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Every Child A Reader (ECaR)

A new reading centre will be opened on 24th November, at 2pm, at the Conference Development Centre, Stephenson Court, Priory Park, to mark the launch of the ‘Every Child a Reader Project’ in Bedford Borough.

Jane Smithson, Every Child A Reader (ECaR) Teacher Leader said: “Schools funded through the programme, receiving Reading Recovery lessons, made an average gain of 21 months in reading age in 4-5 months of teaching – well over four times the normal rate of progress. Every Child a Reader continues to positively influence the life chances of Key Stage 1 children, getting 83% of our lowest attaining pupils to Level 2 by the age of seven.”

Reading Recovery is a short-term intervention for children who have the lowest achievement in literacy learning in their first years at school. Children are taught individually by a specially trained teacher for 30 minutes each day for an average of 12-20 weeks. The goal is for children to develop effective reading and writing strategies in order to work within an average range of class performance nationally for their age.

Jane Smithson continues: “We will be outlining the effectiveness of the programme, both locally and nationally and explaining the current position with Reading Recovery Teachers. The event will be an excellent opportunity for interested schools to find out more about the project and view the specialist facilities for the Reading Recovery teacher training programme.”

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