Ready, Set, Go! Fluency, Here We Come!
Growing
Independence & Fluency
* Rationale
Fluent
reading is achieved when a student can read words that are recognized
automatically. Fluency is a very important part of reading. The more
fluent a
student becomes the more the student reads by automatically recognizing
words.
Achieving fluency allow students to read faster, smoother, and with
expression.
The direct approach to improving fluency involves modeling and practice
with
repeated reading under time pressure. In repeated readings, students
continue
to read the same text until they can read it fluently. In this lesson
the
students will practice becoming more fluent while using repeated
readings and
while data is graphed on charts by partners.
*Materials.
-Student
copies of Jane and Babe
(Phonics Readers by Educational Insights, 1990)
-Word Count sheet 2 for each student
(attached)
Word Count Sheet
The first time I read ___________ words.
The second time I read __________ words.
The third time I read _________ words.
-Reading Evaluation Form
2 for each
student (attached)
Reading Evaluation
My partner.................(fill in circle)
After 2nd time After 3rd time
Read faster O O
Read more smoothly O O
Read with expression O O
Read the most words O O
-One minute timer for each pair of
students
-Hot wheels car for each pair of
students
-Race Track Game board with spaces
*Procedures:
- Today
we are going to read faster and
smoother which is what we call reading fluently. I am now going to show
you an
example. Read the first sentence in Jane
and Babe very slowly. How did that
sound? I was reading too slow, so my words didn't flow together very
well did
they? Let's see if we can make it sound better. Read it for the
second
time, faster this time. Boys and girls,
did that sound better? What did I do that made it sound different?
That's
right, I read it faster. Who thinks that I can do better? Ok, let's see.
Reread the same sentence using expression, speed, and fluency. The last time that I read it I read my words
faster, and they flowed together smoothly. Did the first time I read
the
sentence sound different than the last time I read it? What was
different about
my voice while I was reading? Yes, you're right. My voice went up and
down depending on which words I read. The way my
voice changes with different words is called expression.
-Explain
to the students what they are going
to be doing. Today we are going to work
on reading using speed, fluency, and expression. To help us do this we
are
going to the read the same book three times. Each time that we read it,
we will
become more familiar with the words in the book which will help us read
more
fluently.
-The
class will be divided into pairs. This will allow each child to have a
partner.
Each pair of partners will need a copy of Jane and Babe along
with two
speed record sheets and reading evaluation rubric for your partner.
-Give
the students directions to the activity. Today,
we are going to work with our partner to become fluent readers. Each
person
will get the chance to be each role. One of you will get to be the
listener
while the other person gets to be the reader. The reader will read the
book
while the listener times your reading. Once the timer goes off, you
will swap
jobs. Each one of you will be the reader and listener two more times.
Make sure
that each of you reads the book three times. Each time the reader
reads, you
will start at the beginning of the book and read for one minute. When
the timer
goes off, make sure to place your finger on the last word that you
read.
Your partner will then count how many words that you read and record
the number
on the word count sheet. Make sure to do this every time you read. Once
you
have finished reading it three times and completing the charts, I will
collect
the word count sheet as well as the reading evaluation that you filled
out
about your partner.
-Book
Talk: Jane is a zoo keeper and her
favorite animal is Babe. Babe is a very sleepy lion. Jane wants to play
with
Babe, but he will not wake up. Jane tries and tries to wake up Babe.
Will Jane
every get Babe to wake up and play? We will have to read to find out!
-Teacher
should give each student a Hot wheels car and a race track. Students
will
continue to read the book. Each time they will use the car to show how
much
quicker they read. You are going to use
these cars to follow your reading all around the race track. Each time
you read
more words than you did the time before, you get to move your car the
amount of
words you read more. For example, if you read 15 words the first time
and the
second time you read 20 words, you get to move your car 5 spaces. We
will work
with our cars and race track everyday. Who can tell me what we will be
working
on since we will use our race cars and track? That's right we are going
to work
on fluency!
-Now
students will be called up to the teacher's desk to read one page out
of Jane and Babe. The teacher will use a
word count sheet, and will compare it to the sheets that were completed
earlier
in the lesson. This will show how much the students as improved because
of
repeated readings.
*Reference
Jamie
Self: Reading Race
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/constr/selfgf.html
Micah
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/constr/mooregf.html
Dr.
Bruce
Murray: Developing
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html