Shh…We’re
reading
Growing
Rationale: Fluent readers
recognize words
automatically when they read. Fluent readers read faster, expressively,
silently, and voluntarily. Students
become fluent readers by reading and rereading words.
Students have to practice reading in order to
become fluent readers so learning to read silently takes a few steps.
In this
lesson students will learn to read silently by watching the modeling
and
reading and rereading the text, "Sam the
Materials: Copy of "Sam the
Ant" for
each child, Sentence strips with "Sam ran up the hill. He met his
pals." written on them, silent reading checklist for each student
Silent reading
checklist:
_____ Read Aloud
_____ Reads in a whisper
_____ Reads while moving
lips
_____ Reads silently
Procedures:
1.
"We have learned how to decode words that we didn’t know before. And we
now know that when we read certain letters they make certain sounds. You all are now able to read faster and
smoother and are on your way to being a fluent reader.
One other thing a fluent reader does is read
silently. Has there ever been a time
when you were somewhere and wanted to read but you had to be quiet?
Well today
we are going to work on reading silently.
Everyone does such a good job of reading out loud that I know
you all
will do a great job learning to read silently."
2. "When you read silently
you say the words in your head
instead of out loud like we have been doing. If you come to a word you
don't
know, you do the same thing as when you read out loud. So you can use
cover-ups, cross check, and reread the sentence. I
know you all do all of those things so well
already so now you just know one more how to use them."
3.
"I am going to show you how to read silently. First we'll start with
reading out loud." Read sentence strips. "Next I am going to read in
a whisper." Read sentences. "Third
I am going only going to move my lips when I read but no sound will
come
out." Read sentence. "Finally I am just going to read the sentence to
myself." Read sentence. "When you read silently you still need to
make sure that you understand what you are reading so it is a good idea
to ask
yourself questions after you read."
4."Now
we are going to read a story called Sam
the
5.
"Who remembers the second step? Whisper reading is right. Now lets all
try
that together. Great Job! What was the next step? Ok so let's all move
our lips
as we read. You all did so well. Now let’s just read to ourselves." As
students are doing each of the steps walk around the room to make sure
they are
doing the correct step.
6.
"Alright boys and girls now I am going to put you with a partner to
read
the whole story. Your partner is going
to watch you as you read and check off each of the steps as you read so
that
means you are going to read the story four times." Put students into
pairs
and pass out silent reading check list to each student. Walk around the
room to
each pair to make sure they are on task and understanding the activity.
7.
Once students are done with working in their partners bring students
back
together to discuss the story. Ask
questions like "Where did the ants find the crumbs? Did they get
stepped
on? What did Sam the ant find to bring to the hill?"
Assessment: Later
the same day or the next, have the students silent read "Sam the Ant"
in front of you and use the same checklist they used in their partner
work to
check off how the student read.
References:
Lesson
“Sshhh…Someone is listening” By Rachael Elliot
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/elliottgf.html
“Sam
the Ant” By Eleanor McDavid http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/teacherbooks/SamtheAnt.ppt#256,1,Sam
the Ant