Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery Who is The Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery?

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery Supports Early Literacy Learning Across Canada

Established in 1993, the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery is a charitable organization that works collaboratively with wide-ranging and diverse educational communities across Canada to implement Reading Recovery in their elementary schools.

Our Mission Statement: The Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery maintains high-quality implementations of Reading Recovery, IPLÉ and Literacy Lessons which demonstrate fidelity to a culturally responsive, specific model of teaching children, training educators, continually improving and collecting data across Canada.

We do this by:

monitoring and quality assurance through the Standards and Guidelines
delivering expert teaching that is individually designed, equitable and responsive to student strengths and needs
providing sustained, specialized professional development focused on complex theories of literacy learning
advancing the development of knowledge and practice based on research, data, and evidence

Through expert one on one teaching that supplements classroom instruction, Reading Recovery and IPLÉ serve children in Grade One who are most at risk in literacy learning. Literacy Lessons serves children in Grades Two to Four who are most at-risk in literacy learning.

Teachers who are in a school where there is Reading Recovery can receive one year of intensive training to become a Reading Recovery trained teacher. This training is provided by a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. Teacher Leaders are trained over the course of one year by one of five trainers located at training centres in Halifax, Thornhill, and Winnipeg.

Download a Reading Recovery Brochure to learn more.

Kids in a library

Proven Results

Over 30 years of national implementation demonstrates that 100% of Reading Recovery students improve, and 70% are reading and writing at or above Grade level after just a few weeks of lessons, and that they maintain grade level in successive years, thus ensuring that all children learn to read and write.

Strategic Plan – 2021 to 2024

As we enter a post-pandemic period, the Board of Directors spent a few months reflecting on our work and planning for the future to develop a 3 year strategic plan.

In the planning, 4 strategic goals were developed:

Differentiate ourselves through effective communications, advocacy and professional learning
Deliver high quality, adaptable and culturally responsive early literacy interventions
Develop a sustainable, resilient and dynamic organization equipped for change and ready for the next phase of history
Draw upon data and research to cultivate change, create impact and increase awareness

A summary of the entire plan is available for download.

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery® Board of Directors

President	Wenda Dickens
Vice President	Margaret Roberts
Treasurer	James Samograd
Secretary	Dee Dee Verlinde
Executive Director	Donna Jean Forster Gill

Ontario	Dr. Lyn Sharratt
Ontario	Dr. Shelley Stagg Peterson
Manitoba	Dr. Joe Stouffer
Nova Scotia	Lisa Hoover
Manitoba	Celia Caetano-Gomes
Ontario	Susan Nelan
British Columbia	Sallie Boschung
Ontario	Lee Busnarda-DiFeo
Nova Scotia	Yvette Heffernan
Manitoba	Debra Mayer

Charitable Registration Number 139744973RR0001

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Marie Clay

"With problem readers it is not enough for the teacher to have rapport, to generate interesting tasks and generally to be a good teacher. "

Marie Clay

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-05T09:35:21+00:00

Marie Clay

"With problem readers it is not enough for the teacher to have rapport, to generate interesting tasks and generally to be a good teacher. "

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/with-problem-readers-it-is-not-enough-for-the-teacher-to-have-rapport-to-generate-interesting-tasks-and-generally-to-be-a-good-teacher/

Marie Clay

“What is possible for children with reading problems? What would have to change?”

Marie Clay

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-05T09:35:35+00:00

Marie Clay

“What is possible for children with reading problems? What would have to change?”

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/what-is-possible-for-children-with-reading-problems-what-would-have-to-change/

Marie Clay

“The goal is to help children move from where they are to somewhere else by empowering them to do what they can do and helping them engage in activities through which they can learn more.”

Marie Clay

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-05T09:40:18+00:00

Marie Clay

“The goal is to help children move from where they are to somewhere else by empowering them to do what they can do and helping them engage in activities through which they can learn more.”

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/marie-clay/

Marie Clay

"Teaching is when you supply information that the learner does not have."

Marie Clay

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-05T09:40:44+00:00

Marie Clay

"Teaching is when you supply information that the learner does not have."

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/marie-clay-2/

Angela DesBarres, Director of Instructional Programs, Grande Prairie Public School District

“There are strategies, Professional Development and Professional Learning Community implications that ALL teachers benefit from when Reading Recovery is implemented. The strength in this intervention is in how teachers observe and change their teaching to suit the needs of the students they are working with. Another strength is in how teachers meet regularly to WATCH each other teach, ask questions about the strategies they are using, ask each other what they think they can change or adjust to assist their students to learn more effectively.

The question is………… Why can’t we all do that? IMAGINE where our students might go?”

Angela DesBarres, Director of Instructional Programs, Grande Prairie Public School District

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-30T04:10:26+00:00

Angela DesBarres, Director of Instructional Programs, Grande Prairie Public School District

“There are strategies, Professional Development and Professional Learning Community implications that ALL teachers benefit from when Reading Recovery is implemented. The strength in this intervention is in how teachers observe and change their teaching to suit the needs of the students they are working with. Another strength is in how teachers meet regularly to WATCH each other teach, ask questions about the strategies they are using, ask each other what they think they can change or adjust to assist their students to learn more effectively. The question is………… Why can’t we all do that? IMAGINE where our students might go?”

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/angela-desbarres-director-of-instructional-programs-grande-prairie-public-school-district/

Huge Asset

Reading Recovery is a HUGE asset to any school! It has helped my son become a strong, independent reader and has given him the confidence to tackle books that he never would have attempted before. The Reading Recovery teacher is a fantastic teacher who has helped my son become a ‘reader’ and enjoys the process of learning.

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2018-10-19T19:33:15+00:00

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/huge-asset/

Absolute MUST

This program is an absolute must. For our child, it changed his whole demeanor. He went from pushing through his tasks to taking absolute pride in his work. His teacher made the Reading Recovery program very exciting for him because he never wanted to miss a class because he enjoyed it that much.

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2018-10-19T19:34:02+00:00

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/absolute-must/

Favourite Things to Do

I am very pleased with the Reading Recovery program at the school. My son was indifferent when he was being taught letters in kindergarten and at the start of grade one he was very apprehensive about reading. Now he is very good and confident with his reading and says that it is one of his favourite things to do!

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2018-10-19T19:34:46+00:00

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/favourite-things-to-do/

Marie Clay

"If the student cannot learn we should assume that we have not yet found the correct way to teach him."

Marie Clay

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

2014-05-05T09:35:06+00:00

Marie Clay

"If the student cannot learn we should assume that we have not yet found the correct way to teach him."

https://rrcanada.org/testimonials/if-the-student-cannot-learn-we-should-assume-that-we-have-not-yet-found-the-correct-way-to-teach-him/

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery

About Us

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery Supports Early Literacy Learning Across Canada

Proven Results

Strategic Plan – 2021 to 2024

Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery® Board of Directors