Rationale for Reading Recovery

 Most children begin to acquire literacy from their preschool and kindergarten experiences. However, Clay's research reveals that some children develop inappropriate strategies for approaching the task of acquiring competence in reading and writing. Research has demonstrated that at risk children can be identified after one year of schooling (Clay 1985) resulting in what Clay describes as "tiny tots with tangled knots."

The child that remains in a state of confusion about reading and writing tasks can fall behind peers and develop low self esteem. Early intervention before failure is established can reduce problems later in schooling. Through observation and testing of children in first grade, these children can be identified. The Reading Recovery program provides an intensive, individually sequenced tutoring program designed to build on each child's observed strengths. By "untangling" the confusions early on, these lowest achieving children may have the opportunity to read and write as well as the average in their classroom with confidence.

How Are Children Selected for Reading Recovery ?

 At the beginning of each academic year, children at risk of failing reading are selected for Reading Recovery using classroom teacher judgment and results from the Observation Survey. The following six measures make up the Observation Survey.

• Letter identification

Children are asked to identify 54 upper- and lower-case letters including conventional print for a (a) and g (g).

• Word test

Children are asked to read a list of 20 words that are used frequently in early reading material.

• Concepts about print

Children are asked to perform a variety of tasks during a shared book reading. These tasks are designed to reveal the child's concepts about printed language, such as directionality (moving left to right across a word) and understanding of terms such as letter and word.

• Writing vocabulary

Children are asked to write all the words they know within 10 minutes, beginning with their own name.

• Hearing and recording sounds in words

Children are asked to write the words in a dictated sentence to determine their ability to transfer sounds in words to written letters.

• Text reading

Children are asked to read illustrated "little books" to determine the level of text at which they can be effectively instructed.

Reading Recovery Lessons

 In Reading Recovery lessons, the teacher and child sit side by side, reading and writing collaboratively. This setting provides the teacher with many opportunities to support the child's literacy learning. Reading Recovery teachers follow the child's lead. Close observation and systematic recording of the child's responses enable the teacher to access how the child makes independent discoveries about reading and writing. The teacher's knowledge of the reading process and experience in interpreting reading behavior enables him/her to formulate hypotheses about the strategies the child uses to operate on text. By making informed decisions about when and how to help, the teacher keeps the child constantly pushing at the frontiers of his or her knowledge.

A typical lesson runs 30 minutes and each child is seen individually.

A Reading Recovery lesson includes the following components:

• Reading of familiar books

Reading previously introduced books provides the child with opportunities to engage in fluent reading and to practice emerging strategies.

• Recording a running record of yesterday's new book

The teacher records the child's reading of a book that has been introduced and read during the previous lesson. This record is analyzed to infer which sources of information and strategies the child is using, and to guide the teaching directions for the next lesson.

 • Working with letters and words

The teacher and child use plastic letters on a magnetic board to teach letter names, and the principles of word analysis.

 • Writing a message or story

The child composes a brief message. In collaboration with the teacher, the child learns to construct meaningful sentences, and make links between sounds and letters and letter patterns within words. Phonological awareness is stressed during this portion of the lesson.

• Introduction and first reading of a new book

The teacher and child explore a new book together, and the child reads it for the first time. In this supported context, the child has opportunities to solve problems, and confirm correct responses.

These procedures were developed and refined with teachers after a large number of techniques were piloted, observed, discussed, argued over, related to theory, analyzed, recorded, modified and tested in various ways. Many were discarded because they were ineffective or actually slowed the child's progress. (Clay, 1985)

The program continues until each child has developed effective strategies for independent literacy learning, and can function satisfactorily in regular classroom reading instruction. The decision to discontinue the child from the program is determined by testing conducted by another teacher in conjunction with the classroom teacher's observations. When the intervention is successfully "discontinued" for one child, another is enrolled and given an opportunity to participate.

A small percentage of children make progress but do not accelerate towards the average after considerable intervention. These students are then referred for further evaluation and long term intervention.

Parent Involvement:

Parent involvement is very important. At least one book is taken home on a daily basis, along with a cut-up sentence for the child to put back together. Parents should plan time in their day to help their child complete his/her Reading Recovery homework.