How Coteach Powers Effective Tier 2 and Tier 3 Interventions

In today's diverse classrooms, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely meets every student's needs. That's why educators implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework:

• Tier 1: Core classroom instruction that meets the needs of most students (typically 80-85%)

• Tier 2: Targeted interventions for students needing additional support beyond core instruction (about 10-15% of students)

• Tier 3: Intensive, individualized interventions for students with significant learning gaps (approximately 3-5% of students)

In an earlier post, we explored how high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) provide an essential foundation for student learning. However, even the best materials aren't always enough on their own. Students with unfinished learning need additional support, and teachers need efficient ways to provide targeted interventions without reinventing the wheel.

This is where Coteach can help. Just as Coteach helps customize content for Tier 1 instruction, it also excels at developing focused, curriculum-aligned interventions for your Tier 2 and Tier 3 students. Let's explore three powerful ways you can leverage Coteach to drive effective interventions that connect seamlessly with IM® v.360 by Illustrative Mathematics®.

Building Targeted Prerequisite Skills

The Need: Students struggling with grade-level content often have gaps in prerequisite skills that create barriers to new learning. Without addressing these gaps first, tier 2 and 3 students may continue to fall behind despite your best efforts.

How Coteach Helps: Coteach quickly identifies prerequisite skills for any lesson or unit, then generates targeted diagnostics and mini-lessons to address specific skill gaps—saving you hours of planning time while ensuring your interventions directly support core instruction.

Try These Prompts:

• "For Unit 3 on fractions, what prerequisite skills will my struggling students need to master first?"

• "Create a 15-minute diagnostic assessment that identifies which of these prerequisite skills my students are missing."

• "Develop a targeted mini-lesson on equivalent fractions (lessons 4-7 from Unit 3) that includes concrete examples, visual models, and 5-7 practice problems."

• "Please provide step-by-step teacher notes for facilitating this mini-lesson with a small group."

Assess and Address Persistent Learning Gaps

The Need: Even with targeted intervention, some students continue to struggle with specific concepts or skills. Identifying exactly where understanding breaks down is essential for tier 3 interventions.

How Coteach Helps: Coteach creates customized formative assessments that pinpoint persistent misconceptions, then generates additional targeted practice that addresses these specific sticking points—all aligned with your core curriculum.

Try These Prompts:

• "My tier 3 students are still confusing the meaning of numerator and denominator. Design an intervention activity that clarifies this distinction using visual models."

• "Develop a progression of 8-10 practice problems that gradually increase in difficulty to help students master multi-digit multiplication."

• "My cool-down data shows students understand the concept but make computational errors. Create fluency-building activities they can use during intervention time."

Developing Essential Fluency

The Need: Many struggling students lack the computational fluency needed to access higher-level content. Without this foundation, they expend so much mental energy on calculations that they can't focus on conceptual understanding.

How Coteach Helps: Coteach identifies the specific fluency skills needed for upcoming content and creates engaging practice that builds automaticity while maintaining connections to grade-level concepts.

Try These Prompts:

• "What specific fluency skills do students need to be successful in this unit on area and perimeter?"

• "Create a set of 5-minute daily warm-ups that build multiplication fluency within the context of this unit."

• "My students need more practice with fraction operations (from Lesson 13). Design a self-checking activity they can complete independently during station work."

Keeping Interventions Connected to Core Instruction

The most effective interventions don't exist in isolation—they're strategically aligned with your core curriculum while targeting specific student needs. By using Coteach to create these connections, you ensure students receive support that directly prepares them for success with grade-level content.

Remember, you know your students best! While Coteach can generate these resources quickly, your expertise in selecting the right interventions, determining their timing, and adjusting based on student responses is what ultimately makes these supports effective.

Ready to boost your Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions? Head to Coteach now!