“Hippity Hop into Fluent Reading”
“Hippity Hop into
Fluent Reading”
Growing Independence
and Fluency
Rationale:
Fluency
is the
ability to read a text accurately and quickly. When fluent readers read
silently, they recognize words automatically. They group words quickly
to help
them gain meaning from what they read. Fluent readers read aloud
effortlessly
and with expression. Their reading sounds natural, as if they are
speaking.
Readers who have not yet developed fluency read slowly, word by word.
Their
oral reading is choppy and plodding.
Fluency is important because it provides a
bridge
between word recognition and comprehension. Because fluent readers do
not have
to concentrate on decoding the words, they can focus their attention on
what
the text means. They can make connections among the ideas in the text
and
between the text and their background knowledge. Students will gain
fluency
through repeated readings, timed readings, and one-minute reads.
Materials:
One sentence strip with the sentence: "The
little green frog hopped off the lily pad to try to catch a fly" for
every
group
Stopwatch for every group
One copy of Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel for every
group,
Poster with lily pads on it (google images),
placed so
that the lily pads get closer to the top of the poster where there is a
fly;
The lily pads have numbers on them that represent the number of words
read; cut
out frog for each student
One copy of The Missing Snake, decodable
reader Scott
Foresman, 2008
Procedure:
1. Explain to students what being a fluent
reader
means. "It is very
important that we all become fluent
readers. To be a fluent reader, you must read with speed and
ease.
Being a fluent reader helps us to understand what we are reading
because we do
not have to stop and think about "sounding out" each word, instead we
can focus
on understanding what the story is about. When we are fluent
readers our
reading sounds much nicer and smoother. It also allows us to
enjoy what
we are reading!"
2. Demonstrate a fluent reader and a non-fluent reader. "Listen to me as I
read a page from the book The Missing Snake.
This is how a strong reader would read this sentence, Mmmmy
nnaaaammme iiiissss JJJaaannne. I ccaan tttaaake the
cccaaassse. . (Read one sentence from the book) (The
first
time read the sentence very slowly, without expression, and
choppy.) Now I am going to read the same page from The
Missing
Snake again.. (Read the sentence slowly and without
expression). How do you feel about how I read that
sentence? Does
it make you want to listen to me read the whole story? This time
I am
going to read like a fluent reader. (This time read the text
faster, with
ease, and expression.) That it what a fluent reader sounds
like. I read
the text quickly, smoothly, and with expression, I tried not to pause
throughout my reading and tried to keep you interested in what I am
reading to
you. Our goal is for everyone to be a fluent reader."
3. Explain to students that they are going to be
doing
repeated readings. "To
help make you a more fluent reader,
we are going to practice by doing repeated readings. I am going to
assign you
with a partner and then you and your partner will take turns
reading. I am going to give each pair of you a sentence on a
piece
of paper. I want each of you to read the sentence aloud to your
partner. Don't worry if you are not reading like you think a
fluent reader
should read the first time, by doing repeated readings and hearing your
partner
read you will get better each time. . By the end, you will be
reading
more fluently because you are familiar with the words and you will not
be
concentrating on decoding each word." Pass out to each group a
sentence
strip with the sentence "The little green frog hopped off the lily pad
to try
to catch a fly". Pairs will be given a few minutes to take turns
reading
the sentences. When the teacher sees that each pair has had
adequate
practice then move to the next part of the lesson, connecting the
practice to
text.
4. Explain to the students that they are going to be doing one
minute
reads. "Now we are going to practice reading in order to
become more
fluent in another way, a one minute read. Each pair will be
reading the
book Days with Frog and Toad. Frog and Toad are very good
friends
and they like to do fun things together. Sometimes Frog and Toad get
into some
mischief while they are having fun. I want you to read the book to find
out
what kind of mischief and fun things Frog and Toad do together. I
am going to give you a copy of the book, a stopwatch and a sheet to
record how
many words that your partner reads. While one person is reading
their
partner will be timing them. The reader should read as many words
as they
can. The reader will read for one minute four times.
After
each one minute, the timer will write down the number of words the
reader
reads. After the first person reads four times then switch and
let your
partner do the same thing. When we are finished I will give each of you
a frog
and you will put your highest number of words on it an put it on the
lily pad
that is closest to the number of words you read. Your goal is to
get as
close to the fly as you can by the end of your four readings. I
will be
walking around the room. If you need help, just raise your hand
Assessment:
As the pairs of students
are doing their one minute reads the teacher will circulate among the
pairs and
assess their progress. Students should demonstrate increasing fluency
as they
do more repeated readings. After the students have finished the
activities the teacher will continue to do two one minute reads with
each
student individually to assess all aspects of fluency.
Sources:
Katie Olk, Hop Into Fluency http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/voyages/olkgf.html
Lobel, Arnold. Days with
Frog and Toad. Harper Collins Children's Books, 1984.
Phonics Readers-Long
Vowels: The Missing Snake Scott Foresman, 2008