On your Mark, Get Set, READ!

Growing Independence and Fluency

Carrie McKissick 

        Rationale:
            Children read slowly when they first begin to read.  They usually experience difficulty while trying to comprehend the text if they read slowly. In order to read             faster and smoothly, the child must learn to read fluently.  A child will enjoy reading when he can decode words automatically and effortlessly.  For children             to read fluently, they need to read and reread connected texts.  On your Mark, Get Set, READ will help children read faster and more smoothly. 

        Materials:

            * Sentence strips (My mom sat at the park), (We had fun at the ball park)

    *        2 students for every sentence strip

* Variety of books for children to read

* Record chart for every student

    *        Football field runner, monkey with bananas

            * Pencils 

Procedure:
1.      Okay, let’s talk about the importance of reading smoothly and faster.  When we read smoothly, we comprehend the text much better.  Stopping all of the time throws us off track because we are too busy worrying about one difficult word.  Listen closely as I read a sentence as a beginning reader would read it.  “M-y-m-o-o-m-s-s-a-t-a-a-t-t-t-t-th-the-p-p-pa-par-park.”  Sound funny, doesn’t it?  Now I will read the same sentence the way a fluent reader would read it.  “My mom sat at the park.”  Did you notice the difference?  It was better the second time, right?

2.      Now I am going to have you gat into groups of two.  I will give each group a sentence to work with.  Pay attention to the way it sounds the first time you read your sentence.  Then I want you to read it to yourself five times through.  I know it seems like a lot, but your fluency will improve by repeating the sentence several times.  Next I want you to read it aloud to your partner again.  Did you think it sounded better the second time?  Way to go!

3.      You have all done so well.  Now we will try it with one of your books!  One of you read the book while the other one times you.  You will read as much as you can for one minute.   Do not panic if you come to a word you do not know; use cover-up.  Read on if the word is still too difficult.  Ask your partner for help if you still can’t figure it out.  We will do this several times so your reading becomes smoother and more fluent.  I will be walking around to help you if you need it.

            4.     After you read, count your words and move your object up the chart and write the number of words beside it.  Okay, switch readers!  After your partner                            reads, you will start over.  If you read more words the second time, move your object up the chart.  If you read fewer words the second time, move your object                    down the chart.  You will be surprised by your improvement!  Want to try?  On your Mark, Get Set, READ!

Assessment:
            I will assess the students by observing their beginning number and ending number on their record chart. 

Resources:
            Leah Steiner: Ready, Set, Read
            http://www.auburn.edu/%7Emurraba/guides/steinergf.html

 
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