Ready, Set, READ!
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
The goal of fluency is to read with automatic word recognition. It is important
for students to work towards fluency in reading because fluent readers are able
to comprehend different texts better and easier because they are not completely
focused on decoding and sounding out words slowly. To become fluent, readers
must make all the words of text into sight words. Through practice of re-reading
decodable texts, students will begin to easily read faster, read more
expressively, and move their way into becoming fluent.
Materials:
- a copy of "Champs" for each student
- cover up critter (popsicle stick) used to decode
- paired reading check sheet
- reading record sheet for each student
- stopwatches
- have "I really like to read, especially at school!"
written on the board
- have "brush" written on the board
Procedures:
1.
Say: "Who in here thinks reading is fun? I do! It is so important to practice
reading every day so that we can become a fluent reader! A fluent reader is
someone who can read almost every word in a book! Why do you think it is
important to become fluent? It's important because the better we get at reading,
the easier it is to understand what we are reading! The more that you practice,
the faster you'll get and the better you'll get! Everyone in here wants to be a
good reader, right? Well today we are going to work on fluency!
2.
Pass out the cover up critters and model for the students what to do if they
didn't know how to read a word. Say: "Let's review some different things that we
have been doing to help us while we read. Remember, most letters make different
sounds! This is important to know while we sound out different letters in a word
together." Write the word "brush" on
the board. Say: "If I was reading a story and I came to a word that I didn't
know, what would I do? Exactly, I would sound it out! Let's use the word brush
as an example. I'm going to slowly try and decode it, and sound it out! Let's
see here.. I know that 'b' makes the
/b/ sound, and 'r' makes the /r/
sound.. so /br/ then 'u'.. in this
word 'u' makes the /uh/ sound.. then
'sh'. I know what sound that makes!
That makes the shhh sound! So all
together that would be... brruuussh! Brush!"
3.
Say: "When we read slowly and use our critters to decode, becoming a fluent
reader gets easier and easier! This is because our critters our helping us to
decode each sound. The more practice we have reading and decoding, the better we
will get at it! What about reading a sentence? Do you think we can do it? I
do!". Model reading the sentence on the board fast. Say: "I really look to rad,
special at school!". Did that sound right? Hmmm.. I don't think so! I'm going to
use my critter to help me read this again. Watch as I cover up certain parts of
the word. I really loo..liiikeee.. to raa..reeeaaad, spe..eeespeccially at
school!. When I covered it up and sounded it out, it was a lot easier!"
4.
Pass out a copy of the decodable book "Champs" to all of the students. Say:
Today you guys are going to work in pairs to work on your fluency! You're going
to do this by doing something called repeated reading, and then using a
checklist to help your partner! Repeating reading is how really good readers get
better at reading aloud! When you read something a few times, words get a lot
easier to read and easier to understand! In the book "Champs", a big game is
coming up. Unfortunately, the star player has broken his leg! Oh no, what do you
think they are going to do? Together, you are going to read and find out! Choose
one chapter to re-read and have your partner assess you on!". Pass out the
paired reading check sheet. Explain to the students that as they are listening
to their partner, they need to check off what their partner did on the
checklist. Say:"As you are listening to your partner, check to see if they are
remembering more words each time they read? That means, are they able to read
more words the second time they read than the first? Next, are they reading
faster? Third, are they reading smoother? Reading smoother means that they get
better and better at sounding out the different words in the story. And lastly,
is your partner reading with expression? Reading with expression means that you
have excitement in your voice, especially when someone is talking! The first
time your partner reads the story you will not mark anything down but just
listen. The second and third time they read, make sure you check on the
checklist to show where they have improved!"
5.
Say: "The last activity that you guys will do to help you become more fluent
readers is to time each other! Yep, you guys are each going to get a stopwatch
and get to record your partner's time each time that they read. Instead of
reading the first chapter again, you are now going to read the second chapter in
your book "Champs". You are going to read as fluent as you can! Remember that
you will need to read with expression, smoothly, and easily! Your partner will
record how long it took you to read your first time, your second time, and your
third time. It will be fun to see how much your reading improved without you
even realizing it! To let your partner know when to read, you are going to say
"Ready, Set, READ!" Start your stopwatch right when they start and stop it right
when they finish!"
6.
I will do my own personal assessment of each individual child by having them
come up and read a page of "Champs" with me. I will go over their checklist with
them and see how their partner assessed them, and if they think they did well or
not. I will also be checking to see if their expression while reading and
ability to read smoothly has improved at all. I will talk through the page they
read with them, asking them questions to see if they were able to comprehend
what they read.
Name:______________
Date:______________
Time:
-
After 1st read ______
-
After 2nd read ______
-
After 3rd read ______
References:
•
Sims, Matt. Champs. High Noon Books, 2001.
•
Blackman, Mary Jo. "Speedy Reading".
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/invitations/blackmongf.htm