RACING THROUGH READING


Growing Independency and Fluency
Jenna Goodwin



Rationale: In order for a child to read a sufficient amount of text in a certain period of time the child must be able to read fluently and accurately. Reading fluency is the ability to recognize words accurately, rapidly, and automatically, fluent reading also includes the ability to read with expression. The main goal of this lesson is for children to gain fluency in a reading that is timed.
 
Materials:  

Procedures:
1.  Begin lesson by reviewing i_e=/I/ correspondence.  Review this by telling students that this spelling makes the vowel I say its name.  Tell students that today we are going to learn when we see these two vowels in a word they make the long I sound.

2.  Show them the sound/spelling card with the letter I and the i_e spelling. While showing the card tell them that the letter e at the end is silent and it helps the vowel i in the middle say its name.

3.  Next show them the words bite, fire, and time.  Model by showing them that when we see these two vowels the silent vowel e helps the I say its name.

4.  Discuss the importance of fluent reading. Say: Today we are going to be practicing reading fluently which is faster, more expressive reading. When we read faster and with expression, we are able to comprehend and understand better. We are going to be practicing by reading and rereading a book.

5.  I will model how to reread a sentence to gain fluency. Say: I am going to read a sentence from this book Kite Day at Pine Lake.  I am going to be reading it a few times out loud.  I want you to pay close attention to how I am reading the sentence and tell me the differences after I am finished. For the first sentence I will model by reading the sentence very slow by decoding each individual phoneme (i--t i--s k--i--t--e d--a--y a--t P--i--n--e L--a--k--e). The second time I will model reading a little faster by blending and chunking the words together, but still not change the tone in my voice. (i-t i-s ki-te d-a-y a-t Pi-ne La-ke).  For the last time  I will read faster and with expression by changing my tone(it is kite day at Pine Lake).  When we are all finished ask the students if they can tell the difference in the way that you read each sentence.  Which way was I reading more smoothly? Which way was easier to understand?  We will be practicing this rereading skill.

6.  Pass out books ( Kite Day at Pine Lake) to each student and have them work in pairs so that they will be able to listen to each other as they both read and reread at separate times.  Explain what the book is about to get them interested in the book that they will be reading to each other.  Say:  This book is about children that go to Pine Lake to fly kites.  All the children have wonderful kites that they are all flying, but the only one left out is Bob.  He doesn’t have a kite to fly.  Do you think that Bob will make a kite and will he be able to fly it like the others?  You will have to read the rest of the book to find out.  After the book talk have them read the book to each other both taking turns.

7.  Next have them read and tell themthat when they hear the bell to stop reading.  Tell them that now we are going to see how fast and how many words you can read in one minute.  Have the other child count the number of words that were read in one minute.  First model how to read and mark the number of words read in one minute.  Tell them the goal of this exercise is to see how accurate and smoothly we can read. It is important to read the words as fast as we can but to not make up words just so that you can finish in a certain amount of time.  Have them take turns doing this for one minute.  Remind them that every time they reread you will notice how much an improvement that you are making each time that it is read.  

8. While students are reading to each other, walk around the room listening to them read and pay close attention to those that are struggling.  When students are done take up the students recordings for assessment.

Liz Copenhaver:  http://www.auburn.edu/%7Erdggenie/connect/copenhavergf.html
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