Closing the Literacy Gap (CLG) (P2) was developed using the Reading Recovery model.
Reading Recovery is a literacy intervention developed in New Zealand by Marie Clay. This programme aims to help the school to adapt teaching to "meet the learning needs of... children." (Clay, P4)
During a CLG intervention your child receives a block of one-to-one tuition from a member of East Ayrshire Support Team (EAST). Sessions usually last around 30 minutes and are delivered on three occasions per week, usually for a block of around 30-40 sessions.
How your child may be child selected for CLG support
Routine assessments, carried out in Early Childhood Centres (EECs) and in Primary 1, as well as class teacher observations, will have shown that your child has gaps in her/his literacy learning.
East Ayrshire’s CLG (P2) intervention is targeted to pupils who need a ‘springboard’ to become more secure with foundation literacy skills. It is hoped that this targeted, short-term intervention will assist children to quickly ‘plug the gaps’ that are impacting on their reading development, thus enabling them to progress with their reading development at an appropriate pace.
What it involves
Children will usually be extracted to a quiet area to work with the EAST member of staff. Wherever possible, this is during the class literacy time. A typical lesson may include:
- re-reading a familiar story
- reading a story that was prepared for the first time during the last session
- writing a sentence or short story
- working with letters and word patterns
- assembling a cut up story
- talking about a new book
How you can help
- Above all, make reading relaxed and fun!
- Praise effort, even if word is not quite right
- Take your child a ‘walk’ through the book, pointing out tricky/key words
- Give ‘thinking time’. If your child still cannot work out the word tell him/her (this means he/she will not forget what the story is about)
- Encourage your child to use reading strategies
- Talk about the books he/she has read
Benefits for your child
The main aim of the intervention is to equip your child with strategies to become more independent when reading and writing.
Because they are working on a one-to-one basis, the member of EAST is able to direct instruction to areas that are specific to your child. Some examples of these areas are:
- letter/word reversals
- letter formation and handwriting
- unknown or confusing sounds
The CLG support is in addition to reading support within the class and will give your child regular opportunities to implement strategies to become a more confident and more competent reader.
Reading strategies
Encourage your child to use different strategies when reading. Most people tend to focus on sounding out, however there are many other effective strategies including:
- For decoding
- Look at the first letter(s)
- Break a longer word into chunks/syllables (chunk it up)
- Look for little words inside the word (for example, finish has ‘in’ inside it)
- Ask yourself "Does that make sense?"
- Miss out the word and read on a little/to the end of the sentence
- Go back and read the sentence again (read back)
- To help with understanding
- Talk about the illustrations and title
- Ask “What do I know about…?”
Using reading strategies to attempt to decode unfamiliar words gives your child greater ownership over the reading process.
Remember to always acknowledge your child’s efforts at having a go, even if their attempt isn’t totally right.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
Further information
If you would like further information, please contact your child’s school in the first instance.