Recommended Resources

General Information

These resources can be used by anyone wanting more information about Reading Recovery in Canada.

Masking Cards to isolate letters and words in a book are now available.  These sturdy cards are well made in Canada and can be sent directly to you!  Purchase some for use in your classroom today.  Sale of these masking cards supports literacy learning across Canada.

masking card on book

Standards and Guidelines

In Canada, the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery (CIRR) is responsible for maintaining the Reading Recovery/IPLÉ/Literacy Lessons Standards and Guidelines.  The standards and guidelines outline how Reading Recovery/IPLÉ/Literacy Lessons is to be implemented and are to be followed by all implementations of Reading Recovery, IPLÉ and Literacy Lesssons in Canada.  The CIRR Board of Directors updates the standards and guidelines as needed.  If an implementation cannot meet a Standard, they must submit a written request for exemption to the CIRR prior to the beginning of the school year.

Recommended Resources for Principals and School Administrators

A Principal’s Guide to Reading Recovery in Canada, published in 2018 by the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery is a full colour, 80 page guide with details for every Principal involved in the implementation of Reading Recovery in their school.

The guide includes chapters on:

  • What is Reading Recovery/IPLÉ
  • Principal’s Key Role in Reading Recovery
  • Key Personnel for Reading Recovery
  • Professional Development and Reading Recovery
  • Evaluation of Student Outcomes
  • Reading Recovery/IPLÉ in your School
  • Generating Support and Sustaining Reading Recovery/IPLÉ in your School
  • Role of Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery, Sample Interview Questions, Working with Reading Recovery Teachers, Standards and Guidelines for Teacher Training

School boards/Districts/Divisions can purchase copies for $20 (shipping included or the guide can be downloaded at no cost.

Cost vs Cost-Effectiveness of Reading Recovery in Canada is a new article that is available for download.  In the article, Cost vs. Cost Effectiveness, authors Allyson Matczuk and Jennifer Flight, Reading Recovery Trainers in the Western Region, explain that there is a need to utilize cost-effectiveness as a method of comparing literacy interventions.  However, they note that Reading Recovery cannot be compared to interventions that serve all students because Reading Recovery serves the lowest 20% of students.  “Helping a struggling emerging reader to learn to read is a different objective than helping an average student to learn to read.”

This is a short 4 page article that is invaluable to school administrators, trustees and board members as well as educators.

 

 

Journey to Implementation: Reading Recovery for Manitoba First Nations Students is an article written in 2017 by Allyson Matczuk, Gloria Sinclair and Irene Huggins.  These three writers have been deeply involved in the implementation and expansion of Reading Recovery to Manitoba First Nations communities in partnership with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre.  The journey to launch this new implementation is a story of importance for Canada’s indigenous children, teachers, and families, and the story is told in this 5 page article.   Also available is a delightful video about the implementation that features both Gloria Sinclair and Allyson Matczuk.

Liaison Administrator’s Guide to Reading Recovery in Canada – This is a comprehensive guide to help school district leaders who are already implementing Reading Recovery or who are considering implementing Reading Recovery.  It is a detailed look at everything that is required to ensure a successful implementation of Reading Recovery or IPLÉ.

Appendices:
Appendix A: Standards and Guidelines, 6th edition, 2022
Appendix B: Application for Licensing as a Reading Recovery/IPLÉ Training Centre
Appendix C: Suggested Layout and Equipment Specifications for a Reading Recovery Training Centre
Appendix D: Requesting an Exemption to the Standards and Guidelines: Sample Letters
Appendix E: Teacher Leader Nomination Form
Appendix F: Requirements for the Use of Technology in Professional Development and Training

Printed copies can be purchased for $20 (shipping included)

Measuring the Effectiveness of Literacy Interventions – this is a new resource for administrators and principals who are faced with determining the most effective early literacy interventions for their students.  This tool makes it possible to score proposed literacy interventions and compare their strengths and weaknesses.

Recommended Resources for Reading Recovery Teachers and Teacher Leaders

There are some great resources available for new and experienced Reading Recovery Teachers and Teacher Leaders:

An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement by Marie Clay: This third edition of Marie Clay’s highly-valued An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement presents her familiar assessment tasks designed for systematic observation of young children as they learn to read and write. Always respecting the author’s intention, the editors have taken a fresh look at the way the book’s message is communicated to teachers. Layout and expression have been refreshed to ensure clear understanding, and the administration and interpretation of each task in the survey have been carefully structured for consistent delivery.

 

Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals by Marie Clay:  This new edition of Marie Clay’s invaluable text contains the teaching procedures, implementation practices, and theoretical understandings that underpin Reading Recovery.

This second edition includes teaching procedures that have been progressively refined and revised over the past ten years in response to the experiences of Reading Recovery professionals, new research, and changes in education systems around the world.

Literacy Lessons describes an early literacy intervention that:

  • builds on children’s strengths as the foundation for learning
  • is directed toward a curriculum of in-the-head processes for working with written language
  • utilizes reading and writing activities
  • maximizes children’s contributions to their own learning.

NEW!!  Providing information to families when their child has been selected for Reading Recovery is an important step in developing literacy in the home.  This handy flyer can be given out to families so that they can know about Reading Recovery, how to help their child learn to read and write, and what other resources could help in their journey through literacy learning.  Feel free to download it and use in your classroom.

NEW!! This 5 page resource features 26 tips for parents and caregivers to foster literacy skills in their young children.  It walks through the ABC’s with each one featuring a different idea that can be easily implemented into family routines.

 

Websites

In addition to this website many educators will find useful resources on the website of the Reading Recovery Council of North America.  This website also has a membership opportunity for Reading Recovery Teachers and Teacher Leaders in Canada to join and receive access to articles, additional learning opportunities and more.  Readers will find they can access recent research, a blog with timely information and more.

Additional resources and information about Reading Recovery on an International scale can be found at the International Reading Recovery Trainers Organization (IRRTO) website.  This website outlines where Reading Recovery is implemented around the world and is also home to the Marie Clay Literacy Trust which maintains the legacy of Dr. Marie Clay, founder of Reading Recovery.

Recommended Resources for Parents of Children Learning to Read and Write

If your child is in Kindergarten or Grade 1 and struggling to read and write contact your school to see if they offer Reading Recovery.  If they do not you can advocate at the School Board/District?Division level to encourage them to adopt Reading Recovery.  There are other resources available to parents of young children available online and at your local bookstore, day care, early years and family centres as well as through Canadian physicians.  The best way to encourage reading is to read in your home every day, talk with your child about letters and numbers, play games together as a family and explore a variety of books, apps and media together.

If your child is in a Reading Recovery Program at their school here are some tips for your to support your child’s journey through Reading Recovery:

Your child will bring home books and a cut up sentence every day to practice reading and writing:

  • Choose a special place and time to read together
  • Talk to your child about the books and listen to them read the books
  • If your child stops at a word, wait for a moment to let them work it out.  If they do not get it, say the word and let them carry on reading
  • Return the books to school each day
  • Connect with your child’s classroom teacher and Reading Recovery Teacher to discuss how reading and writing is going at home
  • Talk to your child about the cut up sentence and let your child put the sentence together and read it to you.
  • Follow the child’s lead to explore new books at home or at your local or school library

If you have a child who is participating in Reading Recovery lessons you might be curious to know how Reading Recovery helps your child learn to read and write.  This is a quick read from the Reading Recovery Council of North America to help you discover just what it is that will get your child reading and writing with their classmates:  How Reading Recovery Helps Your Child Learn.