Hopping to Fluency
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale: When students first
start reading, they have to find ways to help them decode words, which takes
times. After practice, the students are able to decode words quicker, which
allows them to read faster. As they decode words, they are adding wording to
their sight vocabulary. Once they
have a lot of words in their sight vocabulary, they are then able to read more
fluently. It is crucial that students become fluent readers, so they will be
able to focus more of their attention while reading to reading comprehension.
Repeated readings will helps students build fluency, because they will be
reading words automatically.
Materials:
Copy of Frog
and Toad are Friends for each student
Finklehopper Frog
Stopwatch for every two children
Lilly Pad Rubric
Die Cut Frogs
Pencils
Checklist
Procedures:
1. Explain to students what
reading fluency means. When reading a
book, it is important for us to read fluently. Reading fluently means reading
without having to pause to sound out words, but instead can just read them
instantly. Fluent readers also understand what they are reading while they are
reading and read with expression. When you read with expression, the tone of
your voice changes and you can tell when there are feelings be portrayed in the
book.
2. Demonstrate to the students
what a fluent and non-fluent reader sounds like.
I will read the book
Frinklehopper Frog to them. While reading this book, I will read a page and
ask them if I read it fluently or not. For example for a non-fluent page I will
say, “Ssoooo Fffinnkllee ggg-oo-t h-is
h-at and c-ooo-a-t.” Did I read this page fluently or not? For a page that I
read fluently I will read it a good reading pace and reading with expression.
For example, “He told her he was looking
for a really special coat!” I see an exclamation mark at the end of the
sentence, so I knew I needed to say that sentence with excitement.
3. Next, I will pass out copies of
Frog and Toad are Friends and give a
book talk for the book.
This book is about two best friends, Frog and Toad. Toad is taking a long winter
nap and Frog is waiting for him to wake up, because he wants to go on adventures
with Toad. We are going to have to read to find out what types of adventures
they go on.
4. Explain to students what they
are supposed to be doing during repeated reading.
During repeated reading, you will be
reading to a partner. You and your partner will take turns reading to each
other. While reading to your partner, you will practice reading fluently and
with expression. During this time, it is really important that you read fluently
to your partner. Now lets turn to
the first page of the book. Let’s practice reading this page of the book
fluently as a group. Great Job!
5. Next, I will pass out the
rubric sheets, frogs, pencil, and checklist. I will tell the students
you are going to use the rubric sheet and
your frog to help you track your reading progress. You and your partner are
going to take turns reading the book fluently to each other. While your partner
is reading the book, you will time them and then tell them their time to record
on the first lily pad. You will then move your frog to the next lily pad the
second time you read if your time goes down (if you read more fluently.) Also,
while your partner is reading during the second and third time you will complete
the checklist. I will then assess their speed by using (words x 60)/seconds.
Another way I will assess is by
asking the students questions to see if they understand the story: Question
examples: What adventures did they go on?, Which adventure would you want to go
on and why?, and What is Toad and Frog’s relationship?
Livingston, Irene.
Finklehopper Frog. Tricycle Press,
2004.
Lober, Arnold.
Frog and Toad are Friends. Harper
Collins, 1970.
Meyer, Kelly.
Hopping the Fluency Lily Pads!.
Reading Genie
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/awakenings/meyergf.htm