As NZ Govt closes door on Reading Recovery, union says mandate risky

By Chelsea Channing
Published May 10, 2024

As part of a national move towards structured literacy, the New Zealand Government is closing the book on Reading Recovery, the country’s longest running literacy intervention program.

“We would like to acknowledge the children who, over many years, have been failed by our education system – our hope moving forward is that no more children fall through the gaps due to poor instructional practice,” the deb says.

In an appearance on AM, Education Minister Erica Stanford confirmed the program will be ending by January 2025.

“We will be getting rid of Reading Recovery, using that same funding and putting that into what we call Tier 2 and 3 interventions, which are small group and one-on-one for the very few kids who fall through the cracks,” she told AM.

Reading Recovery has drawn significant criticism in recent years, as its instructional method was originally grounded in the whole language approach to literacy instruction.

And although the program underwent a refresh last year, critics such as Massey University’s Emeritus Professor James Chapman argued it was merely paying “lip service” to phonics and explicit instruction.

The Dyslexia New Zealand Evidence Based Support Group (the deb), made up of parents and teachers of children with dyslexia, have welcomed the move.

“We were delighted by Minister Standford’s announcement that the Reading Recovery program will be removed from schools by January of next year,” the deb founder Sharon Scurr says.

“It was a significant moment for many people across the country, marking a turning point for those who have advocated the removal of this program for decades,” she adds.

“We wish to acknowledge Erica’s commitment to ensuring our students receive literacy education that is informed by evidence, taking the time to consult with experts, speak with teachers and engage with parent advocacy groups.

“While this decision is long-overdue, it is a welcomed step towards a brighter future for our children.”

The deb working group spokesperson Micaela Bonnar says the removal of Reading Recovery will benefit all struggling learners, but especially children with dyslexia.

“Reading Recovery has been proven to be not only ineffective, but even detrimental to the literacy outcomes of children with dyslexia,” she says.

“With structured literacy embedded across all tiers of school teaching, children with dyslexia and language difficulties will be identified earlier and receive the necessary, evidence-based interventions required for their success.”

The union representing primary teachers however, says it’s risky for politicians to be mandating a single approach to the art of teaching reading.

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Mark Potter says that while structured literacy has its uses, it is not a silver bullet for teaching children to read.

“There is recent evidence for structured literacy working for many children, but the research also shows that personalising and differentiating learning to meet the diversity of children we have in our classrooms is the key art teachers bring to their work.

“Teaching is an art and a craft, not just a science. A teacher knows what teaching approach will work best for the variety of learners in their classroom. Mandating a one-size-fits-all [approach] to curriculum does not work,” he warns.

“We don’t expect politicians to tell doctors exactly what to prescribe for every patient, and politicians reaching into every classroom and telling every teacher how to teach every child undermines the professionalism of teachers.”