Adaptive Reading Intervention: Practical Approaches for Learners with SEND

Introduction

One of the most important tasks and school leaders face is ensuring that every student, regardless of their learning needs, receives the right support to thrive in literacy. However, with the diverse range of challenges that learners can face—whether it’s dyslexia, language delays, decoding  or comprehension difficulties—finding the right approach to meet these varied needs can feel overwhelming.

In this post, we’ll explore practical, adaptive approaches to reading intervention. These strategies aim to empower you to create tailored interventions that will support pupils with SEND as well as those in need from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Key Strategies for Adaptive Teaching in Reading Intervention

Tailoring Speed and Intensity

The speed at which students advance through reading materials is critical, especially for pupils with SEND. A pace that is too fast can overwhelm, while one that is too slow can lead to disengagement. The goal is to find a pace that challenges the student while allowing them to build confidence and competence.

For example, break down tasks into manageable steps and allow students to revisit concepts as needed. Regularly assess progress to determine if the pace needs adjusting. The key is to provide just enough challenge to keep students engaged, while ensuring they are not overwhelmed by complex tasks too soon.

Students may also benefit from frequent breaks, particularly when they are working on new or difficult concepts. These breaks can help reset focus and provide time for students to reflect on what they’ve learned.

 

Resource Selection: Providing the Right Materials

The resources you use play a significant role in how effectively students can progress in their literacy journey. It’s important to match the difficulty of resources to the learner’s level and needs. For learners with SEND, the resources should not only align with their current skills but also be motivating and engaging.

When selecting materials, consider the following:

• Levels of challenge: Choose resources that are appropriately challenging but not too difficult for the student to engage with successfully. Resources that are too simple will not promote growth, while those that are too complex can lead to frustration.
• Multisensory elements: Some learners may benefit from resources that engage more than one sense. For example, visual aids, tactile activities, or spoken instructions can help students better understand the material.
• Interest-based materials: Engage students with texts and topics they find interesting, helping them build motivation and a love for reading.

By selecting materials that are the right level of difficulty, you can ensure that students are constantly progressing and building new skills, while also keeping them engaged and motivated to continue learning.

 

Scaffolding: Supporting Independence While Building Skills

Scaffolding is an essential strategy for all learners but is particularly important in promoting independence in learners with SEND. Scaffolding allows pupils to build skills incrementally while still receiving the support they need to succeed. The goal of scaffolding is to help learners become more independent by providing targeted support that can be gradually removed as the student gains confidence and ability.

Key techniques for scaffolding include:

• Modelling: Initially, provide clear, step-by-step demonstrations of the task at hand. For example, when teaching reading comprehension, model how to read a passage aloud, highlight key information, and summarise the main points.
• Guided practice: Allow students to practice tasks with support. This might include working through a passage together, providing prompts or questions as they read, or discussing vocabulary words.
• Gradual release of responsibility: As students become more competent, gradually reduce the amount of support you provide. Start by offering more guidance and slowly move towards independent work, ensuring students are ready to take on tasks by themselves.

For example, when teaching a pupil to read a difficult text, start by reading aloud together and discussing the content. Over time, ask them to take over more of the reading, then support them with comprehension questions, and eventually let them read and answer questions independently.

Scaffolding allows learners to progress at their own pace, ensuring they have the tools to succeed even as the level of challenge increases.

 

Progress Monitoring: Tracking and Adjusting Intervention

Monitoring progress is essential to ensuring that the interventions you are using are working. Without regular assessments, it’s impossible to know whether a student is making the desired progress or if adjustments are needed. Ongoing progress monitoring also allows you to celebrate small victories, boosting students’ confidence and motivation.

Regularly track your students’ performance through formative assessments and observations. By collecting data on areas such as phonics, fluency, and comprehension, you can determine whether the pace and resources are appropriate or if adjustments need to be made.

If a student is struggling in a particular area—such as decoding or fluency—it may be necessary to adjust the focus of the intervention, providing more targeted support. Conversely, if a student is excelling, the level of challenge can be increased to ensure continued development.

Conclusion

Supporting learners with SEND in developing crucial literacy skills is an ongoing challenge. With the right strategies in place, you can help your students develop the skills they need to succeed. Tailoring interventions to suit each learner’s pace, selecting the right resources, scaffolding learning for independence and regularly monitoring progress are essential components of a successful literacy strategy.

By integrating these approaches into your practice, you can ensure that every student receives the support they need to build confidence and competence in reading, regardless of their learning needs. However, implementing these strategies effectively takes time and can be complex, requiring careful planning and adaptation. Utilising research-evidenced technology can help streamline this process, equipping teachers with the tools they need to provide targeted, effective support for SEND learners.