Easy Interventions: What Do You Do When They Still Don’t Get It!

We all have them….kids we have tried every trick we know and yet they STILL don’t get it! So, what can we do? Here are some things that I think about:

• First…we have to do formative assessments! How else are we even going to know who knows what they need. I’m not talking about those tests on Friday. I’m talking about ongoing, day in and day out, assessments.
• Next…we need to think about how we have already taught the standard. Have we taught it in large group and small group? Have we thought about interests and learning styles? Have we engaged the kids? Are we using research based best practices?
• Then, lastly….we have to think about who to use the intervention with. Do you ever call kids to your table and think, “Oh, this isn’t going to be good.”? Sometimes I think we use interventions on kids who aren’t even ready for it! So we need to think…do kids have the pre-requisites? Use interventions on the kids who will benefit most!

Here are a few interventions you might find helpful at the beginning of the year:
What do we do when they don’t know the alphabet?

• First, run copies to make this book and the clip art pictures. These are a free download. Scroll to the bottom of this post to grab this FREE download.

• Staple the pages together to make a book and put the clip art pieces in a baggie.

• Now, glue the pictures in for all the letters they know, capital or lower case.
• Then, invite them to read the book to you by saying each letter and naming the picture. They only do the pages with a picture.
• Add 3 new pictures for them to work on. As they learn these, add more.

Detailed directions are also on the download.
Here’s one more….What do we do when they are the ONLY one who still doesn’t have a skill?
I made a bag for each of my kids and these simple task cards.
Simply drop the card in their bag if they haven’t mastered the skill. Now, if you have 4 or more kids who haven’t mastered a skill you wouldn’t want to put those cards in a bag. That is enough kids to still call for small group. 

I have a parent volunteer who helps me with this. In the morning she just stays for about 15-20 minutes and goes through the bags with one kid at a time.