Hopping the Fluency
Lily Pads!
Rationale:
When readers first start exploring ways to decode words they begin to read
slowly. With practice, students are able to decode read words at a much faster
rate. As students learn to decode words and add them into their sight word
vocabulary, reading fluently follows in behind. The main goal of reading is
essentially comprehension and understanding text that is read. It is imperative
that students can become fluent readers so they can focus their attention to the
reading and not just the words represented. Students will build fluency with
this lesson through repeated readings.
Materials:
·
Chart with sentences: My friend and I went to watch a musical in New York
City. It was so exciting!
· Copy
of Frog and Toad are Friends (1970) by Arnold Lober. Published by HarperCollins
· One
stop watch for each pair of students
·
Pencils for each student
·
Assessment rubrics for students (1 for each student)
Rubric for Repeated
Readings:
Name:_______________________ Partner's Name:________________________
Time
it took to read the story the first time: ____________________________
Time
it took to read the story the second time: _________________________
Time
it took to read the story the third time: ___________________________
Checklist:
After
the second read, my partner (circle one):
Read
faster
Yes / No
Read
smoother
Yes / No
Read
with expression
Yes / No
After the third read, my partner (circle
one):
Read
faster
Yes / No
Read
smoother
Yes / No
Read
with expression
Yes / No
Procedure:
1. Explain to students what
reading fluently means:
It is very important to always read fluently when we read. Reading
fluently means reading when you know the words so well; you don’t have to sound
them out. As a result we read with speed and lots of expression! Being a fluent
reader also means that you understand what you are reading. Fluent reading lets
readers read for fun, knowledge, and necessity!
2. Demonstrate what a
fluent reader sounds like and what a non-fluent reader sounds like:
I am going to read a few sentences to you out loud. You will help me identify
what a fluent reader sounds like, and what a non-fluent reader sounds like. Put
up chart that says, My friends and I went to watch a musical in New York City.
It was so exciting! I am now going to read the sentence. (Read choppy, and slow)
Myyyy freen-friiiiieeennnnds and I we-went tooo waaaatchh a m/u/s/i/callll in
newww yyyorkkk ciiity. It waaas so ec-ex/c/i/tinggg! Do you think that is how a
fluent or non-fluent reader reads? Right! Non-fluent. Do you believe that I
really understood what I just read, or I focused on sounding out the words?
Correct! Sounding out the words. You can improve your fluency by reading the
same thing over and over again till you read it with speed and expression. This
is how a fluent reader needs to read in order to correctly comprehend readings:
(Read with ease and enthusiasm) My friends and I went to watch a musical in New
York City. It was so exciting!! My goal is for you to sound just like I did when
you read! We
3. Explain to students that
they are supposed to be doing repeated readings:
We are
going to practice reading fluently by doing some repeated readings of text. I am
going to put you in pairs and let you take turns reading to each other fluently
and enthusiastically. It’s okay to make some mistakes while reading, what is
most important is that you read it more fluently each time you read.
4.
Pass out copies of Frog and Toad are Friends. Give a book talk: Frog is
patiently waiting for his best friend, Toad, to wake up from his long winter
nap. Once Frog wakes him up, they go on many adventures together. Let’s read to
find out exactly what fun journeys the pair experience!
5.
Pass out rubric sheets. Tell students to write their name and their partner's
name at the top of the page. Tell
the students to time each other as they read through the text the first time and
to record the time on the sheet. They are to take turns reading to each other.
The second time each person reads, the partner should record not only how long
it takes but also answer the questions at the bottom of the checklist about
their partner's fluency. The third time each person reads, the partner should
record the time again and answer the questions on the checklist for a second
time. I will assess their words read per minute by using the formula:
words
x 60.
seconds
Wheeler, Mary Katherine. Reading Faster, Farther, and More Fluently.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/doorways/wheelergf.htm