7 Questions Reading Specialist & Interventionists Should Ask Themselves Before the New Semester Starts
I love a good refresh.
Refreshing and organizing my desk or updating my wardrobe with the seasons brings clarity and confidence.
That same sense of clarity is essential when it comes to back-to-school planning for reading specialists.
Classroom teachers often reset furniture, routines, and expectations midyear to keep things running smoothly. As reading interventionists, we don’t always give ourselves that same opportunity to pause and reflect—we’re busy juggling schedules, data, and groups.
But taking time to reset matters. It strengthens reading intervention planning and helps us start the new semester with intention instead of overwhelm.
Here are seven questions reading specialists and interventionists should ask themselves before the new semester begins.
Questions Reading Specialists Should Ask Before the New Semester
#1 Which reading intervention systems are working—and which need to be adjusted?
Setting up systems is the first step in effective reading intervention planning. After the first semester, take time to look at your entire intervention process: what’s working well, what isn’t, and what needs to be adjusted.
This may include revisiting your intervention schedule, instructional routines, or student groupings—and that’s okay. Adjusting systems midyear is far more effective than waiting until the end of the school year, when there’s little time left to make meaningful changes.
#2 How can I make time to analyze student reading data effectively?
Data analysis is essential for successful literacy intervention, yet it’s often the first thing pushed aside. Reading specialists and interventionists must intentionally make time to review student reading data in order to adjust instruction and intervention groups.
Ask yourself: Does my current schedule allow for consistent data analysis?
If not, start there. Consider blocking at least one hour per week dedicated solely to reviewing assessment data, progress monitoring results, and instructional next steps.
#3 Do I need to restructure my reading intervention groups?
Yes - absolutely.
Midyear is the perfect time to review student data and evaluate group effectiveness and size. Small groups should always be flexible. Students should not remain in the same intervention groups for the entire school year.
Some students may have mastered targeted skills or standards and are ready to move on to more advanced phonics patterns, fluency goals, or comprehension strategies, while others may need a different level of support. Use current data to make informed regrouping decisions.
#4 How can I make time for progress monitoring?
Progress monitoring is one of the most critical—and most challenging—components of reading intervention. This question will likely come up more than once during the school year.
Here are a few practical ways to make progress monitoring manageable and sustainable:
Designate one full week for progress monitoring instead of meeting with intervention groups. Block this time off on your master schedule.
Treat progress monitoring as non-negotiable. While interruptions happen, consistency is key for accurately monitoring student growth.
Assess 5–10 students per day, depending on your caseload size. Testing the same number of students at the same time each day helps maintain routine and prevents burnout.
#5 What new resources do I need for my intervention groups?
Now is the time to take inventory of your reading intervention materials. What needs to be replenished, replaced, or removed? Which resources were effective during the first semester, and which ones no longer meet student needs?
You may decide it’s time to refresh or expand your reading intervention toolkit with materials that better support phonics, fluency, or comprehension instruction.
#6 What should be the instructional focus for the remainder of the year?
After midyear (MOY) assessments, it’s important to re-evaluate instructional priorities. You may also receive new intervention students at this point in the year.
Use current intervention data to guide pacing decisions and identify which standards should be prioritized. A reading intervention curriculum map can help you plan instruction intentionally for the second semester while ensuring alignment with literacy standards.
#7 What boundaries do I need to reinforce to protect my intervention schedule?
This may be the most important question of all.
Reflect on how often your intervention time was interrupted during the first semester. Were you pulled for extra duties or meetings that interfered with student instruction?
If so, consider which responsibilities can be adjusted or removed. Schedule a follow-up meeting with your administrator to clarify your role for the remainder of the year and share evidence of student progress made when your intervention schedule remained uninterrupted.
Final Thoughts for Reading Specialists and Interventionists
Taking time to reset before a new semester is essential for effective reading intervention planning. When reading specialists and interventionists reflect on systems, analyze student reading data, and adjust intervention groups, they create more focused and impactful instruction.
A thoughtful reset helps you move out of autopilot, protect your intervention schedule, and support students with intention for the remainder of the year. Small adjustments now can lead to meaningful progress in your literacy interventions.
Use this new semester as an opportunity to refresh your systems, refine your focus, and move forward with confidence.
Support Your Reading Intervention Planning
If you’re looking for tools to help you refresh your systems and plan intentionally for the remainder of the year, these resources may help:
Reading Intervention Curriculum Map (Editable Template)
Use this editable curriculum map to pace instruction, prioritize standards, and plan targeted reading interventions based on student data.
FREE Make-and-Take Reading Intervention Workshop
This hands-on workshop walks you through refreshing your intervention resources and systems so you can start the new semester with clarity and confidence.
