comprehensive approach to ensuring children’s literacy learning success, Interventions That Work is indispensable.”
- Peter Johnston, State University of New York at Albany
“This is the book I've been waiting for! Linda Dorn and Carla Soffos have provided a true guide to literacy intervention within a systemic approach. The book is grounded in their years of research and instruction and provides both practical and visionary guidance to teachers and administrators who want to make a difference for young readers and writers. Despite many volumes on intervention and RtI, there are remarkably few that provide specific information about literacy instruction and assessment. In this book you will find concrete examples of successful frameworks, schedules, and tools. It is so full of great ideas that I know I will return to it again and again!”
- Marjorie Lipson, University of Vermont
Linda J. Dorn is a Professor of Reading Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she is Director of the Center for Literacy. She has over 30 years of teaching experience, including teaching at the elementary and intermediate levels. She has published numerous articles on literacy acquisition, and she has co-authored four professional books: Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing; Scaffolding Young Writers: A Writing Workshop Approach; Shaping Literate Minds: Developing Self-Regulated Learners; and Teaching for Deep Comprehension: A Reading Workshop Approach.
Carla Soffos is a literacy coach and Reading Recovery teacher leader at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has twenty-six years of experience in education, including teaching in the primary grades and literacy coaching in grades kindergarten to eighth. She is co-author of three books, Shaping Literate Minds: Developing Self-Regulated Learners, Scaffolding Young Writers: A Writing Workshop Approach, and Teaching for Deep Comprehension: A Reading Workshop Approach. She is currently conducting research on the Assisted Writing intervention.
Review
Dorn and Soffos have developed a researched-based, school tested model that will allow for the successful implementation of the RTI method and bridge the gap between the classroom and supplemental programs. In-service professionals and school personnel will find this book to be a valuable resource and guide.
The authors’ theory is strongly-based on research and study within the classroom setting and throughout the school structure making this book an invaluable tool for the classroom teacher.
- Joyce Hemphill, Reading Recovery Specialist, North St. Francois County R-1 School District, Bonne Terre, MO
Takes intervention to the next level by providing a framework which teachers can use to plan meaningful and purposeful, small group intervention for all students regardless of where they are on the literacy learning continuum.
The next breakthrough for planning and implementing effective intervention instruction. I would definitely recommend it to any educator in the field of literacy instruction.
- Pam East, Literacy Specialist, Conway School District, Conway, AR
This book will become a reference that will be used and reused!
I have found anything written by Dorn and Soffos to be great reads — filled with depth — yet comfortable and always causing me to think and reflect as a reader.
This is not your typical one time read book!
These books will be re-used over and over by teachers and others as they build the literacy interventions. The books truly become “guidebooks”.
- Karen J. Scott, Ozark Missouri Public Schools, Ozark, MO
Synopsis
Celebrated literacy experts Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos guide teachers and administrators in implementing effective reading interventions for children in kindergarten through third grade. Based on the authors’ Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM), the authors' present a portfolio of small group interventions for meeting the diverse needs of struggling readers. Each grade-band resource includes a wealth of research-based activities, scaffolding techniques, and assessment tools that guide teachers in promoting strategic learners. The book comes with a CD containing an appendix of forms, guides, and checklists for each chapter.
Paired with the five-part DVD series, A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Preventing Reading Failure provides training and support for teachers in learning about small groups as an intervention. Each of the DVDs—Guided Reading Plus Group (grades 1–3), Assisted Writing Group (kindergarten to grade 3), Comprehension Focus Group (grades 4–8), Content Strategy Group (grades 4–8) and Using Data for Progress Monitoring (grades K–8)—include two disks of classroom video and resources along with a facilitator’s guide and can be used as a Response to Intervention method. The Interventions That Work series is exactly what you need for ensuring the literacy success of your students!
Synopsis
Learn more about the Comprehensive Intervention Model Click here for a guided tour.
Celebrated literacy experts Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos guide teachers and administrators in implementing effective reading interventions for children in kindergarten through third grade. Based on the authors Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM), the authors' present a portfolio of small group interventions for meeting the diverse needs of struggling readers. Each grade-band resource includes a wealth of research-based activities, scaffolding techniques, and assessment tools that guide teachers in promoting strategic learners. The book comes with a CD containing an appendix of forms, guides, and checklists for each chapter.
Paired with the five-part DVD series, A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Preventing Reading Failure provides training and support for teachers in learning about small groups as an intervention. Each of the DVDs Guided Reading Plus Group (grades 1 3), Assisted Writing Group (kindergarten to grade 3), Comprehension Focus Group (grades 4 8), Content Strategy Group (grades 4 8) and Using Data for Progress Monitoring (grades K 8) include two disks of classroom video and resources along with a facilitator s guide and can be used as a Response to Intervention method. The Interventions That Work series is exactly what you need for ensuring the literacy success of your students
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Synopsis
Learn more about the Comprehensive Intervention Model! Click here for a guided tour.
Celebrated literacy experts Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos guide teachers and administrators in implementing effective reading interventions for children in kindergarten through third grade. Based on the authors’ Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM), the authors' present a portfolio of small group interventions for meeting the diverse needs of struggling readers. Each grade-band resource includes a wealth of research-based activities, scaffolding techniques, and assessment tools that guide teachers in promoting strategic learners. The book comes with a CD containing an appendix of forms, guides, and checklists for each chapter.
Paired with the five-part DVD series, A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Preventing Reading Failure provides training and support for teachers in learning about small groups as an intervention. Each of the DVDs–Guided Reading Plus Group (grades 1—3), Assisted Writing Group (kindergarten to grade 3), Comprehension Focus Group (grades 4—8), Content Strategy Group (grades 4—8) and Using Data for Progress Monitoring (grades K—8)–include two disks of classroom video and resources along with a facilitator’s guide and can be used as a Response to Intervention method. The Interventions That Work series is exactly what you need for ensuring the literacy success of your students!
About the Author
Linda J. Dorn is a Professor and graduate coordinator for the doctoral program in reading education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is Director of the Center for Literacy where she coordinates the development and implementation of five literacy initiatives, including the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) Model and the Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM). She has co-authored four books, including Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing, numerous book chapters, scholarly articles, research reports, and professional development videos including the Interventions That Work series. Her upcoming publication with Carla Soffos is focused on interventions that work for adolescent struggling readers.
Carla Soffos is a literacy coach and Reading Recovery teacher leader at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has twenty-six years of experience in education, including teaching in the primary grades and literacy coaching in grades kindergarten to eighth. She is co-author with Linda J. Dorn of three books, Shaping Literate Minds, Scaffolding Young Writers, and Teaching for Deep Comprehension and several professional development videos, including the Interventions That Work series. Her upcoming publication with Linda Dorn is focused on interventions that work for adolescent struggling readers.
Table of Contents
Forward by Dick Allington
Acknowledgements
Introduction
• Research on small group interventions
• Can strategy-based interventions for struggling readers change their learning trajectory so they begin to perform like successful readers? If so, what would the intervention look like? Can the intervention be implemented by classroom teachers, as well as reading specialists? Would it work with learning disabled students? If so, what would it look like for special education teachers?
• Purpose of the book and overview of the chapters
Chapter 1 A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Reversing Reading Failure
• Constructing Knowledge
• Teaching for Transfer
• Response to Intervention
• A Tiered Approach to RtI
• Two Waves of Literacy Defense
• First Wave of Defense
• Second Wave of Defense
• The Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM)
• CIM Portfolio of Interventions
• Guided Reading Plus Intervention
• Assisted Writing Intervention
• Writing Process Group Intervention
• Comprehension Focus Group Interventions
• Matching Interventions to Students
• Closing Thoughts
• Notes
Chapter 2 Comprehensive Assessment System
• Comprehensive Literacy Diagnostic
• Pre- and Post-Intervention: Diagnostic Assessments
• Comprehensive Assessment Portfolio
• During the Intervention: Dynamic Assessments
• Progress Monitoring Assessments
• Assessments in the Comprehensive Intervention Model
• Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement
• Emergent Writing Assessment
• Record of Oral Language
• Oral Language Acquisition Inventory
• Timed Word Writing Prompt
• Phonological Awareness Assessment
• Writing Prompt with Rubric
• Running Record on Keystone Text
• Text Reading Level Assessment
• Instructional Reading Levels
• Reading Behavior Checklist
• Comprehension Guides
• Oral Reading Fluency Scale
• Word Test
• Writing About Reading Checklist
• Writing Behavior Checklist
• District Assessments
• Selected Work Samples
• Classroom Rubrics, Checklists, and Writing Scoring Guides
• Writing Portfolio District Checklist
• Anecdotal Notes
• Record Keeping Forms
• Closing Thoughts
• Notes
Chapter 3 Differentiated Classroom Instruction
• Workshop Framework
• Writing Workshop
• Writing Conferences
• Writing Process Intervention
• Assessing Writing Development
• Using a Writing Continuum
• Closing Thoughts
Chapter 4 Assisted Writing Intervention: Interactive Writing and Writing Aloud
• Assisted Writing Interventions
• Phase One: The Reading Phase
• Phase Two: The Writing Phase
• Materials
• Planning for Instruction
• Moving Into Writing Aloud
• Intervention Framework for Writing Aloud
• Materials for Writing Aloud
• Planning for Instruction
• Closing Thoughts
Chapter 5 Guided Reading Plus Intervention
• Guided Reading Plus Intervention
• Assessments
• Intervention Framework
• Guided Reading Plus Lesson Planners
• Emergent and Early Readers
• Transitional Readers
• Materials for Guided Reading Plus
• Change Over Time in Writing Instruction
• Writing About Reading at the Emergent Level
• Using Writing Prompts to Respond to Reading
• Closing Thoughts
Chapter 6 Learning About Letters and Words
• Phonological Systems
• Learning About Sounds
• Orthographic Systems
• Learning About Letters
• Learning About Words
• Word Study Continuum
• Designing Word Study Continuum
• Closing Thoughts
Chapter 7 Implementing the CIM as an RtI Method
• School 1: Assessing the School Environment and Core Instruction
• School 2: Creating a Seamless Assessment system for Systemic Improvement
• School 3: Collaboration Teams for Decision-Making
• Aligning Classroom and Special Education
• Implementing a Comprehensive Plan for School Improvement
• Training Special
• Putting It All Together
• Notes
Appendices