The effect of Reading Recovery versus the Read Well programs on struggling first graders

This was a study comparing the effects of Reading Recovery versus Read Well programs as interventions to help the struggling first grade reader reach grade level proficiency. Reading Recovery was an intervention used at the study site for fifteen years. Due to budget cuts, the program was discontinued. Read Well was implemented with the hope that it would be as effective in assisting the struggling first grade reader to reach proficiency. Reading Recovery is a tutorial intervention based on the contextual theory of reading instruction. Read Well is a packaged program with its premise on the phonemic awareness and phonics theory of reading instruction. The results reveal Reading Recovery students show more overall progress toward grade level proficiency but the Read Well groups exhibit positive growth. Key Words: Reading intervention, Response to Intervention, Reading Recovery, Read Wel