Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery is an early intervention program designed to reduce reading failure for at risk first grade children. It is based on the assumption that intensive, high quality intervention during the early years of schooling is the most productive investment of resources. Good readers and writers develop early. Retention and remediation, accompanying several years of failure, do not enable children to function productively in school or later on in society. Developer Marie M. Clay's research reveals that poor readers develop ineffective strategies that persist and may hinder or block learning in all areas. This project fully supports the achievement of the New York State English Language Arts Learning Standards for ALL children. The goal of Reading Recovery is to enable first grade students to make accelerated progress and to become increasingly competent, independent readers in a short time, usually within 20 weeks. The program continues until the child has developed effective strategies for independent learning and can read and write satisfactorily in regular classroom instruction without extra help. At this point the intervention is "discontinued" and another child is given an opportunity to participate in the Reading Recovery program. The Southern Westchester BOCES site serves 26 school districts with an ever increasing number of students, successfully 'discontinuing' 87-92% annually since its establishment 10 years ago.