Express Yourself! by Reading Fluently
Rationale: Fluency is a crucial part of a student’s reading
ability, as it results in the ability to read with more speed, accuracy,
expression, and smoothness. Reading
fluency improves and increases reading comprehension, as well. When students are
able to read fluently, they can use all their brain power to focus on getting
the message of a text. In this lesson, students will practice reading with a
decodable, engaging chapter book and will review decoding strategies such as
crosschecking and rereading. After repeated readings of the text, students will
be able to read the text with much more expression.
Materials:
·
Student copies of Horrible Harry and the
Dragon War
·
Stopwatch for each pair of students
·
Poster with the sentence “Oh no, my sister fell
down!”
·
Student
copies of Repeated Reading Fluency Checklist
Procedures:
1.
Introduce the lesson, say: “Today, we are going
to work on fluency by practicing reading with more expression. We are going to
read Horrible Harry and the Dragon War. You will read the text with a
partner several times to practice learning and reading with more expression.
What does it mean to read with expression? (Allow student discussion.)”
2.
Review: “What do we do if we come across a word
we don’t know while reading? We can decode as best as possible then crosscheck
to see if the word makes sense. To crosscheck means to finish the sentence using
the word and see if it makes sense. You might even have to reread the sentence
to find out if it makes sense. Then you can continue if it’s the right word
(rereading the sentence to get back into the story), or go back and try again if
it’s not. For example, look at the poster on the board. Listen to me try to read
it, ‘My sister ffff-iiii-llll down, wait, that’s not right. Oh, my sister FELL
down! Oh no, my sister fell down.’”
3.
Model fluent reading:
“Keep looking at that sentence. Imagine it’s my first time reading that
sentence, “Oh no, myyy…sis-sister fi-fell down’ (in a halting, boring tone). Now
I’ll try to read it again, (read more smoothly and with more expression), ‘Oh
no(!), my sister fell down!.’ See? The second time, I was able to read it in a
more exciting and interesting way since I wasn’t having to try so hard to figure
out what the words are. Now listen as I read a few sentences; notice how my
voice goes up and down and how I read them with different expressions. I love
Halloween! We get to dress up and get lots of candy. What is your favorite part
of Halloween? Notice how an exclamation point means I read it in an excited way.
And I read the sentence with a period in a normal voice. And when I read the
sentence with a question mark, my voice goes up at the end and I use my
questioning voice. If I was sad, my voice would go down at the end.”
4.
Say: “Now I will read a short passage. When I
sound happy or excited, wiggle your fingers. When I sound angry or sad, cross
your arms. If I don’t sound either, don’t make any signals.”
5.
Say: “Now it’s time for you to practice. You will
each draw a sentence with a suggested certain emotion from a hat. I will give
you a couple minutes to practice and think about how you are going to read your
sentence WITH EXPRESSION. Then we will go around the room and let everyone share
their sentence.”
6.
Directions: “Now you will practice reading and
rereading Horrible Harry and the Dragon War. This story is about
something AWFUL that happened in Horrible Harry’s classroom, Harry and his best
friend Song Lee are having a fight! They disagree about dragons. Are they mean
and scary (like Harry thinks) or are they gentle and lucky (like Song Lee says)?
You will be put with a partner. Each group needs one book, one stopwatch, and
two checklists. You will take turns reading and listening to each other. While
your partner reads, you will listen closely and keep track of how they’re doing
on the checklist. Use the stopwatch to track your partner’s time. Read the book
three times each, and practice reading more fluently with more and more
expression each time.”
7.
Observe: While students are working, walk around
the room to observe students’ reading, and making yourself available for any
questions students may have.
8.
Assess: After all students have done the repeated
readings, have students write down their answers to several reading
comprehension questions such as –
a.
So was Harry or Song Lee right?
b.
How were they both correct?
c.
Who found the information that proved them both
right?
d.
How did they celebrate?
Also, review the peer checklists the students filled out, as well.
References:
Allman, Amber. No More Robot Reading.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/awakenings/allmanagf.htm
Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry and the Dragon War.
Scholastic Inc. New York: 2003. 51pp.
Roebuck, Caitlin. Becoming Faster with Fluency.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/awakenings/roebuckgf.htm