Reading Recovery is a specialised programme, where pupils struggling with literacy are provided hands-on, in-depth tutoring.
However the programme will no longer be continuing after changes to the education curriculum.
Mataura School teachers Wendy Weir and Stephanie Whyte have been helping their pupils with literacy over the past few years.
Mrs Whyte said after 40 years, the programme was changing.
‘‘It started in 1983, and this year it ends, as we move to a more phonics-based, structured literacy.’’
Mrs Whyte said the programme was there to help those who may be falling behind.
‘‘The thing about reading recovery is, it was about helping those children who, for some reason, have missed the boat when it comes to literacy.
‘‘It’s not a classroom programme, it’s an intervention programme for kids who aren’t quite making it,’’ she said.
Mrs Weir said the programme had remarkable success.
‘‘Kids have really improved and accelerated, progressed, and that’s what we’re here for,’’ she said.
Mrs Weir said it was important to intervene, not only to help literacy, but help their confidence in a way the programme thrived at.
‘‘They know they’re falling behind. But you give them that one-on-one [training], with a structure and get them going, Mum and Dad and the whanau are behind them.
‘‘The biggest thing is the confidence. They learn they can do this,’’ she said.
To celebrate the last of Reading Recovery, pupils went to the staff room, where refreshments and a cake were waiting for them, to celebrate their hard work.
But the work is not over when it comes to child literacy.
Phonics-based teaching is the focus of the new curriculum, and it was promising, Mrs Whyte said.
‘‘The books we have been teaching them with, they invite conversation, they really focus on sounding out the words,’’ she said.
