CASE STUDY INTERVENTIONS 2
Case Study Interventions
As educators, it's vital to evaluate both students and their assessments. In doing so, we
must also track the student's progress to ensure they are advancing and that our educational
strategies are effective. In Ethan's situation, a student in the seventh grade, his average reading
speed is 80 words per minute. However, it's apparent that the current strategies are not working,
as his recent scores have been 80, 79, 76, and 81 words per minute. These results are quite low
for a student in his grade and are below the expected performance level.
Additionally, the graph illustrates that Ethan consistently has trouble with the ending
sounds of words. The interventions currently in place for Ethan, a seventh-grade student, are
proving ineffective, as evidenced by his last four reading scores of 80, 79, 76, and 81 correct
words per minute, below the expected grade level. The graph indicates that Ethan has persistent
difficulties with the final sounds in words, as he misreads "discussions" as "discusses." His
parents have noted that he has trouble identifying smaller parts within larger words. Ethan is in
the second tier of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process, and his teacher monitors his
progress weekly. The case study data and the graph show a correlation, revealing that Ethan's
reading difficulties increased as the reading material became more challenging. Phonological
awareness is the ability to recognize, differentiate, remember, and manipulate sounds at various
linguistic levels, and Ethan seems to need help with this skill at the phoneme level. With a solid
foundation in phonological awareness, students like Ethan may find it easier to link sounds to
their corresponding letters or letter combinations, isolate and blend sounds into word parts, or
decode words effectively, which can hinder reading fluency.
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CASE STUDY INTERVENTIONS 3
The initial suggestion is to offer Ethan personalized one-to-one or one-to-two reading
sessions in addition to his regular classroom reading activities. These specialized reading
sessions should last approximately two hours each day and be tailored specifically to address his
most pressing needs, particularly in the area of word decoding skills. Such targeted and explicit
instruction has been shown to be beneficial for students like Ethan's learning (Denton & Otaiba,
2011). Moreover, the teaching approach should be structured and systematic. The teaching plan
for Ethan should consist of well-organized, sequential lessons that are clearly explained and offer
opportunities to engage with texts that are suitable for his reading level. Teachers are expected to
give explicit guidance, demonstrate the material, and provide immediate feedback to correct
mistakes. This direct approach prevents students from having to make assumptions or guesses
about their tasks. At the beginning of Ethan's small group reading sessions, the teacher should
assess his understanding of digraphs, blends, and high-frequency words, as well as determine the
appropriate reading level for him. The teacher will then design a lesson plan that begins with the
most essential elements Ethan struggles with and builds upon those skills. The focus should be
on reading materials that match Ethan's reading ability rather than his grade level, which will
help boost his confidence and reduce frustration. The lesson structure should start with a review
of digraphs, blends, and sounds that Ethan is already familiar with, then move on to intensive
instruction on those he does not know, and conclude with a review of a text that contains these
elements. After the review, Ethan should read the text aloud, with the teacher providing
corrections as needed. It might also be helpful for the teacher to preview texts that will be used in
upcoming whole-group sessions or revisit previously read texts to identify words containing
digraphs or blends that Ethan is not familiar with.
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CASE STUDY INTERVENTIONS 4
Another teaching method that is recommended is the practice of repeated oral reading.
This technique enhances reading achievement by giving readers authority over their reading
experience as they engage with the text. According to Sukhram & Amaya (2017), repeated
reading helps students build their fluency, giving them more time to comprehend the text.
Additionally, providing corrective feedback during this process is crucial to prevent students
from reinforcing incorrect reading habits. This feedback is essential for pointing out whether a
response is correct or incorrect and for helping to rectify mistakes. In Ethan's case, this approach
of repeated oral reading can be implemented within small-group instruction. In a small group
setting, the teacher first reads a story, followed by Ethan reading the same story aloud. During
this process, the teacher offers corrective feedback as needed. For instance, if Ethan misreads
"wishes" when the word is "wished," the teacher will point out the error and guide Ethan to
review the word. The teacher will then instruct Ethan to recognize that the word ends with "ed,"
indicating that the correct word is "wished."
Ongoing monitoring of student progress is crucial to ensure consistent advancement and
preservation of previous achievements. The DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency test is advised for
this purpose. It is a standardized test given individually to measure reading accuracy and fluency
in context and applies from first to eighth grade. Starting the DIBELS assessment as early as
kindergarten could be advantageous in comprehending his reading challenges and current level
better. Moreover, it would be useful to conduct daily running records of the texts read during
small group sessions. These records provide daily insights into students' progress and help
identify emerging patterns.
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CASE STUDY INTERVENTIONS 5
References
Denton, C.A., and Al Otalba, S. (2011). Teaching word Identification to students with reading
difficulties and disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 43(7), 1-16.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4299759/
Stanovich, K. (1994). University of Michigan. Dyslexia Help: Success Starts Here.
Professionals. Phonological Awareness. https://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/professionals/
dyslexia-school/phonological-awareness
Sukhram, D., and Monda-Amaya, L.E., (2017, March 29). The effects of oral repeated reading
with and without corrective feedback for middle school struggling readers.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12162
University of Oregon, Center on Teaching and Learning. (n.d.) UO DIBELS® Data System.
DIBELS 8th Edition | DIBELS® (uoregon.edu)
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