The Missouri Reader Vol. 36, Issue 1 | Page 63

throughout the eighteen week instructional
period. The researchers compared and monitored
the students‘ progress. Hicks and Villaume
(2001) concluded that ―children respond in
different ways to instruction‖ (p. 407).

Instruc tional Strategies
These instructional strategies will enable
special education teachers to use Reading
Recovery intervention practices in their
classrooms. Each teacher is unique and every
student is different. The strategies presented in
this article can be adapted to meet individual
needs. Routman (2003) admonishes teachers to
―adapt ideas to fit your particular school,
students, beliefs, and contexts‖ (p. 6).
Vaughn, Moody, and Schumm (1998) found
that many teachers feel they do not have time to
individualize instruction. The special education
rooms have large numbers of students preventing
the teachers from providing differentiated
instruction. The instructional strategies included
in this article provide ways to individualize
instruction without ignoring the rest of the class.
The components of the Reading Recovery
program can be adapted to the special education
room. The components are: Rereading, Running
Record, Letter Identification or Word Analysis,
Writing a Story, Cut-up Sentence, New Book
Introduced, and New Book Attempted. Each
component can be worked into the special
education schedule providing there is a classroom
paraprofessional or a volunteer.
First, the students are placed in small groups
based on their reading level. The paraprofessional
begins rereading with the group. He or she
models how a good reader reads and the students
practice reading. The books are books that have
been previously read.
While the students are rereading, the special
education teacher works with an individual
student from the group at another table. The
student reads a familiar text while the teacher
takes a running record. The running record can
be completed quickly while the student reads and
analyzed later to examine miscues. When the

student is finished, he or she returns to the group
and the teacher works with another student. This
continues until every student has worked
individually with the teacher.
Next, the paraprofessional works on letter
identification activities or word analysis activities
with the group. This can include Elkonin boxes,
stretching words, and spelling words. The
activities for this component will change as the
abilities of the students change.
During the letter identification or word
analysis component, the special education teacher
will once again work with the students from the
group one at a time. The student will write a
story. The length will depend upon the ability of
the student. The teacher and the student work
together to sound out new words as the story is
written. The teacher writes one sentence on a
sentence strip and then cuts it apart. The pieces
are put in an envelope with the completed
sentence written on the outside of the envelope.
This activity is repeated with the rest of the
group.
The teacher joins the paraprofessional and the
small group for the next component. The new
book is introduced to the group. Multiple copies
of the book are needed so each student can take a
book walk and explore the new book. As the
teacher, paraprofessional, and students
investigate the book, the students are building
background for the initial reading of the story.
For the final part of the lesson, the
paraprofessional takes over the small group again.
He or she is available if the students need
assistance while they assemble their cut-up
sentences. The students can self-check their work
by looking at the sentence printed on the
envelope. Once the sentence is assembled, the
student reads it. If the group has time, they can
share their sentences with each other.
The special education teacher works with one
student from the group. The student will attempt
the new book. The goal is for the student to read
as much as he or she can without assistance. If the
student struggles too much, the teacher will assist
with the reading. Then, the student will attempt
independent reading again. This is repeated with
© The Missouri Reader, 36 (1) p.63