Welcome to the ISA Professional Development Resource and Information Center

Participants who are currently enrolled may log in to access Book Study materials, ISA instructional resources, and archived recordings of webinars and workshops.

To log in, enter your email address as your username and the password that has been provided to you.

Visitors to the site who are not currently enrolled may click on any of the links below to find out more about the ISA and the ISA/RtI Professional Development Project, learn about related initiatives and research, and access our resources for parents.

Learn about the Interactive Strategies Approach (ISA)

What is the ISA?

The ISA is a comprehensive and responsive approach to early literacy instruction and intervention.

The ISA was developed over the course of three major longitudinal studies that focused on reducing the number of children who experienced serious reading difficulties in the primary grades. In the process of developing the approach we drew from research (our own and that of others) on early literacy development, the causes of literacy learning difficulties, observation and documentation of instruction in the primary grades, and approaches that were successful with children who experienced early literacy learning difficulties. We concluded that what teachers know and are able to do is an important determinant of children's early reading success. The focus of the ISA is on helping teachers to develop greater expertise related to the process of early literacy learning and development and to identify what children already understand about reading and writing processes so that they are able to plan and deliver instruction that will enable children to move forward.

Early Literacy Instruction and Intervention, Third Edition

The third edition of the book that describes the ISA is now available - Early Literacy Instruction and Intervention in Grades K-2: The Interactive Strategies Approach (Guilford Press, 2024). The new edition reflects research findings that have emerged since the original ISA studies and the publication of the prior two editions of the book. The new edition places increased attention on whole-class instruction, teaching linguistically diverse students, writing development, and language-literacy connections.

 

Early Intervention for Reading Difficulties, Second Edition

What's new in the Second Edition (with editorial reviews)

 

Early Intervention for Reading Difficulties, First Edition

Subtitled "The Interactive Strategies Approach", this book presents a research-supported framework for early literacy instruction that aligns with multi-tiered response-to-intervention (RTI) models.

About the First Edition

• An interview with Dr. Donna Scanlon, a developer of the ISA
• Alignment of the Common Core State Standards Foundational Skills and the Interactive Strategies Approach

ISA Professional Development

Professional development based on the 2024 edition will be available beginning in the summer of 2024.

Contact ISA/RtI PD for information on ISA Professional Development or to register.

Additional ISA Resources

Readings

• Johnston, P. J. & Scanlon, D. M. (2021). An examination of dyslexia research and instruction with policy implications. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 70, 107-128.
• Anderson, K.L. & Scanlon, D. M. (2020). The development of sight vocabulary. The Reading Teacher, 74(3), 346-352.
• Scanlon, D. M. & Anderson, K. L. (2020). Using context as an assist in word solving: The contributions of 25 years of research on the Interactive Strategies Approach. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S19–S34.
• Lee, S. & Scanlon, D. M. (2015). The Effects of the Interactive Strategies Approach on At-Risk Kindergaretners' Spelling. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 28, 313-346.
• Gelzheiser, L.M., Hallgren-Flynn, L., Connors, M. & Scanlon, D. (2014). Reading thematically related texts to develop knowledge and comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 68(1), 53-63.
• Gelzheiser, L.M., Scanlon, D.M., Vellutino, F.R., Hallgren-Flynn, L. & Schatschneider, C. (2011). Effects of the Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended: A responsive and comprehensive intervention for intermediate grade struggling readers. Elementary School Journal, 112 (2), 280-306.
• Scanlon, D. M. & Anderson, K. L. (2010). Using the Interactive Strategies Approach to Prevent Reading Difficulties in and RtI Context. In M. Lipson & K. Wixson (Eds.), Succecssful Approaches to RtI (pp. 20-65). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
• Response to Intervention: An Overview. New Hope for Struggling Readers
• Reducing the Incidence of Early Reading Difficulties: Professional Development for Classroom Teachers vs. Direct Interventions for Children
• Response to Intervention as a Vehicle for Distinguishing between Reading Disabled and Non-Reading Disabled Children: Evidence for the Role of Kindergarten and First Grade Intervention
• Reference List: ISA Research and Practitioner Readings

What Others are Saying about the ISA

• Comments from Elementary Principals/Teacher Leaders
• Comments from Literacy Coaches/Teacher Leaders
• Comments from Teachers

Resource for Parents/Caregivers

• Helping Your Child Become a Reader