What is a key contribution of Marie M. Clay in education?

Marie M. Clay made significant contributions to education, particularly in the field of literacy and reading instruction. Her work primarily focused on identifying and supporting struggling readers. Clay developed the concepts surrounding the "Reading Recovery" program, which is designed to help young children who have difficulty learning to read by providing them with personalized, one-on-one instruction. This approach is instrumental in accelerating the progress of struggling readers by tailoring instruction to meet their specific needs and by using research-based teaching methods.

Her emphasis on early intervention and assessment, along with her development of effective teaching strategies, has greatly influenced literacy education and has helped many children become proficient readers. This made her contribution particularly impactful as she created frameworks and tools that educators can use to effectively support students who face challenges in reading development.