Provide a full range of books and stories graded by age-group reading levels, with interesting photos or pictures. Encourage each child to choose stories on subjects that interest him. Have those stories recorded on audio tape, by parents, teachers or older students. The student reads the story as he listens, at home and at school, on a Walkman. When he feels confident, he reads the story without the tape. Then he reads parts of it to his teacher, some parts from his selection, some from her choice. On average, children on this program are making three years’ progress in eight to ten weeks.

*Details are covered fully in TARP: The Tape Assisted Reading Program by John Medcalf, Training Coordinator, Special Education Service, Hastings, New Zealand. Email: medcalfj@ses.org.nz