Growing
Independence and Fluency
Come
With Me to Read Expressively
Rationale: An
important aspect of reading fluently is reading with expression. Reading
with expression entails changing the speed, pitch or volume of your voice
to enhance attention and understanding of the text. This
lesson will allow children to practice reading with expression.
Materials: Tops
and Bottoms by Janet Stevens; samples of decodable books, such as What
Will the Seal Eat? and Di and the Mice by Educational Insights;
Reading assessment checklist
Procedure: 1. Read
a sample paragraph from the first page of Tops and Bottoms. For
the first time, read it in a steady monotone voice, without taking any
pauses. "Okay, class, listen as
I read the same paragraph a second time a little differently." This
time, read the same paragraph expressively, varying in loudness and softness,
using high and low voices, and pausing when needed.
2. "Class,
which way did you like better? Good,
all of you said the second way. Why
did you all like it better the second time?" Write
down examples of what they say on the board. Review
or point out, "When we change the loudness or the softness of our voice,
or how fast and slow we read, or how high or low we talk when we read,
that is reading expressively. Has
anyone heard that word before? Today,
we are going to work on all these things when we read, so that we can read
expressively.
-
Read the entire book Tops
and Bottoms to the class. After
the second page, when different voices have been applied to different characters,
and expression has been shown, ask the children to notice how you have
read expressively.
-
Ask the class, "What were
some different voices of the characters? Who
spoke slower and louder and deeper? Right,
the bear. Who spoke
higher and softer and quicker? Right,
the hare. Why do you
think I made the voices that way when I read? If
the bear was lazier, should he have had a deeper, slower voice? And
since the hare was craftier, should he have a higher, faster voice? When
the hare was about to fool the bear, the sentence went faster, didn’t it?"
-
Divide the children into groups
of four. Have one student
read to the group from Educational Insights books, practicing reading expressively. "Once
everybody has read one time through, reread the book again. Notice
how each other has practiced reading expressively, and share with each
other as I walk around."
-
Hand out the books, and as
the children practice reading, walk around and observe each group. Compare
progress with Reading Assessment checklist for Expression (example - Does
the child read slow in parts and fast in parts as appropriate? Does
the child change voices when there is dialogue higher or lower? Louder
or softer? Does the
child speak in smooth, connected sentences, or do they spend too much time
on isolated words?)
www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/illum/coblentsgf.html
- Meredith Coblentz. "Let's Read With Expression"
Tops
and Bottoms
by Janet Stevens, Harcourt Brace publishers, 1995.
Click
here to return to Elucidations
Email
me at: mailto:starrkm@auburn.edu