Why does Reading Recovery serve the lowest-achieving children?
At least two rationales guide the decision to serve the lowest-achieving children. • Most children do not require the support of Reading Recovery. Because it is difficult to predict literacy outcomes prior to the intervention, the most extreme cases are selected and Reading Recovery serves as a period of diagnostic teaching. • If the lowest achievers are not selected, they may never catch up to the class average, thus requiring expensive special support programs in subsequent years. Any school or system not taking the lowest children is out of compliance with the Standards and Guidelines of Reading Recovery in the United States.
