The Stride to Fluency
Beginning Reading
Rationale:
Fluency, comprehension, and word recognition are only improved by students
reading and practicing reading fluently.
Reading fluently is when children can read words automatically,
accurately, and at a steady pace.
Students are spending their time reading for comprehension or understanding of
the text instead of decoding individual words.
Before a child can read fluently they must use crosschecking as a way to
make sure what they are reading is able to be understood.
Students that use crosschecking to check for understanding are a step
closer to reading fluently. The
lesson gets the students involved in the reading process and engaged in what
they are reading by understanding the text instead of learning how to read the
text. The students will learn to
use crosschecking so that the sentences will make more sense and the children
will want to read more allowing
them to become more fluent and better readers.
Materials:
Book: At the Beach by Margaret
Hillert. www.starfall.com (Enough copies for the classroom or place it on the
projection screen), paper and pencil, and whiteboard.
Procedures:
1 Today we are going to learn a step in reading that can lead us towards expert
readers!. We all want to become better readers right? Great! We are going to
learn a way so that we can read faster and understand what the story is telling
us. When we read faster we don't
spend our time focusing on learning individual words but instead reading what
the story is telling us. This makes
reading fun
2 Crosschecking helps students when they are stuck on words or when a sentence
did not make sense to them. Explain
to students how they can use crosschecking to make their sentences easier to
read and understand. "I am going to
read a sentence and show you how crosschecking can help me while I am reading.
You will see something pretty if
you lake in the fish tank. Wait! That doesn't make sense, it might be look
instead of lake. I am going to
reread it with the word I think it might be,
You will see something pretty if you look
in the fish tank. That makes a lot more sense look works instead of lake.
3 "I want you to try and crosscheck the sentence I am about to read.
Raise your hand when you think you know what word should be there
instead.
I went out to eat with my brother and he
got stock." Ask them how they can tell it needs a new word and what word it
should be.
·
The window was broken from the run
storm.
-run, rain
·
My bet is really comfortable with my
pillows.
-bet, bed
·
I ran out of glass on the way to
school.
-glass, gas
·
My dog bite my sister in the arm and
she bled.
-bite, bit
6 Let the students practice reading alone.
"Let's practice the skills we learn individually.
Remember to crosscheck and try to read fluently so we can all be better
readers! We are going to read At the
Beach. Two little girls go on
vacation to the beach with their grandmother.
They have never been to the beach before and wonder what they will see
there. They see a boat, play in the
water, catch ocean animals, and go for a walk.
On their walk the girls are wondering what else they will see at the
beach. You have to read to find out
what else the girls see.
7 Assessment: Call the students up individually and have them read a page to you
aloud. Check for fluency, accuracy,
and crosschecking. The students should
use the crosschecking that was taught throughout this lesson and if not help
them understand it. The teacher should have her book with her to follow along on
the page the student is reading from.
It is important for the teacher to keep track of the students progress.
Refrences:
At the Beach
by Margaret Hillert. www.starfall.com
Adams, Marilyn Jager. Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print.