Anna Bush

Literacy Lead & Reading Recovery

My name is Anna Bush and I live in Havelock North with my husband and two teenage sons. I was born and bred in Hawkes Bay. Both my boys are very musical, so we spend a lot of family time going to watch their gigs. I enjoy my garden and spending time with my family. I have been teaching for a number of years. I have taught all year levels and for the past 10 years, I have been developing my strengths in teaching Literacy. I am the Reading Recovery teacher and Literacy Lead Teacher at Ebbett Park School. I trained in Reading Recovery a few years ago. I love that the programme enhances children’s reading and writing skills.

Reading Recovery is for children who have found learning to read and write challenging in their first year of school. The school will assess their reading and writing close to their sixth birthday and, if needed, a space will be made available in Reading Recovery as soon as possible. There are many reasons why your child may find reading and writing difficult at first. Reading Recovery helps out the children who are making the slowest progress compared to their classmates. Children usually make faster progress with one-to-one teaching. The Reading Recovery teacher will do a range of assessments to identify your child’s areas of strength, and areas where your child may be having difficulties. They will then design a series of lessons adapted specifically for your child.

How does it work?

Your child will get one-to-one attention from a specially trained teacher, to help them become a confident reader and writer. They will spend 30 minutes a day with their Reading Recovery teacher, for around 12 to 20+ weeks depending on how fast they progress. In each day’s lesson, they will write a story and read storybooks. Most children catch up quickly with the average level of their class. A small number of children are identified for further assessment and ongoing specialist help. If this is your child, you will be a part of this process.

What can I do to help my child?

School attendance: In Reading Recovery, each day’s lesson builds on the day before. So it’s very important that your child attends school and doesn’t miss a lesson.

Value learning at home: Whānau are a child’s first and most influential teachers. School provides them with resources to help their education, but it’s at home with you where they learn what’s really important to their family.

Encourage their reading: After the first few lessons, the Reading Recovery teacher will send home some easy books for independent reading. Take an interest and ask your child about what they are reading.

Two-way communication: If you and the school stay in contact regularly, it will be easier to support your child’s reading progress.

Extra activities: After your child has written their daily story, the teacher will cut it into pieces and send it home in an envelope. Putting the story back together and reading it will help your child’s reading confidence.

What is a Reading Recovery lesson like?

It’s a great idea to visit the school and see how your child and their teacher work together in a Reading Recovery lesson. Wait a couple of weeks before you visit so that the teacher and your child can get used to working with each other. The teacher will be happy to discuss your child’s progress at any time and your interest and support will help them make good progress.