Reading Recovery is a proven early literacy intervention for 1st graders.

Reading Recovery® is a short-term, school-based literacy intervention for first-grade students who have difficulty learning to read and write. 

In Reading Recovery, specially trained teachers work with students individually for 30-minute lessons each school day for 12 to 20 weeks. Reading Recovery is grounded in the five essential components of reading instruction—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency.

Literacy Lessons extends this expert teaching to special populations. Literacy Lessons™ is an intervention designed to reach young children (generally Grades 1-4) in special education or ESL settings who are struggling with beginning reading and writing but are not eligible for Reading Recovery. ESL and SPED certified teachers are trained to use responsive and systematic instructional procedures to design individual lessons for their students with the goal of accelerating their literacy learning.

If you’d like to train a Reading Recovery or Literacy Lessons teacher or set up a new Reading Recovery teacher training site in your area, we would like to partner with you and provide ongoing support. 

Reading Recovery Works

• More than 25 years of documented success with more than two million students
• Reading Recovery greatly reduces or closes opportunity gaps
• Most Reading Recovery students catch up with their peers within 12-20 weeks
• Reading Recovery is proven to work with English Language Learners
• The majority of Reading Recovery children sustain their learning gains over time
• By intervening early, Reading Recovery reduces referrals and placements in special education, limits retention, and has lasting effects
• The long-term benefits of literacy achievement outweigh the short-term cost of instruction and teacher preparation
• View Reading Recovery research by the Institute of Education Sciences: What Works Clearinghouse
• View the 4-Year Evaluation of Reading Recovery Expansion Finds Strong Gains in Student Reading Achievement

Learn more on the Reading Recovery Council of North America website

Reading Recovery Teacher Leader Training at Lesley University

Lesley University provides graduate-level training for Reading Recovery Teachers and Teacher Leaders. We train Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders, who in turn train and support Reading Recovery and Literacy Lessons teachers at regional training sites.

How Do I Bring Reading Recovery and/or Literacy Lessons to My School or District?

Lesley University is a University Training Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Lessons. We train Teacher Leaders, who in turn, train and support Reading Recovery and Literacy Lessons teachers in schools. 

Contact the regional training site nearest you for more information. A list of regional training sites is provided below.

Reading Recovery Sites That We Currently Support: