How to Use In Tandem for Phonics Intervention

When students struggle with phonics, educators need an intervention program that is adaptable, research-driven, and effective. By implementing In Tandem by Pioneer Valley Books, teachers and interventionists can meet their students’ needs and narrow skill gaps in phonics.

In Tandem is a structured yet flexible literacy solution that supports small groups and individual students with high-quality books and multimodal instruction to engage all learners. Whether addressing gaps in decoding, encoding, or fluency, In Tandem equips educators with the tools to provide targeted, impactful instruction.

Effective Intervention for Tier 2 and 3

In Tandem supports students in need of targeted Tier 2 support or individualized Tier 3 intervention. Its structured lessons integrate phonological awareness, phonics, reading, and writing activities to create a cohesive learning experience that promotes skill transfer and builds fluency.

The curriculum includes:

• Decodable Books: Students transfer and apply phonics skills in engaging, scaffolded texts.

• Fiction and Nonfiction Books: Students apply what they have learned to less controlled texts.

• Activity Books: Writing practice and reading activities reinforce phonics skills while developing comprehension and vocabulary.

• Assessment Tools: Weekly progress monitoring and summative assessments track growth and inform instruction.

Here’s how you can maximize In Tandem’s potential to support struggling readers in your classroom.

Step 1: Assess Student Needs

Begin by identifying the phonics gaps for each student. Use the In Tandem Phonological Awareness Assessment and Phonics Survey to understand students’ abilities with skills such as blending sounds or segmenting words. These assessments guide placement within In Tandem’s sequenced lessons to adapt instruction to meet individual needs. 

Continually assess students with regular progress monitoring and periodic reassessments to keep the intervention aligned with growth and goals.

Step 2: Differentiate Instruction

Based on assessment data, accelerate progress for proficient learners or revisit challenging concepts through reteaching or alternative grade-level resources.

Adjust instruction based on assessment data by: 

• Prioritizing instruction in particular skill gaps, such as decoding or encoding

• Skipping lessons as appropriate

• Increasing instruction time

• Adding additional review of a skill
  
  

Download our guide to Intensifying In Tandem for Intervention

Step 3: Introduce Strategic Scaffolds

To provide an individualized scaffold during each portion of the lesson, implement differentiated corrective feedback. Additionally, you might consider incorporating a shared reading structure for the initial read of the books. In a shared read, the teacher reads the text, and students engage in the reading of the text through echo, choral, or cloze reading.  

Step 4: Enhance Engagement

Keep lessons interactive and motivating by:

• Setting clear, measurable goals with students and tracking progress with the Student Data Tracker

• Integrating creative, multimodal activities like Making Words to deepen understanding of phonics patterns

• Using timers and dynamic pacing to foster focus and self-regulation during sessions

Step 5: Intensify Support When Needed

For students performing significantly below grade level, increase instructional time or reduce group size for more personalized feedback. Use dual-teacher structures to cover multiple lessons in a week to accelerate exposure and practice.

Best Practices for Educators

Communication is key. If you’re not the student’s primary teacher, share progress and strategies with the classroom teacher to ensure continuity between intervention and core instruction. Incorporate feedback loops to refine and synchronize teaching approaches.

Pair with whole-class instruction. Combine In Tandem with a comprehensive curriculum like Stepping Together to provide whole-group reading lessons and small-group intervention.

Incorporate professional learning. Pioneer Valley Books offers professional learning and workshops that train teachers to implement In Tandem effectively and ensure fidelity and impact.

---

 

By following these steps, In Tandem can transform the way educators deliver phonics intervention and empower students to achieve literacy milestones with confidence. See In Tandem in action.