 Reading Recovery  What is Reading Recovery
Reading Recovery is an early short term intervention program for any six year olds who are "at risk" in beginning reading and writing. It is designed to give children a second chance in literacy acquisition. The program, developed in New Zealand by Dr. Marie Clay, is based on intensive classroom research into the learning process and how one learns to read and write.
Reading Recovery students participate in an intensive, daily 30 minute lesson with a trained Reading Recovery teacher. Instruction during the one-to-one lesson builds on individual strengths. Lessons are designed to help the child develop independent, self-extending strategies and to reach the average achievement levels of his/her classmates within 12 to 20 weeks.
Does it Work?
Longitudinal research studies in New Zealand over the past decade have shown that the majority of Reading Recovery children (75% or more) become independent readers and writers and continue to progress satisfactorily in classroom programs without further special assistance for reading and writing difficulties. The program has been successfully replicated in the United States, Australia, Great Britain and Canada with similar results.
 Teacher TrainingReading Recovery teachers are experienced classroom teachers who have participated in a year-long training program led by a Teacher Leader. Teachers in training simultaneously implement the program in their home schools under the supervision of the Teacher Leader. Following their training year, Reading Recovery teachers attend 6-8 Continuing contact sessions per year to ensure their ongoing professional development.
Student Selection
At the beginning of the year, children are selected for Reading Recovery using classroom teachers' judgement and results from the Observation Survey. The six Observation Survey tasks are:
- letter identification
- word identification
- concept about print
- writing vocabulary
- hearing sounds in words
- text reading
The Lesson
Each lesson is individualized and based on the teacher's close observation of the child's demonstrated progress. The 30 minutes Reading Recovery lesson includes the following components:
- reading of familiar books
- rereading yesterday's new book and taking a running record
- working with letters and /or words
- writing a message or story
- cut up story to be rearranged
- introduction and first reading of a new book
The first two weeks of the program provides an opportunity for the Teacher to observe what the child already knows- the foundation on which to begin instruction.
The Reading Recovery lesson is only a part of the child's literacy program. It supports the work being done in the classroom. The program continues until the child has developed an effective processing system and can work independently with the support of regular classroom instruction.
Parents' Role in Reading Recovery
To help link the acquisition of literacy between home and school, your child will be guided in selecting books to bring home.
- The purpose of the reading is not just to say the words, but to enjoy and understand the book being read.
- Carefully choose a good time to read the books together.
- If the book choice seems too difficult, join in and read along or finish reading the book yourself.
Your child also writes a story every day. The teacher writes it on a strip of paper and cuts it apart. Cut up stories provide practice for: assembling sentences; one-to-one correspondence of words spoken and words written; directional, checking and monitoring behaviors.
- Listen to your child read the sentence(s) printed on the envelope.
- Watch your child put the cut-up pieces back into the correct order.
- Ask your child to check his/her completed sentence(s).
Parents As Partners Helping Children Read:
Provide a Suitable Time and Place
- Choose a time when your child is not hungry, or really eager to do something else.
- Choose a place that is as quiet and peaceful as possible.
- Provide opportunities at home for daily reading.
Provide Suitable Material
- The librarian at you local school or library will help you select good books for children at any age.
- Stories should be of interest to the child.
- Stories should not be too difficult( no more that 5 mistakes in every 50 words).
Provide Encouragement
- Talk together about the story and pictures. This will help our child gain interest,
and to get meaning from the story.
- Accept you child's efforts.
- Avoid criticism, threats, and comparisons with other children.
- Try to be relaxed. Stop if you feel yourself or your child become frustrated. Read to your child instead.
Provide Praise
- when your child tries, even if it's wrong
- when your child reads for meaning.
- when your child finds the right word after making a mistake.
- when your child reads a word correctly, after you have provided help.
Provide Opportunities for the Child to Figure Out Words Independently.
- Wait! Give your child a chance to think about the word and the meaning of the story.
- But, if your child still doesn't respond, tell him or her the word rather than sounding it out
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