Department of Teaching and Learning

Reading Recovery: FAQ

How do I become trained in Reading Recovery?

This is the most commonly asked question and requires an extensive explanation. Because of the complexity of the program it is implemented in an entire school district. There are two levels of training, Teacher Leader (TL) and Reading Recovery Teacher (RRT). When a district applies to become a site they select potential candidates to be trained as a teacher leader for their district. TL candidates accepted by NYU will enter into a year long in-service course. This is a full-time position and requires a release from other duties, although in addition to course work (16 graduate credits) trainees begin immediately teaching four children daily. At the successful completion of the course, the new Teacher Leader returns to his/her school district to implement the program and conducts classes for Reading Recovery Teachers in their district. Potential RRTs apply directly to the training site in his/her district or region. RRTs also begin teaching children immediately in addition to their course work. The class for RRTs is usually one evening a week. RRTs receive 4 NYU graduate credits upon completion of their one-year program.

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I teach in a non-participating school. What can I do?

You can get your school or district level administrators interested in the program. We would be happy to forward information to you, your principal or other administrators. We also have information sessions periodically for potential districts/sites to learn more first hand and even see the program in action.

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I am an NYU graduate student interested in the program. Can I take any classes?

Yes. The Reading Recovery Theory and Research course is open to NYU graduate students by special arrangement. However, at the completion of the course you will not be a trained RR Teacher. For information, please contact the Reading Recovery office at 212-998-1998.

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I'm not currently working, but I'm hoping to re-enter the teaching profession. This looks like a great program. How can I get involved?

You cannot be trained in Reading Recovery independently of a school or school system. Several books by RR founder Marie Clay are listed which are informative and used in Reading Recovery training.

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How do you know that children in the program progress after they've completed lessons? Do they continue to sustain their gains in later grades?

Numerous follow-up studies of the Reading Recovery children (see Askew et al., 1998) demonstrate that large majority of these children: a) continue to perform at or above national standards for the grade level performance in reading and writing, and, b) continue their reading progress at the levels very similar to their randomly selected classroom peers.
In an effort to reinforce these findings with their own data, many Reading Recovery school districts affiliated with New York University conduct follow-up studies every year, continually providing evidence on children's progress in the higher grades. For example, two New York City school districts in 1998 tested 148 Reading Recovery graduates in the second grade with Slosson Oral Reading Test, and found that 72% of them were reading at or above the grade level. Another district similarly found that more than half of the discontinued children (62% in third, and 52% in second grade) scored at or above the national average on the City-mandated CTB-Reading test. In New Jersey, similar results were reported in 1998: Jersey City Reading Recovery graduates outperformed their second-grade classmates on both measures used; in Bridgewater-Raritan site, discontinued children performed above grade level on Slosson Oral Reading Test both in second and third grade.
Additional results are summarized in the 2005-2006 Research Highlights for New York City and New Jersey, published by the Reading Recovery Project at New York University.

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I'm an administrator who wants to bring the program to my district and become a site. What does it cost and is there funding available?

Costs include training services, supplies, construction of a training site with a one-way viewing mirror, and travel to conferences and institutes. This is not all inclusive and cost are subject to change. Please call the Reading Recovery Office at (212) 998-1998 for more information. From time to time NYU receives grants from private foundations which fund training in some districts. We are aware that cost is always an issue, however, we do not guarantee funding to any potential site as an incentive to train a Teacher leader. Our experience has shown that a district can fund the program successfully from existing resources. Support of the superintendent, principals and other administrators is crucial to the program's development. Reading Recovery involves considerable up-front costs, but the long-term benefits to children are significant.

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My first grader is having trouble reading, but there isn't a Reading Recovery program in our district. What can I do?

We do not offer private tutoring or evaluation through the NYU Reading Recovery Project. Nor do we have a list of RRTs for distribution to parents seeking a tutor. You may consider bringing Reading Recovery to the attention of your child's principal. If your efforts succeed in bringing the program to your school your child will unfortunately not benefit since the teacher training is a year long process and the program aimed only at first graders. However, you would have helped other children in your community who desperately need the help Reading Recovery offers. Another option is the NYU Center for Reading Studies which offers free tutoring to students currently reading below grade level. Each child works one on one with a graduate student in reading, supervised by a professor. For moreinformation, please contact the Reading Clinic at 212-998-1998.

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