READING RECOVERY INITIATED; PROGRESS IS SEEN IN NEW PROGRAM

In just three weeks, reading teacher Ruth Kasten says she sees progress in her first-grade students participating in the Reading Recovery program.

"It works," said Kasten, whose enthusiasm about the program was evident.

Kasten, who teaches at Franklin Elementary School, is among 13 teachers learning the Reading Recovery technique being taught at Southeast Missouri State University for the first time this year.

Teachers are being trained from Cape Girardeau, Chaffee, New Madrid, Anna, Ill., and Hermann.

"These teachers are going to work harder than they've ever done before," said Marlene Miller, who is training the teachers at Southeast. "But the kids change before your eyes, and you can see success."

Miller said research shows that 80 percent of the children who participate in the program never need reading help again. One-on-one instruction is the key.

Kasten said: "I can see growth. Already I see a difference."

Each of the four students Kasten is working with has been tested to establish exactly what each child knows about reading.

Starting there, the teacher begins to build other skills.

The children selected for the program were chosen based on information from kindergarten teachers and tests. The lowest readers are selected for Reading Recovery. After 12 to 20 lessons, when the child is performing well enough to enter the middle reading group, he or she is discontinued from Reading Recovery.

Kasten, who has taught remedial reading for 15 years, said she was first on the list to learn about Reading Recovery.

Miller said, "We're learning as we do."

The training program lasts a year. The teachers attended a weeklong workshop in the summer and began working with students as soon as school started. They attend class weekly. New skills are used with students almost immediately.

After the year of training, Reading Recovery teachers will meet regularly to make sure the program is being followed.

Other teachers learning and teaching Reading Recovery this year are: Connie Bergerson, St. Mary's Cathedral School; Carol Brice, Washington Elementary School; Barbara Egbert, Jefferson Elementary School; Marjorie Engleman and Mary Ann Lewis, May Greene Elementary School; Linda Robert, Charles C. Clippard Elementary School; Nancy McGrew, Chaffee Elementary School; Karen Hubbs and Kathryn Stegel, Lincoln School in Anna, Ill.; and Judy Hunt and Anniese Sexton, both of New Madrid Elementary School.

Caroline Kleinsorge of Hermann is being trained to become a program teacher leader. She is enrolled in nine credits hours compared to her colleague's three. She will return to Hermann next year to train other teachers in the program.

Miller works with students also. She is working with two children at Alma Schrader Elementary School.

Miller said: "The amazing thing about it is that all these teachers have taught before but they are all very excited. They're seeing results already. Most teachers don't know what impact they are having. We can see children changing as we're teaching."

Miller said: "I see it with the children I'm working with. These children are not hesitant. They gain a real sense of self-esteem. When they are with us they read books. They know they can read. They may have trouble in the regular classroom, but they know they can read."

Miller spent last year studying to become a teacher leader trainer at Ohio State University. Her training was funded by Cape Girardeau public schools and Southeast, one of 12 regional university training sites for the Reading Recovery program.