MTSS and RTI Reading Interventions That Actually Work

🛠️ Tiers of Support Don’t Have to Be Complicated

If you've ever looked at an MTSS or RTI flowchart and thought, "Great, but what am I supposed to actually do with my students?"—you’re not alone.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) are powerful frameworks, but they only work when educators have the tools, routines, and materials to provide real support at each tier.

This post will break down how to use decodable texts, phonics routines, and leveled comprehension materials to deliver reading interventions that work—without needing a whole new curriculum.

📘 What Are MTSS and RTI?

Both systems are about meeting students where they are and providing support matched to their needs.

  • MTSS is the umbrella: academic + behavioral supports

  • RTI is the academic branch: tiered intervention focused on growth

They’re built on three tiers:

  • Tier 1: Core classroom instruction (everyone)

  • Tier 2: Small group interventions (some students)

  • Tier 3: Intensive, individualized instruction (few students)

The key idea: the intensity of instruction increases as student need increases.

🧱 What Should Reading Support Look Like at Each Tier?

Tier 1: Whole Class Instruction

  • Use grade-level phonics and comprehension lessons

  • Incorporate decodable texts matched to your phonics scope and sequence

  • Model how to ask and answer questions using RL/RI standards

  • Monitor student progress through regular running records, fluency checks, and informal observations

Tier 2: Small Group Intervention

  • Meet 2–3x per week in small groups

  • Focus on targeted phonics patterns (e.g., short vowels, blends, silent e)

  • Use leveled decodable texts with built-in comprehension questions

  • Track growth with timed repeated readings or WCPM progress

This is where your BrainySheets library becomes your intervention toolkit.

Tier 3: Intensive One-on-One or Very Small Group Support

  • Meet daily, ideally with no more than 2 students

  • Use a structured routine (e.g., sound warm-up → decodable → fluency → comprehension)

  • Provide high repetition and immediate feedback

  • Track mastery of specific skills, not just overall progress

  • Revisit the same texts frequently to build automaticity and confidence

🧠 Intervention Routines That Work

  • 5-Minute Phonics Blast: Tap out 3–5 words from a pattern you’re targeting

  • Decodable Rereads: Use the same text across 3–4 days with a new focus each day (decoding, fluency, comprehension)

  • Fluency Graphing: Use WCPM charts to visually track growth over time

  • Comprehension Focus: Ask 1–2 high-quality questions tied to standards after every read

  • Sound Sorts and Word Mapping: Reinforce decoding at the phoneme level

🧩 Signs That Your Intervention Is Working

You’ll know it’s working when students:

  • Decode new words using patterns they’ve learned

  • Read faster and more smoothly each week

  • Answer questions with text-based evidence

  • Show confidence and willingness to engage in reading tasks

Progress should feel measurable, not just “better.”

🔁 Final Thought: You Don’t Need a New Program—You Need the Right Tools

RTI and MTSS aren’t about reinventing the wheel. They’re about knowing what to teach, how to teach it, and how often to provide support.

With a solid plan, structured routines, and targeted materials like decodable texts and leveled comprehension sheets, you can make your intervention time meaningful, manageable, and measurable.

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How to Group Students by Reading Level (Without MAP or DRA)

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Guided Reading Block in 20 Minutes a Day