Sailing Into Fluency
Growing Independence &
Fluency
Rationale: The goal of this
lesson is to help students read with reading fluency and
expression. It is important for students to be fluent readers
because it assists in their development of reading comprehension and
speed. This lesson will have students reread a decodable text and
will have students partner read.
Materials:
White board with marker
Copy of A Job for Zack
for each student. Phonics Readers (1990).
Timer for each student
Pencil for each student
Reading Time Sheet
Name:
__________________
Date: ________________
Time:
After 1st
read: _________
After 2nd
read: _________
After 3rd read: _________
Partner check sheet
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Name: |
Date: |
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|
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After 2nd
Reading |
After 3rd
Reading |
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Read
Faster: |
|
|
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Read
Smoother: |
|
|
|
Used
Expression: |
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|
|
Remembered more words: |
|
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Procedures:
1. Ask the class if anyone knows
what fluency means. Explain that it means to read faster and
smoother at the same time. When we read fluently, we also have
expression in our voices. We want to be good fluent readers
because it will help us remember more words and to understand what we
are reading. In order to become fluent readers, we need to
practice.
2. Write the following sentence on
the white board: She sailed across the finish line just in time to win
the race. Read the sentence to the class slowly and without
expression: "Shhee ssaaiilled aaccrrooss the ffiinniisshh lliinne
jjuusstt in ttiimme to wwiinn the rraacce ". Ask the class if
that sounds like an exciting part of a story. Now read the
sentence quickly and with great expression: "She sailed across the
finish line just in time to win the race!" Ask the class what you
did differently to make the sentence more exciting. Show the
children that you read the words smoother and faster by practicing and
rereading the text. Demonstrate how you decoded the words and now you
can say them faster because you know what they are. Now, ask the class
to practice their speed and expression by reading the sentence just
like you did. Make sure students heard the difference in your
change in speed and expression and how the second sentence sounds much
better and more exciting.
3. Distribute a copy of A Job for Zack to each student. Give a book talk to
get the students interested in the book. Zack is off to run an errand
for his mom when he sees a small box fall out of a delivery truck. Zack
decides it is his job to make sure the box gets delivered. What is in
the box? Did Zack find its owner? You'll have to read fluently to find
out!
4. Pass out a Reading Time Sheet
to each student along with a timer. Explain to each student that
they are going to read the book three times. They need to time
themselves with the timer and record the number on the sheet Ready, set
read!
5. Now, pair students up and pass
out the Partner Reading Checklist. Explain to the students that
one of them will read the book with fluency, while the other partner
listens to them and fills out the checklist. They need to put a
check in the boxes to show that their partner either did or did not
remember more words, read faster, read smoother, and read with
expression after the 2nd and 3rd reading.
Ready, set read!
6. Assessments: While the students
are reading during self rereading and during partner reading, the
teacher needs to walk around and have each student do a one minute read
to test for fluency. The teacher will also collect and evaluate
the Self Reading Checklist and Partner Reading Checklist for progress
of the students' reading fluency.
References:
Sims, Matt. A Job for
Zack. High Noon Books: CA. 2002
Murray,
Dr. Bruce. How to Develop Reading Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html
Clark,
Amber: Flying with Fluency
http:///www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/sightings/clarkgf.html