Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Is Reading Recovery an Effective Early Literacy Intervention Programme for Children Who Most Need Literacy Supports?

  • Chapter
Excellence and Equity in Literacy Education

Abstract

Reading Recovery (RR) is a programme developed in New Zealand by Marie Clay (1985) in the late 1970s and early 1980s to help children identified as making only limited progress in reading after a year of formal reading instruction. The programme was implemented throughout the country in the mid- to late 1980s to assist those children whose reading progress falls in the lowest 15%–20% of the enrolment cohort in any given school. Clay (1987) was very confident about the effectiveness of RR. She claimed that it is a

programme which should clear out of the remedial education system all the children who do not learn to read for many event-produced reasons [i.e., environmental, cultural, or economic causes] and all the children who have organically based problems but who can be taught to achieve independent status in reading and writing despite this. (p. 169)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Belgrave, J. W. (2009). The Characteristics of Children Who are Referred on from Reading Recovery. (Unpublished Master of Education thesis). Hamilton, New Zealand: University of Waikato.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaiklock, K. E. (1997). Bring back the Burt: Some comments on the value of word recognition tests for the assessment of reading. New Zealand Reading Forum, 2, 13–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaiklock, K. E. (2004). A critique of running records of children’s oral reading. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 39, 241–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center, Y., Freeman, L., & Robertson, G. (2001). The relative effect of a code-oriented and a meaning-oriented early literacy program on regular and low-progress Australian students in year 1 classrooms which implement Reading Recovery. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 48, 207–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Center, Y., Wheldall, K., Freeman, L., Outhred, L., & McNaught, M. (1995). An evaluation of Reading Recovery. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 240–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain, M. (2014). Personal communication, 24 August, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, J. W., Greaney, K. T., & Tunmer, W. E. (2007). How well is Reading Recovery really working in New Zealand? New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 42, 17–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, J. W., & Tunmer, W. E. (2011). Reading Recovery: Does it work? Perspectives on Language and Literacy, Fall, 21–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, J. W., Tunmer, W. E., & Prochnow, J. E. (2001). Does success in the Reading Recovery program depend on developing proficiency in phonological-processing skills? Scientific Studies of Reading, 5, 141–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Church, J. (2005, December). Accelerating Reading Development in Low Achieving Children: A Review of Research. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education, Dunedin, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1979). The Early Detection of Reading Difficulties, 2nd ed. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1985). The Early Detection of Reading Difficulties, 3rd ed. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1987). Learning to be learning disabled. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 22, 155–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1991). Becoming Literate: The Construction of Inner Control. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1993a). Reading Recovery: A Guidebook for Teachers in Training. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1993b). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Development. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (1998). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (2002). An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement, 2nd ed. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (2005a). Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals. Part One: Why? When? and How?. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M. (2005b). Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals. Part Two: Teaching Procedures. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, M. M., & Cazden, C. (1990). A Vygotskian interpretation of Reading Recovery. In L. C. Moll (Ed.), Vygotsky and Education: Instructional Implications and Applications of Sociohistorical Psychology (pp. 206–222). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cowles, S. (2013). Annual Monitoring of Reading Recovery: The Data for 2012. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Retrieved from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/_data/assets/pdf_file/0011/139736/Annual-Monitoring-of-Reading-Recovery-2012-Data.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Agostino, J. V., & Murphy, J. A. (2004). A meta-analysis of Reading Recovery in United States schools. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26, 23–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darr, C, McDowall, S., Ferrai, H., Twist, J., & Watson, V. (2008). Teacher Manual: Progressive Achievement Test: Reading. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehri, L. C. (2005). Development of sight word reading: Phases and findings. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The Science of Reading: A Handbook (pp. 135–154). Oxford, UK: Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Elbaum, B., Vaughn, S., Hughes, M., & Moody, S. (2000). How effective are one-to-one tutoring programs in reading for elementary students at risk for reading failure? A meta-analysis of the intervention research. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 605–619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elley, W. B. (1992). How in the World do Students Read?. Hamburg, Germany: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elley, W. B. (2001). STAR Supplementary Test of Achievement in Reading. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilmore, A., Croft, C, & Reid, N. (1981). Burt Word Reading Test: New Zealand revision. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glynn, T., Crooks, T., Bethune, N., Ballard, K., & Smith, J. (1989). Reading Recovery in Context. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greaney, K. T. (2011). The multiple cues or “searchlights” word reading theory: Implications for Reading Recovery. Perspectives on Language and Literacy, Pall, 15–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiebert, E. H. (1994). Reading Recovery in the United States: What difference does it make to an age cohort?. Educational Researcher, 23, 15–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iversen, S. A., & Tunmer, W. E. (1993). Phonological processing skill and the Reading Recovery program. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 112–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iversen, S., Tunmer, W. E., & Chapman, J. W. (2005). The effects of varying group size on the Reading Recovery approach to preventative early intervention. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38, 456–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jesson, R., & Limbrick, L.(2014). Can gains from early literacy interventions be sustained? The case of Reading Recovery. Journal of Research in Reading, 37, 102–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. (2012). Resource Teachers of Literacy Annual Report 2011. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Retrieved from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2247/resource-teachers-literacy-annual-report-2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowall, S. (2006). Effective use of Reading Recovery in low decile schools. Set Research Information for Teachers (1), 24–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowall, S. (2007). The case for Reading Recovery. New Zealand Education Review, 12(48), 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowall, S.(2009). The research: Reading Recovery in New Zealand and Australia. In B.Watson & B.Askew (Eds.), Beyond Horizons: Marie Clay’s Search for the Possible in Children’s Literacy (pp. 133–161). Auckland: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowall, S., Boyd, S., & Hodgen, E. (2005). Reading Recovery in New Zealand: Uptake, Implementation, and Outcomes, Especially in Relation to Maori and Pasifika Students. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education. (1999a). Literacy Experts Group: Report to the Secretary for Education. Wellington, New Zealand: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education. (1999b). Report of the Literacy Taskforce. Wellington, New Zealand: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, M., & Wade, B. (1998). Reading Recovery: Its effectiveness in the long term. Support for Learning, 13, 123–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, D., Tyner, B., & Perney, J. (2000). Early steps: Replicating the effects of a first grade reading international program. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 681–693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Drucker, K. T. (2012). PIRLS 2011 International Results in Reading. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College. Retrieved from http://timss.bc.edu/pirls2011/international-results-pirls.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Kennedy, A. M., & Foy, P. (2007). PIRLS 2006 International Report. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholas, K., & Parkhill, F. (2013). Is Reading Recovery sustainable two to four years after discontinuation?. Education 3–13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary andEarly Years Education, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2012.759605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, T. (1989). A comment on Reading Recovery. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 24, 95–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinnell, G. S., Lyons, C. A., DeFord, D. E., Bryk, A., & Seltzer, M. (1994). Comparing instructional models for the literacy education of high at-risk first graders. Reading Research Quarterly, 29, 8–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope, P. (2014). Personal communication, 15 October, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pressley, M. (2006). Reading Instruction that Works: The Case for Balanced Teaching. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, D. K., Cummings, K. D., Schaper, A., & Biancarosa, G. (2014). Assessment fidelity in reading intervention research: A synthesis of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 84, 275–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, M., & Wheldall, K. (2007). Reading Recovery 20 years down the track: Looking forward, looking back. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 54, 199–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, M., Wheldall, K., & Madelaine, A. (2009). The devil is in the detail regarding the efficacy of Reading Recovery: A rejoinder to Schwartz, Hobsbaum, Briggs, and Scull. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 56, 17–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivers, J. (2001, February 16). Reading Recovery review. New Zealand Education Review, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, V. M.J. (1989). Some limitations of systemic adaptation: The implementation of Reading Recovery. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 24, 35–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, R. M. (2005). Literacy learning of at-risk first grade students in the Reading Recovery early intervention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 257–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serry, T., Rose, M., & Liamputtong, P. (2014). Reading Recovery teachers discuss Reading Recovery: A qualitative investigation. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 19, 61–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shanahan, T., & Barr, R. (1995). Reading Recovery: An independent evaluation of the effects of an early instructional intervention for at-risk readers. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 958–996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slavin, R. E., Lake, C, Davis, S., & Madden, N. A. (2011). Effective programs for struggling readers: A best evidence synthesis. Educational Research Review, 6, 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. W. A., & Elley, W. B.(1994). Learning to Read in New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Longman Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow, C. E., & Juel, C. (2005). Teaching children to read: What do we know about how to do it? In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The Science of Reading: A Handbook (pp. 501–520). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Stanovich, K. (1980). Toward an interactive-compensatory model of individual differences in the development of reading fluency. Reading Research Quarterly, 16, 32–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., & Chapman, J. W. (2003). The Reading Recovery approach to preventive early intervention: As good as it gets? Reading Psychology, 24, 337–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., & Chapman, J. W.(2004). Reading Recovery: Distinguishing myth from reality. In R. M.Joshi (Ed.), Dyslexia: Myths, Misconceptions, and Some Practical Applications (pp. 99–114). Baltimore, MD: International Dyslexia Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., & Greaney, K. T.(2008). Reading intervention research: An integrative framework. In G. Reid, A. Fawcett, E Manis, & L. Siegel (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Dyslexia (pp. 241–267). London: Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., & Greaney, K. T. (2010). Defining dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43, 229–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., & Nicholson, T.(2011). The development and teaching of word recognition skill. In M. L.Kamil, P. D.Pearson, E. B.Moje, & P.Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research (Vol. 4, pp. 405–431). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tunmer, W. E., Nicholson, T, Greaney, K. T., Prochnow, J. E., Chapman, J. W., & Arrow, A. W. (2008). PIRLS before swine: A critique of New Zealand’s national literacy strategy. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 43, 105–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse. (2013, July). Beginning Reading Intervention Report: Reading Recovery. Retrieved from http://whatworks.ed.gov.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse. (2014, October). WWC Review of the Report: Evaluation of the 13 Scale-Up of Reading Recovery Year One Report, 2011–2012. Retrieved from http://whatworks.gov.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vellutino, F. R., & Fletcher, J. M.(2005). Developmental dyslexia. In M. J.Snowling & C.Hulme (Eds.), The Science of Reading: A Handbook (pp. 362–378). Oxford, UK: Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Vellutino, E R., Fletcher, J. M., Snowling, M. J., & Scanlon, D. M. (2004). Specific reading disability (dyslexia): What have we learned in the past four decades? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 2–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasik, B. A., & Slavin, R. E. (1993). Preventing early reading failure with one-to-one tutoring: A review of five programs. Reading Research Quarterly, 28, 179–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. James W. Chapman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Keith T. Greaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. William E. Tunmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Education, Massey University, New Zealand

    William E. Tunmer (Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology) & James W. Chapman (Professor of Educational Psychology) (Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology) &  (Professor of Educational Psychology)

Copyright information

© 2015 James W. Chapman, Keith T. Greaney, and William E. Tunmer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chapman, J.W., Greaney, K.T., Tunmer, W.E. (2015). Is Reading Recovery an Effective Early Literacy Intervention Programme for Children Who Most Need Literacy Supports?. In: Tunmer, W.E., Chapman, J.W. (eds) Excellence and Equity in Literacy Education. Palgrave Studies in Excellence and Equity in Global Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137415578_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation