ãGrowing Independence & Fluencyä
Amy
Graffam
ãGrowing Independence & Fluencyä
Amy
Graffam
Rationale:
In order for students to be successful readers they must focus on the speed they read and better comprehend the text. Students need to learn to read silently and be able to comprehend what they are reading. As educators, we must teach our students to increase their ability to read fluently to where they are able to understand the story. I want to focus on modeling and encouraging enthusiastic reading, which makes the story come alive. From this lesson, I hope I will teach my students to read fluently, with expression, and with understanding of the text. During this lesson, students will have the opportunity to read aloud a story fluently and with expression. At the end of this lesson, students will also have an opportunity to read silently.
Materials:
The Big Fish (written by Kevin Boon, illustrated by Wendy Hodder, and published by The Wright Group in 1993), class copies of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (written by Jon Scieszka and published by Scholastic Inc. in 1989), a variety of books based on the childrenâs level of reading (try to challenge them a little bit so they are able to improve), the childrenâs reading journals which they should have, and a pen and paper for the running records.
Procedures:
1. Explain to the class that reading aloud and with excitement really changes the text because it gets you involved. It brings the students inside the book. ãClass, today we are going to be focusing on reading with excitement and enthusiasm. Does anyone know what it means to read with excitement? Excellent! It means to be happy about reading when you are reading the words in a book. I am going to read the first page from the book, The Big Fish. I want you all to listen to how I am reading and tell me afterwards whether I am reading with excitement or not.ä Now read the first page of the book with a monotone voice. ãClass, was I reading with excitement? No! Now, I am going to read the same page again and you tell me if I am reading with excitement.ä Read the page again with excitement. ãClass, was I reading with excitement this time? Yes! Which way did you like me to read? With excitement! Okay class seeing you all like to hear people read with excitement I want you all to always practice reading with excitement seeing it makes the story so much better.ä
2. Introduce reading fluency and why we should read fluently. ãClass, now we are going to talk about reading fluently to understand the text. Sometimes we need to reread and reread a text to improve our fluency. Does anyone know why we should read fluently? So we can understand what we are reading and it sounds better! Excellent! I am going to show you an example of reading without high fluency.ä Read the first few sentences very slowly and mess up the text. ãNow, class could you understand what I read from this book? Not really! Why could you all not understand what I read? Because you read so slow and messed up a lot. Good Job! So is it important to read fluently and at a faster speed? Yes! That is why we all need to practice reading so we can be fluent readers in everything we read."
3. Now, I will read the first two pages of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka to the class using fluency, and then I will break the class up in groups of four so they can read each part once through the play. Everyone should get a chance to read each part. ãClass, now we are going to read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. It is a play so we will have to be exciting and energetic while we read. I want you all to listen to me as I read and remember how I read when you all are supposed to read. I want you to each have a part and read through the book each time gaining excitement and understanding (Parts: wolf, 1st pig, 2nd pig, and 3rd pig).
4. After they have read, I want them to write about the story in their reading journals so I can see how well they remembered the story.
5. For extra practice they can chose a play within their group and practice reading fluency and enthusiasm so they can perform it in front of the class. You should encourage the children to dress up like their character so they can really get into the play with lots of excitement. The students will have to do their homework with rereading and memorizing so they are able to remember their play. Let them use their scripts but encourage them to do it without it.
6. For assessment, I will assign each student a chapter to read in a book based on their reading level. I will call each student over to me and I will take a running record of the first paragraph they read before they begin reading. I will tell them to go home and practice reading it so they will be fluent readers of the text when I reassess them. The next day, I will call all the students over and take a running record of the first paragraph in the book assigned and compare the two different running records to see improvement.
References:
Scieszka, Jon. ãThe True Story of the Three Little Pigs.ä New York: Scholastic Inc., 1989.
Boon, Kevin. ãThe Big Fish.ä United States: The Wright Group, 1993.
Stewart, Christi. ãReady, Set, Readä http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/openings/stewartgf.html.
Mink, Shay. ãThe Tell Tale Studentsä
http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/openings/minkgf.html.
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