Race into Fluency!
Growing
Independence
and Fluency
Emily
Young
Rationale:
Fluent reading is reading in which words are
recognized automatically. Reading becomes
faster,
smoother, and more expressive with automatic word recognition. Once
this is
mastered, students can begin to read silently, which is performed at a
rate
almost twice as fast as oral reading. The direct approach to improving
fluency
involves modeling and practice with repeated reading under time
pressure. In
repeated reading, children continue working with each text until it is
fluent.
In this lesson, the students will practice fluency using repeated
reading and
graphing their progress on a chart.
Materials:
*Student copies of Jane and
Babe (Phonics
Readers by
Educational Insights, 1990)
*Word Count sheet for each student
(see example)
*Reading Evaluation Form for each
student (see
example)
*One minute timer for each pair of
students
*Progress chart for each student
(This will be a
race track
with a moveable paper race car. Numbers that indicate the number of
words read
in a minute will be placed around the track. Each time the child reads
the
text, they will move their racecar to the appropriate number. This will
help to
visually show the students their progress. These charts will be kept
and used
in future fluency lessons. At the end of our fluency lessons, the
students will
be able to take them home so that they will be encouraged to practice
fluency
at home.)
Word Count Sheet
Name: _________________
Date:
________________
The first time I read ___________
words.
The second time I read __________
words.
The third time I read _________
words.
Reading Evaluation
Name: _______________
Date: _________ Evaluator:
_______________
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
Procedure:
1) “Today we are
going to
practice reading faster and
smoother, which is called reading fluently. I am going to show you an
example.” Read the first sentence of Jane
and Babe
very slowly. “How did that sound? My
words didn’t flow together very well because I was reading too slow. Let’s see if I can’t make it sound
better.” Read it again, this time
faster. “Did that sound better? What did I do differently?
That’s right, I read it faster. Let’s
see if I can do it even better.” Reread
the sentence using speed, fluency, and
expression. “That time, I read the
sentence quickly and my words flowed together smoothly. Did you notice
how my
voice went up and down as I read certain words?
That is called expression.”
2) 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.”
3) Divide the
class into pairs (2
students). Give each pair of students a
copy of Jane
and Babe along with two speed record sheets and reading evaluation
rubric
for your partner.
4) Give the
students directions.
“In this activity each of
you will have the job of being the reader and the listener. One of you
will
read while the other times the reading with the countdown timer. After
the
timer goes off you will switch jobs. You will repeat this until each of
you
have read the book 3 times. Each time
you read 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. After each of you have read
the book
three times, you will need to fill out the reading evaluation for you
partner.
At the end of the activity I will take this and the word count sheet up
so make
sure that your names are on them. ”
5) Give a booktalk about Jane and Babe. "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!"
6) Give each
student a race track
and a paper race car
cutout. Explain how they are to use them. “You are going to use these
race
tracks and the race cars to help monitor your fluency. The numbers that
are
around the track represent how many words that you are able to read in
a
minute. After each time you read and count your words, move your race
car to
that number. Each time that you read, your car should move closer to
the finish
line. We will be using these in later activities, so make sure to take
care of
them. At the end of the today’s activity, I will take them up and hold
onto
them for you.”
7) Once everyone
has finished
reading three times and
filling out the charts, I will ask the students to be sure their name
and date
are on their charts and then ask them to turn them in to me.
Assessment:
Evaluate the Word Count Sheet and
the Reading
Evaluation Rubric. On the Word Count
Sheet, compare the number of words for each reading. These numbers
should have
increased with each time. On the Reading Evaluation Rubric, each
student should
have accomplished each of the goals by the 3rd reading.
References:
Murray, Dr. Bruce.
Developing Reading
Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/fluency.html
Self, Jamie.
Reading Race.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/constr/selfgf.html
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