Structured Literacy 5-part lesson: Tier 2/3 Reading Intervention
Table of Contents
- 90-Second Overview and Goal Setting
- Linking Letters to Sounds (Phonics/Phonemic Awareness)
- Reading and Decoding
- Spelling and Writing
- Fluency and Reading Comprehension
Summary of Each Component
1. 90-Second Overview and Goal Setting
This initial component sets the stage for the lesson by reviewing goals and objectives based on progress monitoring data. The instructor explicitly explains what skills will be addressed and why these particular skills matter for the student's development. This clarifies that the lesson is tailored to the student's specific strengths and areas needing improvement. The intervention program should be flexible and adaptive to the child's individual needs rather than forcing the child to adapt to a rigid program.
2. Linking Letters to Sounds
This component focuses on phonics and phonemic awareness instruction. For older students, this might shift to morphology lessons or Latin and Greek affixes. This section may cover:
- R-controlled words
- Multisyllabic words
- Letter-sound associations
- Phonemes and graphemes
- Active engagement through multisensory activities (tapping, clapping, tracing)
- Using study aids, charts, games, and word sorts
This component is particularly important for students with dyslexia who often have phonological processing difficulties. The instruction should engage multiple modalities (listening, speaking, reading, writing) to make learning more memorable and effective.
3. Reading and Decoding
This section focuses on building word knowledge, vocabulary, and word analysis skills. Key elements include:
- Songs as tools for teaching phonemes and practicing fluency
- Multisensory approaches (tracing letters, tap-tap-clap, bouncing/stretching sounds)
- Word recognition and decoding skills
- Understanding prefixes, suffixes, and roots
- Building vocabulary and comprehension
- Collaborative learning through Kagan structures (turn and talk, buddy buzz)
- Ongoing progress monitoring
The emphasis is on making reading interactive, hands-on, and engaging while building fundamental skills.
4. Spelling and Writing
This component addresses spelling patterns, rules, and writing skills—often the most challenging areas for students with dyslexia or dysgraphia. Key aspects include:
- Understanding that 26 letters represent 44 phonemes and hundreds of sound combinations
- Using cursive writing to build muscle memory
- Adaptive/phonemic spelling approaches
- Keyword outlines for sentence construction
- Sound-to-symbol and symbol-to-sound practice
- Hands-on materials (letter tiles, movable alphabets)
- Word analysis of vocabulary and etymology
- Grammar and proofreading skills
The approach emphasizes multisensory techniques and explicit instruction in spelling rules.
5. Fluency and Reading Comprehension
The final component focuses on developing reading fluency (speed, accuracy, and prosody) and comprehension strategies. This section helps students move from decoding to understanding and interpreting text. It emphasizes:
- Building prosody (expression, intonation, rhythm)
- Reading with appropriate phrasing and syntax
- Using music and lyrics to teach expressive reading
- Developing comprehension strategies
- Building receptive language and auditory discrimination skills
This component pulls together all previous skills to help students become effective, confident readers who understand what they read.
Section 1: 90-Second Overview and Goal Setting (Upper Elementary Level)
Scripted Interaction with Kagan Structures
Setting Up (Pre-lesson)
Teacher Preparation:
- Reviews progress monitoring data from previous sessions
- Identifies specific skill focus: R-controlled vowels (specifically "ar" patterns)
- Prepares visual goal chart for the day
- Arranges students in pairs for Kagan structures
Beginning the Session
Teacher: "Good morning, reading group! Before we start, let's quickly go over our goals for today. Everyone, eyes on our goal chart."
[Teacher points to a colorful chart with the day's objectives]
Teacher: "Based on our work from last week, I notice many of us are still working on mastering words with 'ar' sounds like 'star' and 'park.' Today, we'll focus specifically on recognizing and reading these 'ar' patterns. This skill will help you read many new words in your science books about stars and planets."
Teacher: "Let's do a quick Think-Pair-Share to activate what we know. Think for 10 seconds about any 'ar' words you already know."
[Teacher gives silent thinking time while showing a visual timer]
Teacher: "Now, turn to your shoulder partner. Partner A, share your 'ar' words first while Partner B listens. When I give the signal, switch."
Student A: "I know 'car,' 'star,' and 'farm.'"
Teacher: "Switch partners!"
Student B: "I know 'yard,' 'dark,' and 'smart.'"
Teacher: "Wonderful! Let's hear a few examples using RallyRobin. Pair 1, start."
Pair 1, Student A: "Car"
Pair 1, Student B: "Farm"
Pair 2, Student A: "Star"
Pair 2, Student B: "Dark"
Teacher: "Excellent! Now, let's set our personal goals for today. Everyone, take your progress tracking sheet."
[Teacher hands out personalized goal sheets with previous data points]
Teacher: "Looking at your charts, you can see how you've progressed with different vowel patterns. The yellow line shows your accuracy with 'ar' words. Everyone, set a specific goal for today by completing this sentence on your sheet: 'Today, I will improve my 'ar' reading by _______.' You have 30 seconds."
[Students write their personal goals]
Student 1: "Today, I will improve my 'ar' reading by reading ten new 'ar' words without mistakes."
Student 2: "Today, I will improve my 'ar' reading by remembering that 'ar' makes the /ar/ sound like in 'car.'"
Teacher: "Now, do a Timed Pair Share with your partner - 30 seconds each to share your goal and why it matters to you."
[Students share with partners]
Teacher: "Thank you! Our learning targets for today are:
- Identify the 'ar' pattern in words
- Read 'ar' words fluently
- Understand how 'ar' words are used in our space science unit
These goals are important because mastering 'ar' words will help you read more fluently in science and understand the planets unit better."
Teacher: "Let's rate our confidence with these goals using our hand signals: 5 fingers means 'I've got this!', 3 fingers means 'I'm getting there', and 1 finger means 'I need a lot of help.'"
[Students show hand signals]
Teacher: "I see most of you are showing 3 fingers, which means you're ready to learn more about 'ar' words. Maya and Jaiden, I see you're showing 1 finger - I'll make sure to check in with you during our practice time."
Teacher: "Finally, let's do a quick Mix-Pair-Share. When I say 'Mix,' everyone stands and mixes around the room. When I say 'Pair,' find the closest person and high-five. When I say 'Share,' share one thing you want to accomplish today."
[Students mix, pair, and share]
Teacher: "Wonderful! Now we're ready to move to our second part of the lesson - linking letters to sounds with our 'ar' pattern."
Key Elements Demonstrated:
Clear Goal Setting:
- Specific skill focus (R-controlled vowels - "ar")
- Visual representation of goals
- Connection to curriculum (science unit)
Data-Informed Instruction:
- Reference to progress monitoring
- Individualized goal sheets
- Visual tracking of progress
Student Engagement:
- Multiple Kagan structures (Think-Pair-Share, RallyRobin, Timed Pair Share, Mix-Pair-Share)
- Personal goal setting
- Self-assessment (hand signals)
Flexible Adaptation:
- Recognition of individual needs (noting students who need extra support)
- Multiple modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic)
- Building on prior knowledge
Purpose Setting:
- Clear explanation of why this skill matters
- Connection to real-world reading application
- Preparation for upcoming content
This 90-second overview effectively establishes the lesson focus, engages students through interactive structures, allows for individual goal setting, and creates a supportive learning environment tailored to students' specific needs.
Section 2: Linking Letters to Sounds (Upper Elementary Level)
Detailed Lesson Structure with Teacher-Student Interactions
Materials Needed:
- Magnetic letters or letter tiles
- Sand trays or glitter trays
- Word sort cards with "ar" words and other r-controlled words
- Chart paper with "ar" pattern highlighted
- Whiteboard and markers
- Rhythm instruments (optional)
Beginning the Section
Teacher: "Now that we understand our goals, let's work on linking letters to sounds. Today we're focusing on the 'ar' pattern. When 'a' and 'r' team up, they make a special sound. Listen carefully: /ar/ as in 'car'."
[Teacher points to the letters on the chart while making the sound clearly]
Teacher: "Everyone, touch your throat and make the /ar/ sound with me: /ar/."
[Students touch their throats while making the sound]
Teacher: "Great! Did you feel how your mouth opens when you say /ar/? Let's practice this sound using our whole bodies."
Multisensory Activity 1: Sound-Body Connection
Teacher: "Stand up! When I say an 'ar' word, stretch your arms out wide like a star. If it's not an 'ar' word, put your hands on your head. Ready? Car!"
[Students stretch arms wide]
Teacher: "Bike!"
[Students put hands on head]
Teacher: "Park!"
[Students stretch arms wide]
Teacher: "Excellent! Now let's connect the letters to this sound."
Letter-Sound Connection Activity
Teacher: "Everyone take your magnetic letters or letter tiles. Find the letters 'a' and 'r'. Put them side by side."
[Students arrange letters]
Teacher: "When these two letters come together in a word, they make the /ar/ sound we just practiced. Let's build some 'ar' words. I'll start with 'c' - 'a' - 'r'. What word did I make?"
Students: "Car!"
Teacher: "Yes! Now you try. Add different letters before 'ar' to make new words. You have one minute - see how many you can create."
[Students work with letter tiles]
Student 1: "I made 'far'!"
Student 2: "I made 'star'!"
Student 3: "I made 'bar'!"
Teacher: "Excellent work! Let's share using Showdown. Everyone, create one 'ar' word but don't show your partners. When I say 'Showdown,' hold up your letters for your group to see."
[Students create words]
Teacher: "Showdown!"
[Students display their words]
Teacher: "Now, in your groups, take turns reading each person's word and using it in a sentence."
Multisensory Activity 2: Tapping and Tracing
Teacher: "Now let's use our sand trays to feel these sounds. Write the letter 'a' in your sand tray while saying /a/. Then write 'r' while saying /r/. Now trace both together while saying /ar/."
[Students trace in sand trays]
Teacher: "Let's try tapping out some 'ar' words. Watch me first: c-ar. I tap once for the first sound /c/ and once for the /ar/ sound. Let's try 'star' together."
Teacher and Students: [tapping] "s-t-ar"
Teacher: "Now let's try 'farm'."
Teacher and Students: [tapping] "f-ar-m"
Syllable Work for Multisyllabic Words
Teacher: "Some 'ar' words have more than one syllable. Let's try 'garden'. Watch as I clap the parts: gar-den."
[Teacher claps twice while saying the word]
Teacher: "Everyone, clap 'garden' with me."
Teacher and Students: [clapping] "gar-den"
Teacher: "Now let's try 'market'."
Teacher and Students: [clapping] "mar-ket"
Teacher: "Turn to your partner and try these longer words: 'apartment' and 'carnival'. Use Rally Coach - one partner tries first while the other coaches, then switch."
[Students practice in pairs]
Student A: [clapping] "a-part-ment"
Student B: "Good! You clapped three times for the three syllables. My turn: car-ni-val."
Word Sort Activity
Teacher: "Now we'll sort words based on their patterns. Each pair will get a set of cards with different words. Some have 'ar' like in 'car', some have 'or' like in 'for', and some have 'er' like in 'her'. Work together to sort them into groups."
[Teacher distributes word cards]
Teacher: "As you sort, use Sage and Scribe. One partner decides where the word goes (the Sage), and the other writes it in your notebook (the Scribe). Then switch roles for the next word."
[Students sort words]
Student Sage: "I think 'farm' goes in the 'ar' group because I hear the /ar/ sound."
Student Scribe: [writing] "You're right. I'll add it to our 'ar' column."
Connecting to Reading
Teacher: "Now that we've practiced our 'ar' pattern, let's find 'ar' words in this short paragraph about Mars. As I read, raise your hand when you hear an 'ar' word."
[Teacher reads a short paragraph about Mars]
Teacher: "That was great listening! Now, with your partner, use a Think-Timed-Pair-Share. You'll have 30 seconds each to share all the 'ar' words you remember from the paragraph."
Review and Connection
Teacher: "Let's review what we learned about the 'ar' pattern. When we see 'a' and 'r' together in a word, they make the /ar/ sound. Everyone, show me the signal for 'ar'."
[Students make the stretching star motion]
Teacher: "Perfect! This knowledge helps us read many words in our science books about stars and planets. Tomorrow, we'll discover another r-controlled vowel pattern."
Quick Assessment
Teacher: "Before we move on, let's do a quick check. I'll show you some words. If it has the 'ar' pattern we learned today, give me a thumbs up. If not, thumbs down."
[Teacher shows word cards: "star", "pet", "farm", "card", "dirt"]
[Students respond with thumbs up/down for each word]
Teacher: "Great job! I can see you're really understanding the 'ar' pattern."
Key Elements Demonstrated:
Explicit Instruction:
- Clear modeling of the sound-letter relationship
- Direct explanation of the pattern
- Step-by-step instruction
Multisensory Approach:
- Visual (seeing the letters/words)
- Auditory (hearing the sounds)
- Kinesthetic (body movements for sounds)
- Tactile (tracing in sand)
Active Engagement:
- Physical movements
- Partner work
- Hands-on manipulation of letters
Cooperative Learning Structures:
- Showdown
- Rally Coach
- Think-Timed-Pair-Share
- Sage and Scribe
Scaffolded Practice:
- From single sounds to words to sentences
- From single-syllable to multi-syllable words
Word Analysis Skills:
- Sorting by patterns
- Identifying patterns in context
- Building words with the pattern
This lesson structure provides a beginner-friendly approach that explicitly teaches the letter-sound relationship using multiple modalities and engagement strategies. The Kagan cooperative learning structures ensure active participation from all students while providing opportunities for peer support and feedback.
Section 2: Linking Letters to Sounds (Upper Elementary Level)
Detailed Lesson Structure with Teacher-Student Interactions
Materials Needed:
- Magnetic letters or letter tiles
- Sand trays or glitter trays
- Word sort cards with "ar" words and other r-controlled words
- Chart paper with "ar" pattern highlighted
- Whiteboard and markers
- Rhythm instruments (optional)
Beginning the Section
Teacher: "Now that we understand our goals, let's work on linking letters to sounds. Today we're focusing on the 'ar' pattern. When 'a' and 'r' team up, they make a special sound. Listen carefully: /ar/ as in 'car'."
[Teacher points to the letters on the chart while making the sound clearly]
Teacher: "Everyone, touch your throat and make the /ar/ sound with me: /ar/."
[Students touch their throats while making the sound]
Teacher: "Great! Did you feel how your mouth opens when you say /ar/? Let's practice this sound using our whole bodies."
Multisensory Activity 1: Sound-Body Connection
Teacher: "Stand up! When I say an 'ar' word, stretch your arms out wide like a star. If it's not an 'ar' word, put your hands on your head. Ready? Car!"
[Students stretch arms wide]
Teacher: "Bike!"
[Students put hands on head]
Teacher: "Park!"
[Students stretch arms wide]
Teacher: "Excellent! Now let's connect the letters to this sound."
Letter-Sound Connection Activity
Teacher: "Everyone take your magnetic letters or letter tiles. Find the letters 'a' and 'r'. Put them side by side."
[Students arrange letters]
Teacher: "When these two letters come together in a word, they make the /ar/ sound we just practiced. Let's build some 'ar' words. I'll start with 'c' - 'a' - 'r'. What word did I make?"
Students: "Car!"
Teacher: "Yes! Now you try. Add different letters before 'ar' to make new words. You have one minute - see how many you can create."
[Students work with letter tiles]
Student 1: "I made 'far'!"
Student 2: "I made 'star'!"
Student 3: "I made 'bar'!"
Teacher: "Excellent work! Let's share using Showdown. Everyone, create one 'ar' word but don't show your partners. When I say 'Showdown,' hold up your letters for your group to see."
[Students create words]
Teacher: "Showdown!"
[Students display their words]
Teacher: "Now, in your groups, take turns reading each person's word and using it in a sentence."
Multisensory Activity 2: Tapping and Tracing
Teacher: "Now let's use our sand trays to feel these sounds. Write the letter 'a' in your sand tray while saying /a/. Then write 'r' while saying /r/. Now trace both together while saying /ar/."
[Students trace in sand trays]
Teacher: "Let's try tapping out some 'ar' words. Watch me first: c-ar. I tap once for the first sound /c/ and once for the /ar/ sound. Let's try 'star' together."
Teacher and Students: [tapping] "s-t-ar"
Teacher: "Now let's try 'farm'."
Teacher and Students: [tapping] "f-ar-m"
Syllable Work for Multisyllabic Words
Teacher: "Some 'ar' words have more than one syllable. Let's try 'garden'. Watch as I clap the parts: gar-den."
[Teacher claps twice while saying the word]
Teacher: "Everyone, clap 'garden' with me."
Teacher and Students: [clapping] "gar-den"
Teacher: "Now let's try 'market'."
Teacher and Students: [clapping] "mar-ket"
Teacher: "Turn to your partner and try these longer words: 'apartment' and 'carnival'. Use Rally Coach - one partner tries first while the other coaches, then switch."
[Students practice in pairs]
Student A: [clapping] "a-part-ment"
Student B: "Good! You clapped three times for the three syllables. My turn: car-ni-val."
Word Sort Activity
Teacher: "Now we'll sort words based on their patterns. Each pair will get a set of cards with different words. Some have 'ar' like in 'car', some have 'or' like in 'for', and some have 'er' like in 'her'. Work together to sort them into groups."
[Teacher distributes word cards]
Teacher: "As you sort, use Sage and Scribe. One partner decides where the word goes (the Sage), and the other writes it in your notebook (the Scribe). Then switch roles for the next word."
[Students sort words]
Student Sage: "I think 'farm' goes in the 'ar' group because I hear the /ar/ sound."
Student Scribe: [writing] "You're right. I'll add it to our 'ar' column."
Connecting to Reading
Teacher: "Now that we've practiced our 'ar' pattern, let's find 'ar' words in this short paragraph about Mars. As I read, raise your hand when you hear an 'ar' word."
[Teacher reads a short paragraph about Mars]
Teacher: "That was great listening! Now, with your partner, use a Think-Timed-Pair-Share. You'll have 30 seconds each to share all the 'ar' words you remember from the paragraph."
Review and Connection
Teacher: "Let's review what we learned about the 'ar' pattern. When we see 'a' and 'r' together in a word, they make the /ar/ sound. Everyone, show me the signal for 'ar'."
[Students make the stretching star motion]
Teacher: "Perfect! This knowledge helps us read many words in our science books about stars and planets. Tomorrow, we'll discover another r-controlled vowel pattern."
Quick Assessment
Teacher: "Before we move on, let's do a quick check. I'll show you some words. If it has the 'ar' pattern we learned today, give me a thumbs up. If not, thumbs down."
[Teacher shows word cards: "star", "pet", "farm", "card", "dirt"]
[Students respond with thumbs up/down for each word]
Teacher: "Great job! I can see you're really understanding the 'ar' pattern."
Key Elements Demonstrated:
Explicit Instruction:
- Clear modeling of the sound-letter relationship
- Direct explanation of the pattern
- Step-by-step instruction
Multisensory Approach:
- Visual (seeing the letters/words)
- Auditory (hearing the sounds)
- Kinesthetic (body movements for sounds)
- Tactile (tracing in sand)
Active Engagement:
- Physical movements
- Partner work
- Hands-on manipulation of letters
Cooperative Learning Structures:
- Showdown
- Rally Coach
- Think-Timed-Pair-Share
- Sage and Scribe
Scaffolded Practice:
- From single sounds to words to sentences
- From single-syllable to multi-syllable words
Word Analysis Skills:
- Sorting by patterns
- Identifying patterns in context
- Building words with the pattern
This lesson structure provides a beginner-friendly approach that explicitly teaches the letter-sound relationship using multiple modalities and engagement strategies. The Kagan cooperative learning structures ensure active participation from all students while providing opportunities for peer support and feedback.
Section 3: Reading and Decoding (Upper Elementary Level)
Detailed Lesson Structure with Teacher-Student Interactions
Materials Needed:
- Reading passage with highlighted "ar" words
- Sentence strips
- Whiteboard and markers
- Reading pointers
- Song lyrics with "ar" words
- Movement cards for phonemic awareness activities
Beginning the Section
Teacher: "Now that we've learned about the 'ar' pattern and practiced making that sound, we're going to put this knowledge to work by reading words, phrases, and sentences. First, let's wake up our reading brains with a song!"
Song Activity
Teacher: "Everyone stand up! We're going to sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' but we'll emphasize all the 'ar' sounds we hear. Listen first."
[Teacher sings or plays recording with emphasis on "star"]
Teacher: "Now let's sing together. When we get to the word 'star,' stretch your arms out like a star!"
[Class sings together with movement]
Teacher: "Great job! Did you notice how the 'ar' in 'star' makes that special sound we practiced? Let's find more 'ar' words as we read today."
Decoding Words with Multisensory Techniques
Teacher: "On your desk, you'll find word cards with 'ar' words. Let's practice reading them using our tap-tap-clap method. Watch me first."
[Teacher demonstrates with the word "market"]
Teacher: "Mar-ket" [taps table for "mar," taps again for "ket," then claps hands once for the whole word] "Market!"
Teacher: "Now you try with your cards. Remember to tap for each syllable, then clap for the whole word."
[Students practice with their cards]
Student: [tapping] "Par-ty" [clap] "Party!"
Teacher: "Excellent! Now let's try bouncing and stretching the sounds. For 'car,' we'll say /c/ quickly, then stretch out the /aaarrr/ sound. Watch me: /c/-/aaarrr/."
[Teacher demonstrates]
Teacher: "Your turn! Try these words using the bounce and stretch technique."
[Students practice]
Reading in Context
Teacher: "Now we're ready to read sentences with our 'ar' words. I'll put these sentence strips on the board. Let's read them together first."
[Teacher displays sentences like "The car drove far down the dark road." and "Mark saw stars in the park at night."]
Teacher: "Let's read the first sentence together. When we come to an 'ar' word, we'll pause and make our star pose."
[Class reads together with movements]
Teacher: "Now let's use Stand Up-Hand Up-Pair Up. When I say 'Stand up,' everyone stands. When I say 'Hand up,' raise your hand. When I say 'Pair up,' find a partner with their hand up. Then you'll take turns reading sentences to each other."
[Teacher guides students through the Kagan structure]
Teacher: "Stand up! Hand up! Pair up!"
[Students find partners]
Teacher: "Partner A, read the first sentence using our reading strategies. Partner B, listen and give a compliment about their reading."
Student A: "The car drove far down the dark road."
Student B: "Great job! You read all the 'ar' words correctly."
Teacher: "Switch roles!"
Word Analysis Skills
Teacher: "Now let's look deeper at these words. We're going to identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words in some longer words with 'ar' patterns."
[Teacher writes "department" on the board]
Teacher: "Let's break this word apart. Who can see a familiar part in this word?"
Student 1: "I see 'depart' at the beginning."
Teacher: "Good! And what do we see at the end?"
Student 2: "The suffix '-ment'!"
Teacher: "Excellent! So we have 'depart' plus '-ment' makes 'department.' The root word 'part' has our 'ar' sound. Let's try another."
[Teacher continues with more examples like "remarkable" (re-mark-able)]
Teacher: "Now with your partner, try breaking apart these words. Use a Folded Value Line to find your partner - if your birthday is in January, stand at this end, December at that end, and months in between in order."
[Students line up by birth month]
Teacher: "Now fold the line in half so January meets December, February meets November, and so on."
[Students find partners]
Teacher: "With your partner, take these word cards and break them into roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Use Rally Coach - one person tries while the other coaches, then switch."
[Students work with words like "garden," "artistic," "carpenter"]
Vocabulary Development
Teacher: "These 'ar' words have different meanings. Let's expand our vocabulary by discussing what these words mean. Look at this sentence: 'The artist created a large marble sculpture.'"
Teacher: "Turn to your partner and use the word 'artist' in a new sentence. Use Think-Pair-Share."
[Students think, then share with partners]
Student 1: "My sister is an artist who paints beautiful pictures."
Student 2: "The artist used charcoal to draw the garden."
Teacher: "Wonderful! Now let's create a class Vocab Candy chart for our 'ar' words. For each word, we'll create a movement or gesture that helps us remember its meaning."
[Teacher demonstrates "artist" by pretending to paint]
Teacher: "Let's create one for 'garden' together."
[Class decides on a digging or planting motion]
Collaborative Reading Practice
Teacher: "Now we're going to read a short passage about a trip to Mars. We'll use a Jigsaw reading strategy. Count off 1-4 in your groups."
[Students count off]
Teacher: "All 1s will read paragraph 1, 2s read paragraph 2, and so on. Then you'll return to your home groups and teach your paragraph to your teammates."
[Students read their assigned paragraphs]
Teacher: "Now, return to your home groups. Starting with paragraph 1, each expert will read their paragraph to the group and explain any 'ar' words they found."
[Students share in groups]
Student (Expert 1): "In my paragraph, it talked about how Mars is far from Earth. 'Far' has our 'ar' sound, and it means a long distance away."
Checking Understanding
Teacher: "Let's check our understanding using Numbered Heads Together. In your groups, make sure everyone can answer these questions about our reading. I'll call a number, and those students will answer."
[Teacher poses questions about the Mars passage]
Teacher: "Question 1: What color is Mars described as in our passage? Groups, discuss and make sure everyone knows the answer."
[Groups discuss]
Teacher: "Number 3s, stand up!"
[Students with number 3 stand]
Student (Number 3): "Mars is described as red like a dark apple."
Teacher: "Excellent! The passage mentioned Mars's 'dark red' color, comparing it to an apple."
Closing the Section
Teacher: "You've done amazing work with reading and decoding today! Let's summarize what we learned using One Word Whip Around. Think of one word that describes something you learned today about reading 'ar' words."
[Students think]
Teacher: "Starting here and going around, everyone share your one word."
Student 1: "Stretching."
Student 2: "Tapping."
Student 3: "Mars."
Student 4: "Syllables."
Teacher: "Wonderful! All these skills help us become better readers. Now we're ready to move to our next section where we'll practice spelling and writing these 'ar' words."
Key Elements Demonstrated:
Building on Phonics Knowledge:
- Applying the "ar" pattern in reading contexts
- Connecting letter-sound knowledge to reading words
Multisensory Reading Strategies:
- Tap-tap-clap for syllabication
- Bounce and stretch for sound blending
- Movement integration with reading
Vocabulary Development:
- Word meaning discussions
- Creating physical representations (Vocab Candy)
- Using words in context
Word Analysis Skills:
- Breaking words into morphemes (prefixes, suffixes, roots)
- Recognizing patterns in longer words
Collaborative Learning Structures:
- Stand Up-Hand Up-Pair Up
- Rally Coach
- Jigsaw
- Numbered Heads Together
- One Word Whip Around
- Folded Value Line
Reading in Context:
- Sentence-level practice
- Paragraph reading
- Comprehension check through discussion
This section successfully builds on the phonics foundation established in Section 2, applying those skills to authentic reading contexts while maintaining high engagement through collaborative structures and multisensory approaches. The lesson provides multiple opportunities for students to practice decoding skills while simultaneously developing vocabulary and comprehension.
Section 4: Spelling and Writing (Upper Elementary Level)
Detailed Lesson Structure with Teacher-Student Interactions
Materials Needed:
- Personal whiteboards and markers
- Lined paper
- Cursive handwriting guides
- Letter tiles or magnetic letters
- Sand trays
- Word cards with "ar" words
- Spelling rule charts
- Grammar anchor charts
- Keyword outline templates
Beginning the Section
Teacher: "Now that we've practiced reading words with the 'ar' pattern, we're going to strengthen our skills by spelling and writing these words. Remember, spelling helps us become better readers and writers!"
Connecting Sound to Spelling
Teacher: "First, let's warm up our spelling muscles. When I say a word with the 'ar' sound, write it on your whiteboard. Ready? The first word is 'car.'"
[Students write on whiteboards]
Teacher: "Hold up your boards! Great job! Let's trace the letters with our fingers as we spell it together: c-a-r."
[Class traces letters in the air while spelling]
Teacher: "Now let's try a two-syllable word: 'garden.'"
[Students write, then share]
Teacher: "I notice some of you wrote 'gard-in' instead of 'gard-en.' Remember that many words have a schwa sound in the unstressed syllable, which can make it tricky to spell. Let's practice segmenting the sounds in 'garden'."
[Teacher leads class in segmenting sounds: /g/ /ar/ /d/ /ə/ /n/]
Multisensory Spelling Practice
Teacher: "Let's use our sand trays to feel the spelling. I'll say a word, and you'll write it in your sand tray. First, 'star.'"
[Students trace 's-t-a-r' in sand trays]
Teacher: "Feel how your finger moves as you write each letter. Now let's try 'chart.'"
[Students write in sand trays]
Teacher: "Now let's try cursive. Watch as I write 'farm' in cursive on the board, connecting all the letters."
[Teacher demonstrates]
Teacher: "Notice how my hand doesn't lift from the board until I finish the word. This helps our brain remember the spelling as one unit. Try writing 'farm' in cursive on your paper."
[Students practice cursive writing]
Spelling Rules and Patterns
Teacher: "Let's look at some spelling rules for words with 'ar.' When 'ar' comes at the beginning of a word, like in 'art,' it usually keeps its /ar/ sound. When it comes in the middle, like in 'farm,' it also keeps the sound. But sometimes when we add suffixes, we need to be careful."
[Teacher displays spelling rule chart]
Teacher: "For example, when we add '-ing' to 'star,' we double the 'r': 'starring.' Let's practice this rule with Mix-Freeze-Group. When I say 'Mix,' move around the room. When I say 'Freeze,' stop. When I say 'Group of 3,' form groups of three students."
[Students move around classroom]
Teacher: "Mix... Freeze... Group of 3!"
[Students form groups]
Teacher: "In your groups, take these three words: 'jar,' 'car,' and 'star.' Add the suffix '-ing' to each word. Use a Roundtable structure - the first person writes their answer, then passes the paper to the next person."
[Students complete activity in groups]
Group 1: "Jarring, carring, starring."
Teacher: "Let's check these together. 'Jar' plus '-ing' is 'jarring' - good! But 'car' plus '-ing' is actually 'caring' with one 'r.' Only single-syllable words ending in consonant-vowel-consonant patterns double the final consonant. Let's add this to our spelling rule chart."
Sentence Construction
Teacher: "Now we'll use our 'ar' words in sentences. I'll show you how to use Benjamin Franklin's keyword outline method. Watch as I read this paragraph about farming."
[Teacher reads short paragraph]
Teacher: "I'll select three keywords from each sentence: 'farmer,' 'harvests,' 'market.' Now I'll use these three words to create my own sentence: 'The farmer harvests vegetables to sell at the market.'"
[Teacher writes sentence on board]
Teacher: "Your turn! In pairs, use the Fan-N-Pick structure. One person holds the word cards like a fan, the next person picks a card, and together you create a sentence using that word."
[Students work in pairs]
Student 1: [holding cards] "Pick a card."
Student 2: [selecting] "I got 'park.'"
Student 1: "Let's write a sentence with 'park.'"
Student 2: "How about: 'We had a picnic in the park on Saturday.'"
[Students write sentence]
Grammar and Proofreading
Teacher: "Let's look at how grammar affects our writing. I'm going to write a sentence on the board with commas missing. See if you can spot where the commas should go."
[Writes: "The large dark car parked near the market garden and farm."]
Teacher: "Turn to your partner and discuss where commas might be needed using a Timed Pair Share. You each get 30 seconds."
[Students discuss]
Student 1: "I think we need a comma after 'car' and after 'garden.'"
Student 2: "I agree, because it's a list of places: the market, garden, and farm."
Teacher: "Let's check together. This sentence has a list, so we need commas: 'The large, dark car parked near the market, garden, and farm.' Notice we also added a comma between the adjectives 'large' and 'dark.'"
Teacher: "Now let's practice proofreading with a silly sentence. Read this: 'The shark started the car in the dark park.'"
[Students read]
Teacher: "Use the Three-Step Interview structure. Person A asks Person B to find all the 'ar' words and check the spelling. Then Person B interviews Person A about punctuation. Then both share with Person C what they discussed."
[Students complete interviews]
Word Analysis and Etymology
Teacher: "Some of our 'ar' words come from Latin or Greek roots. Let's learn about the word 'article.' It comes from the Latin word 'articulus' meaning 'joint' or 'segment.' That's why we call the sections in a newspaper 'articles' - they're segments of the whole paper."
Teacher: "In pairs, use Rally Coach to look at these word cards and guess what the root might mean based on the word's meaning."
[Students examine words like 'artist,' 'artificial,' 'arctic']
Vocabulary Development through Writing
Teacher: "Let's use our Vocab Candy technique to help remember these words. Remember our movement for 'artist'?"
[Class demonstrates painting motion]
Teacher: "Now, write a sentence using 'artist' and at least one other 'ar' word. When you get to the word 'artist,' you can make the motion as you say it."
[Students write sentences]
Student: "The artist painted a beautiful picture of the dark park."
Connecting Spelling to Reading
Teacher: "Remember that our spelling work helps us become better readers. Let's do a quick activity called Word Building. I'll give you the letters for 'car,' and you'll add letters to build new words."
Teacher: "Start with 'car.' Add a letter to make 'card.'"
[Students use letter tiles]
Teacher: "Now change one letter to make 'cart.'"
[Students manipulate letters]
Teacher: "Add a letter to make 'chart.'"
[Students continue building words]
Spelling Assessment
Teacher: "Let's check your spelling with a quick Inside-Outside Circle. Inner circle, you'll face outward. Outer circle, you'll face inward, creating pairs. Inner circle students will say an 'ar' word, and outer circle students will spell it."
[Students form circles]
Inner Circle Student: "Garden"
Outer Circle Student: "G-a-r-d-e-n"
Teacher: "Rotate! Outer circle, move one person to the right."
[Students rotate and continue activity]
Closing the Section
Teacher: "You've done wonderful work with spelling and writing today! Let's wrap up with a quick Simultaneous Round Table. Each group gets one piece of paper. When I say 'Go,' everyone in the group writes one 'ar' word at the same time on their own corner of the paper. Ready? Go!"
[Students write words simultaneously]
Teacher: "Great job! These spelling and writing skills will help you become stronger readers. Next, we'll work on reading fluency and comprehension."
Key Elements Demonstrated:
Multisensory Spelling Approaches:
- Sand tray writing
- Cursive writing for muscle memory
- Letter tiles for word building
- Air writing and tracing
Explicit Spelling Rules:
- Clear explanation of patterns
- Practice with suffixes
- Visual reinforcement through charts
Sentence Construction Techniques:
- Keyword outline method
- Structured sentence building
Grammar and Proofreading:
- Targeted comma practice
- Partner proofreading activities
- Focus on common errors
Word Analysis:
- Etymology discussions
- Root word identification
- Word building activities
Collaborative Learning Structures:
- Mix-Freeze-Group
- Roundtable
- Fan-N-Pick
- Timed Pair Share
- Three-Step Interview
- Rally Coach
- Inside-Outside Circle
- Simultaneous Round Table
Connection Between Spelling and Reading:
- Reinforcement of sound-symbol relationships
- Word building to strengthen pattern recognition
- Application of learned patterns
This section effectively builds on previous learning while developing writing and spelling skills through engaging, multisensory approaches. The collaborative structures ensure all students remain actively involved while providing support for those who need it.
5. Fluency and Reading Comprehension
The fifth and final component of the reading intervention protocol focuses on fluency and reading comprehension, where all previously developed skills converge to create capable, confident readers who understand what they read.
Key Elements of Fluency Development
Building reading speed and accuracy: Students practice reading at an appropriate pace while maintaining accuracy, gradually increasing their automaticity with text.
Developing prosody: Students learn to read with proper expression, intonation, and rhythm, making their reading sound natural and conversational rather than robotic.
Appropriate phrasing and syntax: Instruction focuses on reading with meaningful phrases and proper sentence structure, helping students group words appropriately.
Using music and lyrics: Songs and musical elements serve as powerful tools for developing expressive reading skills and reinforcing prosody patterns.
Repeated readings: Students practice reading the same passages multiple times to build fluency and confidence.
Comprehension Strategies
Before-reading strategies: Activating prior knowledge, setting purpose for reading, making predictions, and previewing text features.
During-reading strategies: Monitoring understanding, visualizing, making connections, and asking questions about the text.
After-reading strategies: Summarizing, evaluating, reflecting, and extending thinking beyond the text.
Explicit instruction in comprehension skills: Teaching specific skills like finding main ideas, identifying supporting details, making inferences, and drawing conclusions.
Multisensory Approaches
Reader's theater: Students perform texts to practice expressive reading and build confidence.
Partner reading: Taking turns reading aloud with peers to model and practice fluent reading.
Echo reading: Teacher reads a phrase or sentence with appropriate expression, and students echo back with the same phrasing.
Choral reading: Reading together as a group to build confidence and practice prosody.
Assessment and Progress Monitoring
Timed readings: Regularly measuring words correct per minute (WCPM) to track progress in reading speed.
Rubric-based assessments: Evaluating expression, phrasing, and smoothness of reading.
Comprehension checks: Using questions, retellings, and discussions to verify understanding.
Student self-monitoring: Teaching students to evaluate their own reading fluency and comprehension.
Integration with Previous Components
Applying phonics knowledge: Using decoding skills automatically within connected text.
Utilizing vocabulary strategies: Recognizing and understanding words in context.
Employing spelling patterns: Recognizing familiar spelling patterns to aid in fluent reading.
Connecting writing to reading: Understanding how text structure in reading relates to writing organization.
This final component represents the culmination of all previous instruction, where students demonstrate their ability to read with speed, accuracy, and expression while simultaneously constructing meaning from text—the ultimate goal of all reading instruction.
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