Reading Recovery® at Cherry Valley School
Cherry Valley School is currently providing an early intervention
program for first grade students called Reading Recovery. Reading
Recovery is designed to assist children who are having difficulty
learning to read and write. Eligible children are tested and identified
to receive a short-term, individually designed program of instruction
that allows them to succeed before they enter a cycle of reading
failure. The goal of Reading Recovery is to accelerate children's
literacy learning to the point where they can effectively participate
in the regular classroom program at the average class level, typically
within 12-20 weeks.
Begun more than 30 years ago in New Zealand,
Reading Recovery is now being implemented in six countries, including
four Canadian provinces, 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
It has proven to be effective in all these diverse education systems.
Cherry Valley has two certified Reading Recovery teachers. The
training in Reading Recovery procedures and in theories and practices
of reading instruction is an intensive year-long course for experienced
classroom teachers.
Each Reading Recovery teacher works with
children on a one-to-one basis for 30 minutes every day as a supplement
to the regular classroom reading program. The main focus during
the daily lesson is on the child reading many carefully chosen
books of gradually increasing difficulty and writing his/her own
stories. The program is different for every child. Teachers base
instruction on a detailed analysis of student behaviors and knowledge
of the reading process.
At every point in the program the teacher
fosters the child's development of a range of flexible strategies
to be used independently when reading books or writing stories.
Such building of independence throughout the teaching means the
child can apply these strategies in a variety of situations. As
children gain control of their own learning in reading and writing,
they become active, constructive learners in the classroom and
continue to progress without the need for extra support.
Reading Recovery is a preventive measure
designed to assist the lowest-achieving first grade children before
they experience consistent difficulties and failure. At Cherry
Valley School we believe the prevention of reading and writing
failure is the responsibility of the whole school. An understanding
of the basic principles of Reading Recovery by the entire school
community is necessary for the program to operate effectively
within the school. Reading Recovery is one part of Cherry Valley
School's commitment to ensuring all of our children begin the
task of becoming literate with success.
For more information:
The Reading Recovery Council of North America
200 Ramseyer Hall
29 West Woodruff Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210-1177
(614)688-3738