Fact: If a child struggles to read and write early in their education, this will detrimentally affect the child throughout their journey in the education system and into adulthood. Thus, early years reading and writing interventions is essential in determining a child’s success in life.
“The way in which the young sapling is nurtured, determines how the tree will grow.”
(Maori proverb)
An appropriate proverb for education shared by Tracy Genik, one of the provincially recognized Reading Recovery Teacher leaders, during her presentation on MVSD’s Reading Recovery program to the Board of Trustees.
What is the Reading Recovery program within MVSD?
Reading Recovery is an effective, evidence-based, and research-proven short-term early intervention program for Grade 1 children who are struggling with reading and writing. A specially trained teacher within each elementary school provides one-on-one lessons individually designed and individually delivered that specifically addresses the needs of the child in reading and writing. The program does not replace good classroom instruction, but is a supplement to it, helping teachers reach all children.
How long are the children in the program?
Every day school is in session, for 30 minutes a day, the students identified as needing extra help are participating in the program. Each child receives instruction for up to a maximum of 20 weeks or less, depending on the child’s progress. However, the impact of this short one-on-one instruction lasts a child a lifetime. As one parent whose child completed the program states, “I feel it was a lifeline tossed and the difference for him was profound!”
How has MVSD invested in the Reading Recovery program?
MVSD’s Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, Tracy Genik, facilitates the professional development training, for a total of 40 hours, for teachers from each elementary school. During the sessions, there is an exploration of a combination of theory and practice to develop the teachers’ understanding of knowing what to do, why it works, and how to adjust each teaching to the individual child’s learning style. After completing the training, the Reading Recovery teachers participate in continued contact for support and peer learning. In addition to the on-going professional development, observing and discussing teaching practices during live lessons is required in order to link theory to practice.
As the Reading Recovery teachers return to the classroom, the teachers are able to use their acquired skills in the classroom setting, while a new teacher begins the program. This helps to build capacity within the division.
There is a cost to hiring and training Reading Recovery teachers. Conversely, if these teachers were not available to address the needs of the students, there would be a cost to the division to hire additional supports to try to address students’ needs.
Simply put, if the education system fails to address children’s requirements during the early years, there is an even greater cost. Other programs may keep children for years and never achieve getting the student to a point where they are reading and writing at grade level. The Manitoba Centre for Health Policy estimates “cost savings for the system range from $10 to $34 for every dollar spent on early intervention”. This does not include the costs to society when a child, who needed early learning supports but did not receive it, finishes school.
Why is MVSD investing in training new Reading Recovery teachers?
Reading Recovery is a powerful program that not only addresses the needs of students who require some extra help, but it is an excellent professional development program that gives teachers extra tools to help all children in the classroom, not just the children who may need a little extra support. The lessons learned by teachers while in the program are invaluable.
Is the program successful in MVSD?
Of the 60 MVSD students in the program last year, 100% showed improvement in their reading and writing, with 49 completing their full series of lessons. Of the 49 students, 70% made an accelerated progress in reading, while 30% made the recommended progress. The remaining students, some due to the timing of the year, will continue their progress this year. Only one student will not be continuing due to lack of attendance.
The feedback from parents whose children have participated in the program supports the positive data:
“Putting our child in Reading Recovery is one of the best decisions that we made.”
“Reading Recovery has helped him catch up in class.”
“I don’t know where my kid would be without it.”
In order “to dramatically reduce the number of children in an education system moving out of grade one with reading and writing difficulties”, Mountain View School Division Board of Trustees will continually explore ways to support the children during their early years of schooling. The Reading Recovery program is an effective tool to help achieve this result.