FUN FLUENCY!
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
Fluency is being able to read automatically and accurately, at an even pace with
expression. It is an important skill for students to obtain. If students are
fluent readers, reading becomes more efficient and they can begin reading for
understanding at a better pace. In order for students to become fluent readers,
they must read and re-read books to practice reading automatically and
accurately. This lesson calls for students to practice reading books many times
in order to be able to read them quickly and smoothly. Students will read the
books independently and then read to a peer.
Materials:
Sentence strip with sentence: The snake was slithering on the ground
Copies of James and the Good Day for each student
Stop watch for every group of students
Paper and pencils for each group to record reading times
Speed reading record sheets
Word Count Sheet
Name: _________________
Date: ________________
The first time I read ___________ words.
The second time I read __________ words.
The third time I read _________ words.
Procedure:
1. "Today we are going to be practicing how to read fast but smooth at the same
time! Being able to do read quickly and smoothly is called fluency. It is
important that we learn to read quickly and with ease so that we can focus on
understanding what we read rather than how to decode the words!"
2. "Now, I am going to show you how to read a sentence fluently." Put a sentence
strip on the board with The snake was slithering on the ground, on it.
"Listen to me as I say the sentence a loud and listen to how the sounds blend
together so smoothly. Thhheeee sssssssssnaaaaaaakkee wwwaaasss
sssswwwiiiiiitttthherrriinnnggg oooonn ttthheee gggrrrooouuunnd. I will then
read the sentence faster than the time before and then repeat. The last time, I
will blend the words together and read the words at the same pace and smooth the
words together in the sentence. This is how we read fluently. Do you see why it
is important for us to read this way? When we read like this, it is much easier
to understand. We are improving our reading by reading and rereading to make it
more fluent."
3. "It is your turn to practice reading fluently now! Everyone spread out around
the room and I will give you a book to practice reading quickly and smoothly.
Please read it a few times because practicing reading the books multiple times
are a great way to improve reading fluency. The book we are reading is James
and the Good Day. In the story, this boy decides to have a really good day.
He gets a tug boat and fills up the tub. All of a sudden he sees water coming
down the hallway from the bathroom. What do you think happened? Let us read to
find out! Remember to put the words together smoothly in the sentence as you
reread the book!"
4. "Once you practiced reading your book, come back to the group and I will pair
you with a partner to read together. You are each going to read the book to your
partner 3 times. With the stopwatch I give you, you are going to time your
partner for one minute while listening to them read. At the end of that one
minute, you will count how many words they read during that minute. I will give
you a check lists that has a space to write how many words they are reading one
minute the first, second and third time. After one partner has read 3 times, you
will then switch and do the same thing!"
5. I will monitor the students working and try to ensure that all students are
following directions and assessing each other correctly.
6. After the students read to one another, I will call them up to my desk
individually and explain to them what how many words they read per minute means
and how it relates to fluency. I will then have a chart with a fisherman reeling
in a fish. There will be increments of 5 starting at the bottom of the lake as 5
going up to the top of fishing pole to 85. I will put the fish on the
corresponding number of words they read per minute. I will encourage the student
to keep practicing by moving their fish up each time they increase their words
read per minute.
Assessment:
I will assess their speed reading by keeping their times documented and watching
their improvement on the charts.
Reference:
Emily Cole. Hopping into Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/colegf.html
Greer Montgomery. Read fast to Win the Race.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/montgomerygf.html
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