Frequently Asked Questions

Reading Recovery is the world's most widely researched intervention program for young children having trouble learning to read.

1. Does Reading Recovery teach phonics?

Yes. Reading Recovery teachers provide attention to letters, sounds, and words, both while reading and writing and as direct instruction. In the Reading Recovery lesson, children study letters and connect them to sounds by working with magnetic letters, building words, and making personalized alphabet books. Teachers help children learn to visually discriminate letters, to take words apart and to make new words by adding, deleting, or substituting letters.

2. How are children selected for the Reading Recovery program?

After consulting with classroom teachers, the Reading Recovery teacher identifies individual first-grade children to take the Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. The children who perform at the lowest level are selected to participate in Reading Recovery. (The Observation Survey measures a student's reading and writing competencies.) No one is excluded from participating, including children with lower IQs, second-language children, children with low language skills, those already identified as learning disabled, etc.

3. Is Reading Recovery a classroom program?

No. Reading Recovery is not an approach that can be generalized to classrooms or small group teaching. It is a specific approach to prevent literacy problems and is targeted to a limited number of learners within a classroom program. During the Reading Recovery intervention the teacher works one-on-one with the participating child. Reading Recovery, in combination with strong classroom instruction, gives children the best chance for success.

4. I teach in a school that does not have Reading Recovery. What can I do to get this program in my school?

You can interest your school or district administrators in the program. We would be happy to provide information to you, your principal or other administrators. We also have several informational sessions in the Massachusetts area periodically throughout the year. Please contact us at recovery@lesley.edu for more detailed information.

5. I am a college student interested in the program. Are there courses in Reading Recovery that I can take?

To be trained as a Reading Recovery teacher, you must be currently teaching or hired into a school that has Reading Recovery and needs additional staff trained. You could also work in a school that is pursuing Reading Recovery as their intervention.

6. I am not currently teaching, but I am planning to resume teaching in the near future. How can I get involved in this program?

You cannot be trained in Reading Recovery independently of a school or a school system. If you are interested in learning more about Reading Recovery,visit the Reading Recover Council of North America.

7. My six year old is having trouble reading, but the school that he/she attends doesn't have Reading Recovery. Do you offer tutoring?

Unfortunately, no, because Reading Recovery is a school-based program. You may want to consult Lesley University's Learning Lab for information about private tutoring programs for your child.

You may,however, want to bring Reading Recovery to the attention of your child's principal. If you are successful in helping to bring the program to your child's school, it would not benefit your child directly because the training to become a Reading Recovery teacher is a year-long process. But you would be helping future first graders at the school by ensuring there is a safety net in place for those struggling to read and write.