A Tier 3 Cognitive Literacy Intervention within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports: Effects on Reading, Comprehension, and Writing Outcomes

Abstract

The persistent achievement gap in literacy, particularly for students requiring intensive support, increases the need for structured, evidence-based interventions within the framework of the MTSS. This study examines the effectiveness of a cognitive-mediated, multicomponent reading intervention positioned at Tier 3 within the MTSS. The intervention aims to strengthen fluent reading, reading comprehension, and writing outcomes by systematically targeting working memory, attention regulation, auditory and visual processing, and executive functions. The study, conducted using a pretest-posttest control group experimental design, involved students in grades 2-4 diagnosed with specific learning difficulties. The findings indicated significant and high-level group & times; time interactions in favor of the experimental group in reading, comprehension, and writing performance. Qualitative social validity findings revealed that students perceived the intervention as acceptable, meaningful, and desirable. The results indicate that integrating cognitive regulation processes with Tier 3 structured instruction provides an effective and sustainable support model for students with persistent literacy difficulties. This study emphasizes that MTSS is not merely an intervention hierarchy but a framework that enables the systematic implementation of data-driven individualized instruction.