Brandy Thomas
Growing Independence and Fluency
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
Sight/word recognition is the crucial element for developing
fluency. Once the obstacle of having to decode is removed meaning, comprehension,
and simple joy take center stage. This lesson will focus on reading expressively.
Expression makes any story more enjoyable and creates a relationship between
its character’s lives and the reader. Becoming more involved in the plot
also increases comprehension and voluntary reading.
Materials:
Taped reading (by teacher) that models expression and smoothness,
tape recorder with microphone, readers’ theatre script (created by teacher
and students) of Aesop’s Fables, Aesop’s Fables-list of stories, art supplies
(paper plates, masking tape, glue, Popsicle sticks, old (lone) socks, markers,
or poster board with head and arm holes cut out. See attached page
for example. And an assessment checklist with categories such as:
a) Recognized Punctuation yes no sometimes
b) change in voice pitch yes no yes, but incorrectly
c) changed tempo in reading yes no
d) attempted to distinguish between characters yes no
e) other comments:
Procedure:
1. "Introduce lesson by explaining that reading will become just as
natural and smooth as spoken language. All anyone needs is practice and
other literary experiences (rereading with sub goal in mind: speed, smoothness,
expression, silent reading, and voluntary reading (personal choice and
enjoyment)).
2. Ask students: Which sounds better to you? (teacher should
read one with expression and one without)
a) Mary yelled "NO, don’t do that!" But it was too late; all she heard next was "screeeeeeeechhh" and "boom!"3. Review: punctuation and other writing symbols/prompts/cues.
b) Mary……yelled…no…don’t…do…that…..But …it…was…too…late…all…she…heard…was….screech…and…boom.
(teacher should wait for appropriate response.) Very good, see how
much more fun and exciting simple words can be when you read it
like a movie star would say it?
4. Activity: tell students: Now it is time for us to become mini actors and actresses from our own Hollywood. Who is your favorite? I bet we can do a lot better, because we are going to write our own skits to perform.
a) break students into heterogeneous groups of three or four5. Assessment: Assessment checklist (should look as follows, feel free to add more categories being observed and looked for). Circle answer.
b) allow each group to choose one fable (Aesop’s) to create a readers’ theatre skit for. EX: "Lion and the Mouse" (good theme and lesson). Aesop’s Fables are under no copyright rules and can be manipulated freely.
c) Children should read story once to themselves (peer and teacher assistance may be needed).
d) In groups: decide who is who, discuss meaning, themes, and rewrite script in to a skit. (teacher assistance).
e) Reread with teacher taped reading that models smoothness and expression.
f) Make props or bring props from home. EX: paper plate and Popsicle stick puppets, sock puppets, and life size puppet from poster board (child decorates front and then sticks face and hands through cutouts).
g) Perform skits to class and then those who volunteer can perform for another class as well.
a) Recognized Punctuation yes no sometimesTeacher could also read a variety of sentences (some expressively and some not); students could distinguish between by writing down or circling answer.
b) change in voice pitch yes no yes, but incorrectly
c) changed tempo in reading yes no
d) attempted to distinguish between characters yes no
e) other comments:
References:
Activity idea adapted from: Santrock, John. Educational Psychology. McGraw-Hill, 2001. pg. 398.Click here to return to Elucidations.
Adams, M.J. Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print. MIT Press: Cambridge, 1990. pgs. 88-94.