Reading Recovery

The Shore Shore Reading Recovery™ program has been recognized as one of the top 30 program sites by the Reading Recovery Council of North America. Only two other Canadian locations were included in the council's listing of exemplary programs - one in New Brunswick, the other in Ontario.

Reading Recovery is an intensive, short-term program for students at risk of failing which helps them develop effective reading and writing skills. It is an early intervention strategy, developed originally in New Zealand by Dr. Marie Clay. The program is based on scientific research about how children best learn to read and write.

This literacy program helps the lowest achieving students in early elementary grade levels develop effective strategies for reading and writing in order for them to achieve the average skill levels of their classroom peers.

Students in the program are given intensive individual instruction in reading and writing by a trained teacher for 30 minutes each school day for 12 to 20 weeks. One-on-one instruction with rigorous adherence to a daily program of instruction is a critical element in the delivery of this program.

At each elementary school in the South Shore, at least one full-time, permanent teacher has completed Reading Recovery training. Training takes place over a 12-month period with intensive instruction in the structure and delivery of the program, with continuing professional development. In the past three years, some 40 elementary school teachers have successfully completed the training required to deliver Reading Recovery to students in their school.

Reading Recovery has been offered by the South Shore Regional School Board since 1992 and serves about 160 students each year.