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Intervention Grid for Leveled Literacy Intervention

Carmen L. Boyer

University of Kansas

SPED 843:Advanced Methods & Assessment: Strategies for Students with Significant Behavior,

Social & Emotional Need

Dr. Irma Brasseur

March 5, 2021
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Intervention Grid for Leveled Literacy Intervention

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) is a Tier 2 intervention identified by What Works

Clearinghouse (WWC) as a practice with positive effects. Two studies met the WWC standards

within the topic area of Beginning Reading and group design standards. The studies monitored

three areas: general reading achievement, reading fluency, and alphabetics. The outcomes of the

two studies show promise for improving general reading achievement and reading fluency. No

discernable effects were observed in alphabetics. LLI offers a program designed for students in

grades K-2 and another program for students in grades 3-4. The data from these two studies

present promise for students in K-2. Students in grades 3-4 were not included in the studies.

I reviewed information from the two articles cited in WWC Intervention Report (IES,

2017) to determine how students were identified to receive the intervention, where and how the

intervention was provided, and the outcomes monitored in the studies. Ransford-Kaldon et al.

(2010) identified students to participate in the study from nominations by the school districts.

The specific criteria they used was not identified in the report. Teachers who provided the

intervention received training in LLI and additional support throughout the duration of the study.

They taught students daily in small groups for 30-minute sessions. Students received between 40

and 90 sessions. The study monitored general reading achievement, reading fluency, and

alphabetics with Fountas & Pinnell LLI Benchmarks and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early

Literacy Skills (DIBELS).

In the second study that met WWC standards, Ransford-Kaldon et al. (2013) identified

students who met the criteria to participate in the investigation. The students were eligible to

receive intervention services, but not with Read to Achieve, a different intervention implemented

in some of the schools. The students were able to receive instruction in English, their attendance
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was high, and their reading level was determined to be below grade level. Literacy teachers

provided the intervention after receiving training, materials, and continued professional support

during the school year. They implemented LLI instruction daily in small groups for 30 minutes

each session. The students attended an average of 45 sessions. The research team monitored

general reading achievement, reading fluency, and alphabetics with Fountas & Pinnell

Benchmark Assessment, the Developmental Reading Assessment, 2nd Edition (DRA2), and the

STAR Early Literacy Assessment.

The two research studies discussed above provided information for the intervention grid

in the Appendix. The program proved to be effective in large suburban schools in the Northeast,

smaller rural schools located in a southern state, and urban schools in the Midwest. The

participants were diverse ethnically, and socioeconomically. The LLI program is an appropriate

Tier 2 reading intervention for K-2 students who score below the benchmark or way below

benchmark on the DIBELS or who perform one year or more below grade level on the

Renaissance Star Reading Assessment. Reading interventionist trained in LLI provide the

intervention every day in the interventionist’s classroom. Each session is 30 minutes, and the

students receive at least 40 sessions. The Renaissance Star and DIBELS are assessments already

utilized at our school, which would make it a faster process for determining eligible students than

administering another test.

Working in a small group for reading instruction enables the reading interventionist to use

strategies that are often effective for students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD).

With only 3 students in a group, there can be more opportunities for positive reinforcement,

teacher praise, and verbal feedback (Kauffman & Landrum, 2018, p. 189). The interventionist

can also provide more opportunities to respond (Ci3T, 2020).

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References

Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered [Ci3T] Model of Prevention. (2021). Professional

Learning. https://www.ci3t.org/pl

Institute of Education Sciences [IES]. (September, 2017). What Works Clearninghouse.

Intervention Report: Leveled Literacy Intervention.

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_leveledliteracy_091917.pdf

Kauffman, J. M., & Landrum, T. J. (2018). Characteristics of emotional and behavioral disorders

of children and youth. (11th ed.) New York, NY: Pearson.

Ransford-Kaldon, C., Flynt, E. S., Ross, C. L., Franceschini, L., Zoblotsky, T., Huang, Y., &

Gallagher, B. (2010). Implementation of effective intervention: An empirical study to

evaluate the efficacy of Fountas & Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention system (LLI).

Center for Research in Educational Policy, University of Memphis.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED544374.pdf

Ransford-Kaldon, C., Ross, C., Lee, C., Sutton Flynt, E., Franceschini, L., & Zoblotsky, T.

(2013). Efficacy of the Leveled Literacy Intervention System for K-2 urban students: An

empirical evaluation of LLI in Denver Public Schools [Project Brief]. Center for

Research in Educational Policy, University of Memphis.

https://www.memphis.edu/crep/pdfs/briefs/2019_09_09_lli_in_dps_accessible.pdf
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Appendix

K-5 (Tier 1 or Tier 2) Support Grid

Support Description Schoolwide Data: Entry Data to Monitor Exit Criteria

Leveled Students participate in small-
Literacy group intervention led by a
Intervention reading interventionist or
(LLI) (Fountas reading specialist trained in
& Pinnell, LLI. Students read a new book
2009) daily, alternating between books Benchmark” or “Well
that are at the students’
independent level and the
students’ instructional level.
Students reread, discuss, and
complete writing activities
about the book they read the
previous day. The level of the
books alternates between the
students’ independent reading
level and their instructional
level. The best group size is 3 Reading assessment
students. They will meet for 30-
minute sessions, 5 days/week
for 12 -18 weeks.
Criteria Progress
As a Tier 2 support,
students must meet one
of the following criteria:
K-1st Grade
Score “Below
Below Benchmark” on
DIBELS (1st/2nd graders)
2nd Grade
Score “Below
Benchmark” or “Well
Below Benchmark” on
DIBELS (1st/2nd graders)
OR
Perform 1 or more grade
levels behind on RenStar
Academic Students exit the
Measures: intervention after
Fluency checkouts completing at least 40
twice per week sessions
AND AND
Bi-weekly RenStar Scoring at least
assessments “Benchmark” on
DIBELS
Treatment Integrity: OR
Direct observation perform on grade
and Implementation level on RenStar
& Integrity checklist Reading assessment.
Social Validity:
Intervention Rating
Profile-15