Embedding Self-Regulation Into Reading Interventions to Support Reading and Behavior Outcomes

It was almost winter break, and Ms. Salvador, the reading specialist at Awbrey Park Elementary School, was reviewing the fifth-grade progress-monitoring reading data for students receiving intensive small-group reading interventions. She noticed that several students were not making the reading gains that they had expected. Ms. Salvador and her team also realized that during reading instruction, many of these students displayed problem behaviors, such as having difficulty remaining on task and disrupting other students. After reading as much as she could on the topic, Ms. Salvador found that incorporating self-regulation strategies into reading interventions could lead to improvements in reading and an increase in appropriate behaviors that students display during reading instruction. Knowing how interrelated reading and behavior can be, Ms. Salvador decided to collaborate with Mr. Tanner, the behavior specialist, in developing self-regulation interventions for their students at Awbrey Park Elementary. However, before they could begin to create these self-regulation interventions, Ms. Salvador and Mr. Tanner needed to identify more research on what self-regulation strategies were available and how self-regulation strategies could be used to support students with both reading and behavioral difficulties during small-group reading interventions.