Best Practices for Repeated Reading in Intervention

While rereading the same passage may seem tedious, research shows that when done effectively, it plays a crucial role in boosting students’ literacy skills. The evidence supporting repeated reading reveals that there are positive outcomes for fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Students may practice independently or as part of a whole-class or small-group effort. They can also use the strategy when reading aloud or quietly to themselves. For students with persistent difficulties, using repeated reading as an intervention can be effective. 

What is repeated reading in intervention?

Repeated reading refers to an instructional strategy where students read the same passage multiple times to systematically improve reading skills. It typically includes a careful selection of text, a planned sequence of progressively difficult passages, goal setting, data collection, and progress monitoring. The approach is often used in Response to Intervention (RTI) or can be used in special education settings. It is also used in evidence-based reading intervention programs like Read 180 to support fluency development.

Benefits of repeated reading in intervention

The repeated reading strategy can be used for all students to not only develop reading fluency but to deepen comprehension as well. It provides intentional and targeted practice in accurately reading connected text, and reading the same text with increasing automaticity, which will promote comprehension. 

Studies show that repeated reading in intervention can be particularly helpful for students with disabilities, students who may be reading below grade level, or students who read slowly. However, it is important to note that providing a clear goal for each read is crucial for its effectiveness.

Implementing research-based reading interventions for elementary students as soon as possible can build a strong foundation for future learning. But it’s never too late for older, striving readers to improve their reading skills as these reading intervention strategies can help middle and high school students as well.

How to do repeated reading in intervention

In order to make repeated reading in intervention successful, here are some key steps to take: 

1. Select an appropriate passage

Teachers often use grade-level texts when conducting repeated reading strategies within whole-class instruction. For intervention purposes, choose a passage that is at the student’s instructional level (e.g., 85% to 95% accuracy). The intervention can be conducted in a small-group setting or as paired or independent reading. Over time, students will build confidence as they progress from easier to more challenging texts. Be sure to choose texts of an appropriate length, so that students don’t become fatigued with multiple readings. 

2. Supply a concrete goal for each read

Tailor goals to match each student’s grade level and reading ability. These goals can evolve from focusing on word-level accuracy to building fluency and deepening comprehension. For example, a reading goal might guide students to read words correctly, maintain a steady pace, use expression, answer specific questions, or explore different perspectives in the text.

3. Provide timely feedback on word errors and performance (e.g., rate and expression)

Give students timely feedback on word accuracy, reading rate, and expression to help them improve. After the first reading, correct any misread, mispronounced, or skipped words before they read again. If they struggle with multisyllabic words, use decoding strategies that break words into syllables. Share feedback on their reading pace to help them track progress and stay motivated. If their expression needs work, guide them to pause at punctuation, read smoothly in phrases, raise their tone for questions, add emotion in dialogue, and read as if speaking to someone. Always highlight what they did well along with what to improve for the next reading.

4. Measure fluency for progress monitoring

Not all repeated reading practice needs to be timed. Teachers can adjust the timing based on students’ needs once a week for progress checks or during testing periods like fall, winter, and spring.  When measuring progress over time, it is important to examine the first cold read of each text. For instructional purposes, each subsequent reading can be timed to show the students how they are improving after each reading until they have reached a desired goal.

5. Monitor comprehension

The main goal of reading strategies is to build students’ understanding of the text. After the second or third reading, ask a few text-based questions, then move to higher-level comprehension questions. This ensures students focus not just on reading speed or expression, but also on truly understanding what they read.

Executing the repeated reading routine

These are the steps involved in the repeated reading routine during instruction.

First read: 

• Have students read aloud the passage.
• Measure students’ accuracy and rate.
• Once the passage is complete, provide corrective feedback for any misread, mispronounced, or difficult to read words and the rate of reading.
• Ask students to retell what the text was about to check for understanding.

Second read:

• Set goals for specific accuracy and rate.
• Have students read the passage aloud.
• Measure students’ accuracy, rate, and expression.
• Provide corrective feedback on word reading, rate, and the expression of the reading.
• Ask text-based comprehension questions on specific details from the text.

Third read:

• Set goals for specific rate, expression, and comprehension.
• Have students read aloud the passage.
• Measure students’ accuracy, rate, and expression.
• Provide corrective feedback on the rate and expression of the reading.
• Ask deeper text-inferred comprehension questions.

How long does repeated reading intervention take?

The repeated reading strategy for intervention purposes can vary depending on student needs and the program structure, but here are some general guidelines:

• Session Length: Typically 10-20 minutes per session
• Frequency: Usually 3 to 5 times per week

From reading intervention to reading independence

The repeated reading strategy in intervention goes beyond simple rereading. It involves setting intentional fluency and comprehension goals, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. As students track their own improvements—such as increased reading rate and smoother phrasing—they experience measurable successes. These successes provide the confidence needed to become fluent, proficient, and independent readers.

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Learn how our reading intervention programs can accelerate growth of students who are reading below grade level.