In 1999, Jack, a student in Yukon, was at the lowest reading level in his class in Grade 1. His parents were shocked to receive this news, but when offered the opportunity to have him participate in Reading Recovery, they gratefully accepted this offer of support.
Jack when he was a Reading Recovery Student
Following just a few weeks of the Reading Recovery literacy intervention in his school, Jack’s reading level improved dramatically. He finished his Grade 2 year at the highest reading level in his class.
Jack’s teachers referred to him as the “perfect Reading Recovery student”. He was able to accelerate
his learning and quickly catch up to his peers.
Jack enjoyed his time in Reading Recovery so much that he turned up at the Reading Recovery
room at the beginning of Grade 3 ready to continue his work with Ms. Marie!
The short term intervention of Reading Recovery has made a difference for Jack. Throughout elementary school and high school, Jack was an avid reader and an above average student. In 2011 Jack graduated from high school with honours. Currently, Jack is finishing his Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree at UVic and achieving A’s in his program. He is also an excellent writer and a voracious reader of global politics, biographies, and fiction anchored in history and travel adventures.
Jack has come a long way since his beginnings as the lowest achieving reader in his Grade 1 class! Without the Reading Recovery intervention it is possible Jack would struggle with reading, writing and academic achievement throughout his education and into adulthood. The short time he spent with Ms. Marie in Reading Recovery has made all the difference for Jack.
Parents of children who are struggling to read and write often wonder what they can do to help their children be better readers and writer. There are many things parents can do which can help young children with reading – read to them, give them books to read, point out letters and words you see in public, let them see you reading, take them to the library.
Even with these activities some children will struggle to learn to read once they get into school. For these children Reading Recovery is an effective way, in a short amount of time to bring the kids who are struggling the most up to a level equal to the other readers in their grade. Not all schools have Reading Recovery though, so one of the ways parents can help is to advocate for the school board, division or district to implement Reading Recovery. Reading Recovery makes a life long impact!
In 2014, the first Reading Recovery Training Centre in a First Nations community opened in Manitoba. The opening was cause for celebration.
Gloria Sinclair, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader for Manitoba First Nations Education & Resource Centre.
Gloria Sinclair was selected as the first Teacher Leader to guide the implementation of Reading Recovery. The winter issue of The Journal of Reading Recovery, features an article written by, Gloria Sinclair, Allyson Matczuk and Irene Huggins. The article that reflects on the implementation of Reading Recovery by the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre. Outlined are the details of how Reading Recovery has been implemented in an area that this made up of many small, rural and very remote communities.
Read about the achievements of Ray, a student who could recognize only 7 letters and with only 12 lessons he read little books, wrote in full sentences and confidently answered questions about what he was doing!
The implementation has been so successful that a second Teacher Leader has been trained and another Reading Recovery Training Centre has just opened in Thompson, Manitoba.
School District #27 in BC Celebrates 20 Years of Reading Recovery
School District No. 27 was recognized for 20 years of Reading Recovery intervention success by the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery. This early reading intervention has directly supported over 1700Grade 1 students to overcome reading difficulties. There have been more than 80 teachers trained in Reading Recovery and those 80 teachers have gone on to impact over 15,000 students in School District No. 27 through changes in teaching methods over the past 20 years.
The June 20, 2017 evening celebration, hosted by the current Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, Lori
23 Reading Recovery Teachers in District #27
Kelly, included a short program of special guests who spoke about their role in the inception and development of Reading Recovery in School District No. 27 over the past 20 years. Special guests included teacher Delores Goerz and school psychologist Darryl Grams who initially brought the program to the district, past Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Lorraine Smith, and Brian Butcher who was the superintendent of schools at Reading Recovery’s introduction to the District.
There were several past students who are now adults and families who came out
Christine and Tanya – 20 Years of Reading Recovery Certificate
with their children who were a part of Reading Recovery. Thanks to funds from the Williams Lake Truckers Association each child who attended was able to choose a book to take home.
School District No. 27 produced a short video describing the impact of Reading Recovery over these past 20 years which was well received by the crowd of approximately 75 people. The evening culminated with The Reading Recovery Trainer for the Mountain Pacific Region, Christine Fraser, presenting Tanya Gunther, SD 27 Board of Education chair, with a certificate of recognition on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery. Christine commended the District on its accomplishments over the past 20 years and said she would like to bottle up all the positive energy in the room and take it with her around the region to other school districts.
Part of the National Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Conference not to be missed are the exhibitors. The Exhibitor Trade Show is an opportunity during breaks in the conference agenda to connect with the latest materials for your classroom, meet authors and publishers, learn about new resources to aid in literacy development. Not all exhibitors are publishers – some are unique businesses with items of interest to educators. Many exhibitors have specials and draws on just for the conference so it is a great place to get a good deal!
Exhibitors are confirmed daily so watch this space for updates on who will be at the conference this year.
So…..who will be an exhibitor at the 2018 conference? The following have confirmed they will be there!
Each year in June, the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery, the Canadian Reading Recovery Trainer Team and some keen statistical analysts work together to collect information on the achievement of students who have participated in Reading Recovery through the school year. The impact of Reading Recovery is felt by thousands of young learners in Canada.
The results are in for the 2016-17 year. Nova Scotia had job action during the school year so their data was not included in these results, but the data from 5 provinces and 1 territory show that over 7,200 children were helped by Reading Recovery in Canada. In Canada there were 5 Reading Recovery Trainers, 45 Teacher Leaders, and 1,091 Teachers supporting the early literacy intervention. They are champions for children struggling with reading and writing as well as keen observers of the literacy needs of children in Grade 1. Reading Recovery is implemented in English in 868 schools and in French in 23 schools.
One mom writes, “I am simply amazed at the progress my little guy has had in this program. He only began a few weeks ago as a non reader and now he is reading. What a boost to his self confidence!! Thank you for an excellent program!“
Find out more about the achievements of students in Reading Recovery by reading the report.
The Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Suites, located at 600 Highway 7 East, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1B2 will be your host hotel for the upcoming National Reading Recovery & Early Literacy Learning Conference taking place on April 16-17, 2018.
Standard Room $149.00
Jacuzzi Suite $169.00
BEST WESTERN RATE
Standard Room $115.00
How to book at the conference rate…
To book a room within the block, click here or call the reservation department at 1-800-668-0101 or 905-882-3108 and quote the “Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery” to get the special rate.
The last day to receive the special group rate is March 28, 2018 – book early to ensure the best rate.
In addition to the affordable room rate, guests of the Sheraton Parkway and Best Western will also receive complimentary indoor and outdoor parking, complimentary internet in all guest rooms, complimentary use of Fitness Centre facilities including 2 indoor pools, one of which is a saltwater pool.
Both the Best Western and Sheraton hotels are conveniently in the same building as our conference activities. If you are staying on-site you won’t have to go outside!
If using GPS to get to the hotel please use the following address: 9005 Leslie Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1G7
When we believe children are competent and capable learners, we document what they currently know and can do which provides us with insights and questions about where the learning might go next. This workshop will focus on Pedagogical documentation and small group reading instruction in the Kindergarten and grade one classroom. We will investigate :
How might we create the opportunities for literacy to happen authentically throughout the day in multiple contexts and in multiple places?
How can we be flexible about where we are meeting with the children, how long we are meeting with them, and what level of support we are providing to them?
As we reimagine literacy instruction, we will use video clips to hear educator teams making the learning visible by noticing and naming literacy behaviours that are connected and applied in multiple contexts throughout the day.
Why is the cut-up story part of the lesson activities? How does the teacher benefit from observing the child reassembling the story? How does the child benefit from reassembling his story? This interactive session will examine the power behind Assembling Cut-Up Stories in Reading Recovery lessons and in the classroom. We will explore examples of ways to use this activity in Kindergarten and in grade 1 classrooms.
Beginning readers do best when they are engaging with books at a ‘just right’ level of difficulty – books that offer opportunities to both consolidate what is known, and do some new problem-solving. However, not all levelled texts are created equal. Understanding the characteristics, function and limitations of levelled text enables teachers to maximize the learning impact of this valuable instructional tool.
Presenter: Susan Burroughs, Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery
Susan Burroughs taught K-3 for many years, worked as a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader for 18 years and retired from the Toronto District School Board in 2012. She is currently Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery.
“I think introducing new texts which young school children are going to read demands great skill” (Clay, 1991)
Participants will explore how rich introductions support children in becoming independent readers. Actively engaging children to participate in the conversations, before reading, sets them up to read a new text with a high degree of successful processing.
Presenters: Jennifer Gillingham & Barb Cassar, TDSB
Jennifer and Barb are Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders with the Toronto District School Board. They are regular presenters and contributors of Literacy Learning Professional Development for Reading Recovery and Classroom Teachers of the Elementary and Secondary Panels. Combined they have taught for over 50 years!