What are the goals of instruction?
The present level of reading performance (i.e., where student is in terms of reading performance) should be compared with the terminal goal for performance (i.e., where we want the student to be). A timeline should be developed for when the terminal goal should be achieved. In addition, the course of action needed to achieve the terminal goal should be determined. A useful practice to work through the process of goal-setting and charting the course of action for reaching goals and objectives is curriculum-based measurement (CBM).
What skills should we teach?
Instruction should center on the beginning reading core areas, namely the essential components of reading instruction. Reading assessment information should be evaluated and synthesized carefully to determine gaps in specific core beginning reading skill areas. For example, the student has phonemic awareness and phonics skills, but struggles to read fluently (e.g., does not read at the recommended level for his particular grade). In addition, error analysis should be used to determine patterns across component/skill areas. Instruction should be suited to children's level of beginning reading skill, moving from easier to more difficult tasks.
How much instructional support may be needed?
Interventions needed to achieve performance goals may vary in their level of intensity. Using diagnostic assessment, teachers may determine that the depth of the beginning reading skill deficits combined with the behavior challenges of the child may warrant an intensive beginning reading intervention. The level of intensity of the intervention is initially determined by diagnostic assessment, adjusted through progress-monitoring assessment, and judged by outcome assessment. The level of intensity of beginning reading skill interventions is determined by time and dosage, the age when core beginning reading skill intervention should occur, the structure and design of instruction, and the delivery of instruction.