About Reading Recovery
Some students find it hard to read and write for many different reasons. The Reading Recovery Program, by giving these students assistance while they are still very young, i.e., in the first grade, helps them become successful readers and writers within a short period of time.

Reading Recovery is an individual program where the student and the Reading Recovery teacher work together for half an hour each day, providing extra support to the normal classroom literacy program. The Reading Recovery teacher helps the student read many books and write stories each day. In this way, the student catches up with classmates, and usually extra support is no longer needed.

Reading Recovery was developed in New Zealand and is now operating in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and every state in the United States. It has proven to be a very successful way of working with young students.

Your Child and Reading Recovery
Your child has been recently selected for the Reading Recovery program.  You will probably notice an improvement in the child's enjoyment of reading and writing soon after the lessons begin.

It is very important that your child attends school every day. Children with frequent absences make slower progress in Reading Recovery and prevent other children from taking part in the program.

The Reading Recovery teacher, Mrs. DeRuiter, will contact you to discuss your child's program. Please call Mrs. DeRuiter at any time if you wish to discuss your child's progress in the program or watch a lesson.

Your child may be required to attend the Reading Recovery Training Center at least once so the Reading Recovery teacher can demonstrate and discuss best teaching practices with other teachers who are training to become or are trained Reading Recovery teachers. Mrs. DeRuiter will tell you when it is your child's turn and will coordinate arrangements with you.

Helping at Home
In Reading Recovery, students read many books and are expected to read these books often for practice. Mrs. DeRuiter will begin to send home some easy books every day for your child to read with you. By taking an interest in these books,  you will add the extra support in order to help your child to succeed.
These simple tips will help you enjoy the reading:
    •      Before your child reads, discuss what the book is about.
    •     Talk about the pictures. They help your child read the book successfully. Never cover them up.
    •     If your child stops, wait a few seconds for him/her to work it out, then say the word.
    •     Tell your child any words that are stumbled over, rather than sounding them out.
    •     Keep the reading time short and enjoyable. Longer books can be shared by taking turns reading with or to your child.
    •     Encourage and praise your child.

Mrs. DeRuiter may also send home an envelope containing a cut-up version of the story written during the Reading Recovery lesson each day.

Read aloud the original story printed on the envelope. Ask your child to put the cut-up version together again. Leave spaces between each cut-up word. The goal for the child is to correctly assemble the sentence.

As well as sharing these activities, it will be helpful if you read regularly to your child using library books or favorite books at home.

If your child enjoys writing, encourage all attempts. Assist your child, if help is needed, so that the attempt can be written to the child's satisfaction.