Academic Interventionist Career Information

The job title “Academic Interventionist” covers a lot of different positions. But generally, you’re like a safety net for kids who are unable to keep up in class. More specifically, an Academic Interventionist helps kids—mainly between Kindergarten and third grade—with special needs like speaking English as a second language or having a learning disability.

Each state has a set of learning standards used to determine who moves on to the next grade. But kids can fall below state standards for a number of reasons: speech impediments, emotional problems, physical disabilities, or serious illnesses that keep them out of school. So the work of an Academic Interventionist begins with identifying the kids who are in danger of falling below these standards, and then help them catch up.

A student’s problem may not always be obvious, though, so you need to use different assessments and tests to find the ones who need extra help. One way is through observation. During class, you work with the [career_link teacher-aides], keeping an eye out for students who have serious behavior problems or are confused about what’s being taught. When you find a child with a problem, you work one-on-one to come up with a plan to fix the issue.

The solution can be a behavior plan, extra study time, or using a different teaching style that conforms to their special needs. You also work with the student’s parents and [career_link teachers], forming an entire team of adults helping the child out. Sometimes you also do house or hospital visits to give extra lessons or to provide tutoring.