The Voice Makes Meaning
Rationale:
For children to become better readers, not only to themselves but also to
others a key element should be present.
This key element is learning to read fluently.
This involves smooth reading, expression, silent and speed-reading.
This lesson will focuses on students learning to read with expression.
Students will become aware of how their voices can make various
expressions, softness/loudness pitches, and other factors that can affect their
reading.
Materials:
Dry erase markers
Dry erase board
Variety of decodable texts with various levels
Hot Rod Hamster
by Cynthia Lord: Scholastic Press, New York, NY. c 2010
Two copies of the same book for each reading individual group
Paper and pencil
Sheet of premade sentences for assessment
Procedures: 1. To begin the lesson teacher will talk with the class and let them know that it is not just a good thing
to be able to read books, stories, passages and poetry but it is even better to be able to learn new things that can help
with becoming a better reader. Have you ever heard someone recite a poem or a short story? If you have then you
might know that they do not just read words they use expression when reading or reciting. Can anyone share with us
what expression means? (Give enough time for students to respond and make note of responses) Thank you for
giving such good answers. Expression is how we look with our face when asking
for something or responding to a
question. It is also how we make our voice change based on certain words that we read. So today, we will learn
some new ways to be expressive readers and I hope that each of you will learn some new ways to be expressive
when you read to yourself or to someone. This will help especially in story
telling readings.
2.The teacher asks the students a follow up question to expression.
Has anyone ever heard someone read a story with lots of expression?
(Give students enough time to share their answers)
So what do you think expression done to the story?
Was its better or was it just average? (Give students enough time to
share their answers) How can we
read a story with a lot of expression?
Give me some ideas of ways that we can do that?
Teacher will make sure to write these answers on the board and leave them
up for future reference for the students. Thanks for sharing such great answers.
Therefore, in the lesson when it asks us to read I want you all to refer
back to the board and use some of these expression ideas.
Remember to be an expressive reader you
need to use these.
3.The students now gather around the teacher so he/she can demonstrate how to
use expression in reading a story.
Now boys and girls I will begin to read part of the story from Hot Rod Hamster.
Teacher will give a book talk when reading this book.
How many of you have heard of this book?
Now I am going to read a selection from the book.
I will read it in the perspective of the hamster.
What that means is that I will read it as if I was the hamster and it is
from his view of things. I want you
to listen closely as I read sections of the book and see if you can hear the
various expression changes by hamster. This is a great book for you to read
later by yourself. The teacher will
read two pages. “ Great day, grin
day, build a car to win day, Cheer day, chase day, gonna have race day!”
Hamster says, “I need a hot rod!” A hot rod for a hamster?
You will need something very small.
Hamster says, “and FAST!” Which car will you choose? Hamster says, “I’ll
take the green car. It is just my
size. YES! I want to BURN RUBBER!”
So boys and girls was that an exciting book.
Do you think that I was being expressive when I read those parts of the
story?
(Give students enough time to share their answers)
Therefore, since you all agree that I was not expressive when I read the
book, share with me ways that I can be more expressive so the story will be more
interesting. (Give students
enough time to share their answers)
Thanks for all the great input. Now
I will re-read those sections and I want you to listen closely to see if I have
added expression to the story. The
teacher reads those sections and this time it is with expression.
Now boys and girls did that sound much better since I added expression to
the story. Did you notice how my
voice changed from soft to loud? Teacher will show the students how to make the
voice pitch change.
4. Now each of the students need to get into their assigned buddy reading group
and find a place to sit down and be quite while I pass out the books.
Teacher hands out texts to the individual groups that are decodable and
within their reading levels. When handing out the books make sure each group has
a copy for each member and that the groups have different books. Now I want
everyone to listen to the directions of how we will do this activity.
I want each of you to read you book silently this will help you become
familiar with the story and the words.
Once each member has read the story I want one member of each group to
read the story to the other member of your group.
Remember when you read this to your reading friend do not use any
expression. After you have read it
to them, the both of you need to come up with ideas that can make the story more
expressive. Make a list of ways and
then write a few sentences that can use more expression in them.
Once your list has been made, the other reading friend will read the
story but they will use the list of ways to be more expressive.
Remember to be very expressive in reading to your friend.
Remember if you have trouble reading certain words in the story you can
use your cover-ups method, say the vowel sound first
and then blend the sounds together, or have your buddy help you if that
does not work. Model and practice
will help when using cover-ups method.
5.For assessment, the teacher will have already premade sentences written out on
a sheet of paper. The students will
read these using different forms of expression example, sad, happy, mad,
excited, slow pace, and fast pace.
The teacher will call each student up to his or her desk and have then read the
sentences with the teacher choosing the expression.
For example, one sentence can be: Tommy told his best friend Jim that he
was going to be moving to Texas and they would have to email each other to stay
in contact. (use sad tone expression)
Another sentence: Susie just found out that she made the cheerleading
team and she shares this information with her mom. (use excited tone)
Students should show expression when reading individual sentences.
Students should show a change in voice that is not like their normal reading
voice.
Reference:
Kelly Terrana lesson- Express Yourself-
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/illum/terranagf.html
Book called Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord:
Scholastic Press, New York, NY. c 2010
Picture from Microsoft Clip Art
Return to Caravans Index. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/caravans.html