Read and Reread

Growing Independence & Fluency
By: Seth Clark

Rationale:
Fluent readers must read consistently, fluently, accurately, and with emotion.  In order for the students to become fluent readers, we will work on reading speed. This lesson will help students increase their reading fluency through charting one-minute reads.

Materials:

 Stopwatch:  1 per pair of students

A chart to record one-minute reads (one for each child)

Vast selection of decodable books in classroom (color coded for different levels)

 
Procedures:
1. Introduce the fluency lesson by explaining what it means to be a fluent reader and the steps they will take while working with their groups this week to help students to become more fluent readers.  "The word fluency means that you have the ability to read words fast and automatically."  "It is a good idea to go back and re-read what you have read until it sounds like "real" talk between you and another person." 

2. "Have you ever wanted to read your favorite books a little faster? Well today we're going to learn how to practice reading so we can get a little bit faster. When we read books faster, we can also read with more expression. We can make parts happy, sad, suspenseful, or really exciting!  I would like you to go to the shelf and pick a book with the colored dot that represents your own reading level." (Teacher needs to have a book ready so he/she can model next.)

3. After students return to their seats, show them your book. "When I first picked up this book, there were some words I did not know. First, I read the book once and had to read it slow to figure those words out. Then, I read the book again. Do you know why? Because the more times we read a book, the easier it gets to read!"

4. "Now I'd like you to read the book you chose at your desk. Keep reading until I say stop. When you finish reading it once, read it again so it will get easier.

5. After ten minutes stop the students and pair the students off with students with the same instructional level.

 6. The student who is not reading should time the other with a stopwatch and record the time it took for their partner to read. Switch accordingly. Have each student read their text two times and record both times.

7. After all students have read to a partner, say, "Now let's chart our results and see how we read just a bit faster the second time we read!"

8. You may take your books home and read them to your family so that you get even more practice.

 
 Resources:

Reading Fluency- Speed, Kate McNamara

Gina Campanotta, 1, 2, 3, Read

Angela Atkins, How Fast Can You Go?

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