Growing
Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
The
process of reading involves comprehension and word identification. If a
child is struggling with automatic word recognition then it will
significantly affects their ability to comprehend what they are
reading. When students are provided with phonics instruction,
they learn to recognize words automatically and more rapidly. In this
lesson, children will be able to gain fluency by reading and rereading
texts, one minute reads, and timed reading. Once children become
fluent in their reading, they will be able to read more smoothly
without having to stop and sound out words. This lesson includes
repeated reading as well as timed readings to help children become more
fluent readers.
Materials:
1. Stop
watches (1 for every pair of students)
2. A cut out
of a race car (1 for each student, put their names on their race car)
3. A progress
race track (This will be used for students to move their car around the
track as the number of words they read increases.
There should be a start line and a finish line.
Place the numbers 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, etc. around the track.)
4. Fluency
time sheets for scoring (The fluency sheet
should contain the student's name who is reading and the student's name
who is partnered with them to time their reading. For a one minute
read, be sure to put one minute as the time on the sheet. There should
be a place for the student to write the number of words
read in one minute. There should also be a place on the sheet for
the student to write the name of their book and the date.)
5. Pencils
6. Decodable
books (1 set for the classroom)
7. Decodable
text: Jane and Babe
Procedure:
1. To begin
the lesson, explain to students why being a fluent reader is important.
"Today we are going to practice being fluent readers.
Fluent readers are able to read smoothly without having to stop
and sound out words. Once we have become
fluent readers, we will be able to better understand what we are
reading."
2. Explain to
students in order to practice becoming a fluent reader they will be
doing repeated readings. Explain that when
they do repeated reading they will be reading for one minute.
"We will be reading for one minute, after the one minute is up,
the counter will count the number of words their friend read in one
minute.
Be sure to read smoothly. Do not
try to read too quickly where you make a lot of mistakes."
3. Present
the book that they will be reading by giving a book talk.
"We are going to read the book,
Jane and Babe. In this book, Babe is a
lion and Jane is a lady that cares for him.
She goes into his cage while he is taking a nap and plans to
wake him up.
You will have to read the book to find out what happens when she
wakes up Babe, the sleeping lion.
4. Model for
the children how to reread.
"Listen carefully to me as I read to you in a few different
ways."
First read to the students without using fluency.
Take the time to sound out words.
Reread the passage using fluency.
"Which sounded best?" "Was the first reading easier to
understand or the second time I read it?" This
will show the students that being able to read fluently makes it much
easier for someone to understand what is being read.
5. Give each
pair of students a copy of the book,
Jane and Babe, a stop watch, a pencil, and a fluency
time sheet.
"Okay, decide who will read first.
You will be reading for one minute.
Try to read as many words as you can during the one minute.
After the minute is up, write down the number of words your
partner read in the minute." Explain to
students that after they read and count the number of words they read
in one minute to go to the race track and move their car to the number
of words read.
Explain that the goal is to move their car all the way around
the race track to the finish line.
6. After each
student has completed a one minute reading have them read again for
another minute using the same steps as before.
(read for one minute, count the number of words read, go move
the race car on the track)
7. Each
student should complete three one minute timed readings.
After the fluency time sheets are completed, allow the students
to go to the race track to see how far around they have made it.
Assessment:
To assess the
students, have them read one minute reads individually to assess their
fluency. Assess them on the number of
words they are able to read in one minute.
Also, collect the students' fluency charts that they used during
their partner readings and assess them as well.
References:
Tabetha Rape.
"Let's Go, Reading!"
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/passages/rapegf.html
Murray,
Bruce. Developing Reading Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html
Jane
and Babe.
Phonics Reader. Educational Insights.