This research project evaluated Reading Recovery, an early intervention for students making limited progress in reading and writing after their first year at school. The study focused on school decisions about offering Reading Recovery and other literacy interventions, and on the implementation of Reading Recovery in schools. In particular, it examined the impact of Reading Recovery on the performance of Mäori and of Pasifika students, relative to other students, by the time their Reading Recovery lessons ended. The report describes features of effective Reading Recovery implementation in schools with high Mäori and Pasifika enrolment, which may be adopted by others.
As part of the study we analysed a range of quantitative and qualitative data including:
- the 2003 national Reading Recovery data collected by the MOE
- questionnaire responses from Reading Recovery teachers and from principals at both Reading Recovery and non-Reading Recovery schools
- interviews with staff from eight case study schools selected for their effective implementation of Reading Recovery
- interviews with a sample of Reading Recovery trainers and tutors, and summaries of focus groups involving Reading Recovery tutors and teachers.