XClose

Reading Recovery Europe

Home
Menu

The power of reading for pleasure

Tina began Reading Recovery towards the end of Year 1. She had remained on the same reading level since reception class. Tina's mum voiced her concerns to the class teacher. Tina was beginning to compare herself to other children and friends who were making greater progress.

She was not interested in the books that she was bringing home, often unwilling to practise reading, but by the third week of Reading Recovery Tina's mum wrote in her reading diary:

"Read well, enjoyed book so much she read it three times to me!"

Both Tina's parents and the class teacher began to notice her growing confidence within other aspects of her life, including her swimming lessons. Throughout the summer holiday, Tina's mum continued to support Tina's progress by reading from her large bank of familiar books and writing in her holiday scrapbook. This enabled Tina to quickly build on the progress she had made in Year 1 when she returned to Year 2.

Tina's lesson series were finished at the end of the Autumn term. Teaching started at an emergent reading level. When she reached a level appropriate for a seven year old her lessons finished.

Tina's mum, commenting on her daughter's progress since Reading Recovery, wrote:

"Tina's confidence grew from the moment she started Reading Recovery. Her one-to-one sessions everyday meant she soon started to fly through the levels, visiting the headteacher for extra praise when she reached his targets. We are so proud of her progress and importantly Tina is too. Without the scheme, help and support of the teacher and the headteacher I honestly do not know where we would be now. I appreciate it is an expensive scheme to run, but as a parent of a very happy, and now able reader, it is well worth it. I will always be grateful that Tina had this opportunity."

Tina went on to represent the school in the inter school book quiz and enthusiastically read each book she was given in preparation for the quiz. She achieved the expected level for reading for her age in the Key Stage 1 National Assessments.
 


Image: Philip Meech for Reading Recovery Europe