1. Different paths to similar outcomes
Reading Recovery
Different paths to similar outcomes

2. What is Reading Recovery?
Reading Recovery is a researched- based intervention with the prime goals of accelerating literacy learning and reducing reading and writing difficulties by targeting those students performing in the lowest 20% of Year One. It was developed in New Zealand by educator and psychologist Dame Marie Clay. Clay used evidence from her intensive research and observation of good classroom practice to develop Reading Recovery. It was trialled in New Zealand in the early 1980’s. By 1988 it had reached national coverage in new Zealand and had expanded not just to Australia. Reading Recovery is now implemented world wide with programs operating in Canada, the United States and Europe. It has also been translated into braille. Reading Recovery implementation is systematic and comprehensive. It encompasses professional development for teachers, a network of professional support for teachers and administrators, and a research and evaluation component to monitor program effectiveness and ensure accountability. As a result Reading Recovery has been heralded as a catalyst for change in literacy practices in schools. Reading Recovery: * identifies students experiencing reading and writing difficulties after their first year of school * provides an intensive , individually designed and individually delivered series of lessons for 30 minutes each day * is supplementary to the ongoing literacy activities in the classroom

3. How are Students Identified For Reading Recovery?
The students identified for Reading Recovery are those who, after a year at school, appear to be at the greatest risk of failure. By intervening in Year One Reading Recovery can prevent a cycle of failure for students at risk.
Reading Recovery supports these lowest achieving students experiencing difficulty learning to read and write. Identification of students is based on prior reading achievement, diagnostic assessment
(Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, 2013) and teacher recommendations. The Observation Survey is a standard set of individually administered assessment tasks which include:
* text reading
* letter/sound identification
* concepts about print
* word recognition (Marie Clay Word Test and Burt Word Reading)
* writing vocabulary
* hearing and recording sounds in words
These assessments provide information about the students existing processing in both reading and writing and whether he is relating information from one area of competency to another.
Students are identified for Reading Recovery not selected.

4. The Structure of a Reading Recovery Lesson
Reading Recovery is based on sound instructional practices that are foundational to effective literacy instruction. The theory based assumptions of Reading Recovery are: 1. Reading and writing are learned behaviours 2. Systematic observation informs teaching. 3. New learning is built on a student’s strengths. 4. Accelerated progress is critical to closing the gap. These assumptions are the basis of the 30 minute lessons that address the following aspects of the reading and writing processes. * phonological awareness * structural analysis * visual recognition of letters * phrasing in fluent reading * word recognition * comprehension * word analysis Reciprocity The strength of the child’s program depends on the teacher’s ability to foster reciprocity between reading and writing.

5. The Structure of the Reading Recovery Lesson
In order to develop effective and efficient strategic processing reading and writing, it is necessary to consistently work through the child’s zone of proximal development. In literacy learning brains become fluent and fast at sending information in both directions as we read and write. The child is building a processing network that will deal with complex literacy tasks. 1. Text Reading: reading familiar books The reading of two or more familiar books in a phrased and fluent manner at the beginning of the session provides opportunities for the student to practice good reading behaviours. 2. Text Reading: a running record of yesterday’s book The student reads the book from the previous day. The teacher takes a running record (a shorthand record of the student’s reading) without intervening. 3. Letter Identification/Taking Words Apart After the running record, a short time is spent using magnetic letters to further extend letter knowledge and work on words looking at how words work. 4. Text Writing The student orally constructs a sentence or two. The teacher supports the writing process while teaching for flexible writing strategies. 5. Assembling Cut Up Story After the story is written the teacher writes it on a strip of cardboard. It is then cut up word by word so that the child can search and check information to help reassemble the story. 6. Text reading: reading a new book The teacher introduces a new book providing information about the content, how the language is structured in that particular book.