READING RESCUE

 Reading Rescue is a research-based, one-to-one or small group reading intervention program designed to support first grade students with strengthening their foundational literacy skills. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been expanded to also serve second graders. Lessons are approximately 30 minutes each and take place daily in NYC schools and community-based organizations. Instructors use nationally-normed Acadience assessments and written records to collect student data so that each lesson is tailored to their individual student’s needs. Each lesson consists of five parts, addressing all five pillars of literacy as defined by the National Reading Panel. Activities include: fluency practice, assessment, word work (multimodal phonics), sentence writing, and comprehension throughout.

Reading Rescue instructors participate in at least two years of professional development, and receive ongoing coaching and instructional support from an assigned Literacy Trust Program Manager. Any member of a school’s staff (paraprofessionals, teachers, coaches, librarians, and in some cases CBO partner staff) can receive professional development to deliver the research-based instruction that helps accelerate struggling readers’ literacy skills. instructors can be trained in Reading Rescue Small Group. This version of the program is designed to support three students at a time, while maintaining fidelity to the original Reading Rescue structure and instructional goals.

The improved pedagogical skills attained by Reading Rescue instructors benefits all students they work with, not just students in Reading Rescue.