Mrs. Susan McKenna is the Reading Recovery Teacher 

Reading is how we interpret written down symbols. Can you read this?

Ereht saw lllits on ngis fo eht srehto. Eht gnignis dah deppots sa yeht dehcaorppa eht pmac. Won ereht saw enoon ot eb nees. Neht yeht was no eht pot fo eno fo eht sexob a taerg etihw god.

We have to use many different strategies and cues in order to read but we are not usually aware of this unless it is something unfamiliar. Reading Recovery is a programme specially designed to develop early reading and writing skills and give pupils more effective literacy strategies so that they can become more independent learners. The programme is delivered in one-to-one teaching. 

Marie Clay started the programme in New Zealand after she had undertaken extensive research and study. It was introduced into Britain and Ireland  in the 1980s and 1990s.It is very well regarded and supported by Departments of Education who make funds available for training of teachers and extension of the programme. Reading Recovery was introduced into  Northern Ireland in 1992 and is being adopted by Primary Schools and Special  Schools .

The programme has been operating in Belmont Campus nine years and to date one teacher has been trained to deliver the programme and thirty six pupils have been on the programme. It has proved very successful for our pupils; they have made good progress in their reading and writing skills and become more confident and independent in their learning. 

Reading Recovery is an ideal programme for allowing a pupil to be taken along his/her own path into reading and writing. Each pupil on the Reading Recovery Programme has an individually targeted lesson daily. The teaching follows a very definite framework but is different for each pupil. The starting point is the pupil's strengths and it builds on these. The teaching is individually designed and individually delivered every day. This allows the teacher to respond to each pupil's unique skills and needs. In these one-to one lessons the teacher can teach strategies, which are particularly appropriate to a particular pupil. When children are being taught in a group the teacher cannot make these decisions, she has to choose a compromise path. In the Reading Recovery programme the teacher is able to design a well-sequenced programme daily, determined by the pupil's performance and to make skilled decisions moment by moment.

Effective teaching and learning in reading and writing on the programme can be compared to a football game. You do not improve the score by looking at the result. The coach must look closely at how the team is playing the game and help them to change the moves or strategies that produce a better final score.

Pupils on the programme read a wide variety of appropriately levelled books. The pupil gets a new storybook each day, this gives them the opportunity for word solving and practising their developing skills. Most importantly it means they are learning to read by reading and they are reading for meaning and enjoyment.

It is quite pissible to raed a txet wtith a greta man y mistakes becos we no hwat we expect to rade; the sense is ont afectid until we distrb the construction of the language moving by sentences words or about so not they correct are grammatically. 

From the above example it becomes obvious that reading for meaning is very important. 

Writing is closely linked to reading in the Reading Recovery programme. Pupils write their own simple stories each day, which allows them to develop strategies for hearing and recording sounds in words. They are encouraged to see links in reading and writing, these links are interwoven throughout the programme. 

A simple definition for reading and writing is 'talking and listening transferred to paper' or 'written down talk.'

Parents are invited to be actively involved in supporting their child  throughout theprogramme. The strong support from parents has added greatly to the success of the programme and this support is very much appreciated. 

The Reading Recovery teacher and the Reading Recovery link teacher have disseminated some of the good practices and strategies from the programme to teachers and teaching assistants in Messines and Hampstead Learning Centres. These are strategies and practices that can be used in the classroom situation to help pupils to read and write more effectively, confidently and independently.  Parents,Teachers and teaching assistants have been invited to observe Reading Recovery lessons when they can.