The “Pros” of Goal Setting with Reading Intervention

With the rise of BookTok (cue the celebration of social media making reading fun again), more adults are setting personal reading goals and actually sticking to them. I have several adult friends who set a personal goal of reading at least one book per month. This usually involves posting on social media proclaiming their goal, then periodically reporting out on their progress and favorite (or least favorite) books so far. Some even go so far as to have rules for themselves like needing to read a different genre each month.

But this trend isn’t just about reading more—it’s about building a culture of accountability, engagement, and excitement around literacy. And that’s something we can absolutely apply to education. What’s the power in public goal setting and does it have an impact for our students needing reading intervention? Research consistently supports the notion that goal setting plays a crucial role in improving reading outcomes and fostering student ownership of learning — whether through formal goals, like those in IEPs, or personal goals set for individual growth.

Why Goal Setting Matters in Reading Intervention

1. Increases Motivation and Focus: A clear and achievable goal serves as a powerful motivator for students. Research shows that when students understand what they’re working toward, they are more likely to stay engaged and persist, even when the material is difficult. Setting specific and challenging goals boosts motivation and drives higher performance. For reading intervention, this means students are more likely to be invested in their learning when they understand their progress and what they need to improve upon. In fact, Chung, et al (2021) highlighted that students who actively engage in goal setting show greater academic achievement and self reflection. At MindPlay, students can set weekly lesson goals that align with their individual learning journey, reinforcing a sense of achievement.
2. Improves Self-Regulation and Metacognition: Goal setting in reading intervention encourages students to reflect on their learning process, which strengthens their ability to self-regulate. Bouknify (2023) noted that when students employ metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading, they have an increase in self-efficacy. Taking the time to become aware of the strategies they use to decode words, understand texts, and recall information brings that understanding to the surface. The more aware students are of how they learn, the better equipped they are to engage with more challenging reading.
3. Enhances Skill Mastery: When students set specific reading goals, they’re more likely to master essential skills. The National Reading Panel (2000) identified five key components of effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. By setting goals in these areas, students can focus on mastering each skill sequentially, building a strong foundation for future reading success. Research also supports the idea that goal setting enhances skill acquisition when the goals are measurable and time-bound. At MindPlay, we help with this process by giving each learner a Foundational Skill Profile to help visualize areas of strength and growth opportunities.

How to Set Effective Goals in Reading Intervention

Setting goals for reading intervention is not just about picking a target—it’s about making sure those goals are effective. Here are some tips for setting meaningful and achievable goals:

1. Be Specific: Goals should be clear and focused on specific skills, such as improving phonemic awareness, increasing reading fluency, or expanding vocabulary. For example, “Improve fluency by reading 50 words per minute over the academic year.” This can be measured in MindPlay’s Oral Reading Fluency Assessment.
2. Set Measurable Goals: Use quantifiable benchmarks to track progress. This helps both the student and the teacher gauge improvement. An example could be, “Read and comprehend a grade-level passage with 80% accuracy.” This is easy to measure with MindPlay’s Reading Level Score – the decimal shows the accuracy.
3. Make Goals Achievable: Set goals that are challenging yet attainable. Research shows that goals should be within the student’s zone of proximal development to ensure optimal learning and development. That’s why when students are in MindPlay’s personalized library reading in Power Text mode, we limit the books they see to just above and below their Lexile®.
4. Set Time Frames: Provide a clear time frame for achieving goals. Whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly, having a deadline gives students a sense of urgency and helps them stay focused. We try to help with this by allowing educators to set customizable date ranges so you can see exactly how much progress was made between particular dates. This helps with contests, IEP growth, MTSS measurement, and more.
5. Involve Students: Allow students to have a voice in setting their own goals. When they are involved in the process, they feel more responsible for their success and are more likely to be motivated to reach those goals.

Conclusion

So maybe my friends setting reading goals are on to something. It certainly matters in the classroom. Goal setting in reading intervention is a proven approach to improving student outcomes and we have made improvements to make it easy for you to do. By setting clear, specific, and measurable goals, educators can foster motivation, accountability, and skill mastery in struggling readers. Research consistently shows that goal setting leads to higher achievement, greater self-regulation, and increased confidence, all of which are critical to long-term success in reading. Whether you’re a teacher or an interventionist, incorporating goal setting into your reading instruction can make a significant difference in helping students become confident, proficient readers.

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References

• Bouknify, M. Importance of metacognitive strategies in enhancing reading comprehension skills. Vol. 8 No. 2 (2023): Journal of Education in Black Sea Region. https://doi.org/10.31578/jebs.v8i2.291
• Chung, H.Q., Chen, V. & Olson, C.B. The impact of self-assessment, planning and goal setting, and reflection before and after revision on student self-efficacy and writing performance. Read Writ 34, 1885–1913 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10186-x
• National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction: Reports of the subgroups. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.