How do I become a Reading Recovery Tutor?

The training of Reading Recovery teachers is the responsibility of qualified Reading Recovery tutors.

The Department sponsors a Reading Recovery tutor retraining program to support the implementation of Reading Recovery.

Successful applicants undertake a program of study that involves one year of paid full-time training.

The training is conducted in Sydney by accredited Departmental Reading Recovery tutor trainers and involves one distance mode university unit.

In Reading Recovery there are cycles of change:

• Children move through their Reading Recovery programs
• Teachers develop their understanding during their training

The Training Course for Reading Recovery Tutors spans a full year, providing opportunities for trainees to observe and experience these cycles of change alongside their growing understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of the program.

There are three components to academic study.

1. Issues Related to Literacy Difficulties, in which recent research, theory issues and academic debates related to literacy difficulties will be studied. This paper will be offered over the full year.
2. Developmental Child Psychology examines child development during preschool and the early school years and will be offered in the first half of the year. This course is provided by a University.
3. Academic Seminars dealing with a range of areas including looking closely at theory and research to do with the reading and writing processes. Some practical sessions will accompany these.

As well as the formal academic study, tutors work individually with hard-to-teach children for two hours every day in a local school, gaining knowledge and understanding of these children and the use of Reading Recovery teaching procedures.

Guidance in working with children and using the Reading Recovery Guidebook, is provided in three ways.

1. Seminars provide input from the Trainer and enable trainees to share and build on each others’ experiences.
2. Observation of peer teaching provides opportunities for observation and talk about lessons and further discussion leading to increased understanding and knowledge. It also allows for guidance from the trainer and opportunities for trainees to evaluate their own development.
3. Observation of teachers training sessions provides opportunities to think further about professional teaching skills and deeper understanding of the Reading Recovery procedures.

If there is a staffing need for Reading Recovery tutors, the Reading Recovery Tutor retraining program is advertised around October each year.

For more information about becoming a Reading Recovery tutor contact: retraining.teachers@det.nsw.edu.au.