Vroom, Vroom, Speed It Up!


Growing Independence and Fluency Lesson Design

By: Tara N. Killen

 

Rational: Before children can really begin to comprehend what they are reading, it is important that they become fluent readers. Fluent readers are able to read with speed and accuracy. These readers all know the major correspondences in the English language. This lesson will allow students to practice their fluency by reading and re-reading passages while they are being timed. Timing the students causes them to want to read faster and re-reading allows them to read with more expression and fluidity.

 

Materials:

 

*Speed Reading Record:

       Name:_________________________            Date:___________

                        Time:   

                        - After 1st read            _______

                        - After 2nd read           _______

                        - After 3rd read           _______

 

**Partner Check Sheet for students to assess their partner's fluency:

 

As I listened to my partner read, he/she:

                                                                                    After 2nd           After 3rd

                        1. Remembered more words               _______          _______

                        2. Read faster                                      _______          _______

                        3. Read smoother                                _______          _______

                        4. Read with expression                      _______          _______

Procedure:

  1. Introduction: Okay boys and girls, today we are going to work on becoming faster readers. We have been working very hard to become expert decoders, but now we want to be fluent readers. Fluent readers read fast and with accuracy. When we read accurate then we are able to read the words without having to decode them.
  2. Remind the students that if they come to a word that they do not know then they can use their cover-up critters: Now everyone remember, if you don't know a word, it's okay, just use your cover-up critter. Let's go over our cover-ups on the board as a group. (Write the word grade on the board then do the following): First let's look at the vowel sound. I am going to cover up the rest of the letters other than the a. Now what is that sound? Remember there is that sneaky silent e at the end! Okay, so the sound is /A/. What now? Well let's uncover the r. Now it says /rA/. Let's add that g. /grA/. Then add the d, /grAd/. Great!
  3. Model how to develop fluency (write the following sentence on the board: I went to the lake.): I am going to read this sentence. (Read the first time, then read faster the second time.) Which one sounded better to you? Right the second time I read the sentence. I want you all to work on reading your books like this.
  4. Now I want you to get with a friend. I want one of you to go get the books off of the back table and the other one get the baskets in the reading center.
  5. Each student will take turns reading the book to each other. One will read and the other will time them. The timer will fill out their Speed Reading Records and the Fluency check sheet, and then they will swap. They will do this three times each.

 

Assessment: I will have the students come to me individually and do a one minute read to me on the book they have just read. I will count how many words they have read in one minute and chart this number so that I can see improvement.

 

Resources:

 

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