Score Big with Fluency
Growing Independence and Fluency
Rationale:
Fluency is the ability to read effortlessly with automatic word recognition, and it is the key to being able to read with comprehension. As a reader gains fluency, they are able to read faster, read more words, and read with more comprehension. This lesson will ensure that readers understand the importance of fluency, the strategies of crosschecking and decoding, and how to monitor and promote progress through repeated readings.
Materials:
• Dry-erase board
•Expo markers
•Stopwatch (enough for every pair of students)
•Reading rate chart
•Partner Reading Feedback sheet for each student
•Partner Reading Progress Checklist
•Clipboard
•Class set of the story by Stan and Jan Bernstain
Procedures:
1. Explain the Lesson:
Say: “We all want to become great readers don’t we? Well, how do we become these great readers? Anyone have an idea? (Allow students to contribute their ideas) To become great readers, we must be able to read fluently. When we read fluently, it means that we are reading effortlessly with automatic word recognition, and if we are reading with automatic word recognition, which means that we have a huge sight vocabulary! This sight vocabulary is so large that it encompasses most of the words that we will read in everyday text. Once we are able to read with this type of accuracy, we will become great readers by practicing increasing our speed as we read and by reading with more expression. This will lead to an increase in our comprehension skills and will allow us to read a variety of advanced texts. So, the first step to gaining fluency is adding to our sight vocabulary. How do we do that? By decoding, crosschecking, mental marking, and rereading.With a partner, we are going to read the same book three times. While your partner is reading, you will time them. Each time I want you to set a goal for yourself that is higher than your previous attempt.”
2. Model Fluent and Non-Fluent Reading:
Say, “Since we know how to become a fluent reader, I am going to model how we should decode and crosscheck when we come to a word that we are not familiar with.”(Write sentence on the board ‘Jack and Kate got lost on the island.’) I will use this sentence to model fluent and non-fluent reading to the class.
Say: “Okay, so let’s take a look at this sentence. If I was reading this sentence, I might read ‘Jack and Kate got lost on the /i//z//l//a//n//d/…on the izland? Hmm…that doesn’t make sense. /I//l//a//n//d/…/I/ land, oh! The s is silent! Island. Okay, now that I have decoded and crosschecked to learn an unfamiliar word, I need to go back and reread the sentence so that I can understand it. ‘Jack and Kate got lost on the island.’”
Say: “I am going to read a sentence two times aloud. When I’m done we will discuss which time I read fluently.”
First reading: “Jack and Kate got lo-st, /lost/ on the izland, /iz-land/ oh I think that says island.”
Second reading: “Jack and Kate got lost on the island”
Now we are going to vote on which reading sounded more like a fluent reader. To vote for the first reading, put one finger up. To vote for the second reading put two fingers up. (Wait for students to provide their answers) You are all right, the second time was more fluent than the first. Why did the second time sound better to you? (See if students have any reasons why that think reading two sounded better)That is right, I didn’t have to stop to decode any words, I was faster, and I read with expression.
Say: “Let’s read this sentence together slowly. Jack and Kate got l-o-s-t on the i-s-l-a-n-d. That sentence was a little difficult because there are some unfamiliar words in it. Let’s see if it gets easier after we read it a second time. Jack and Kate got lost on the i-s-l-a-n-d. I believe we read it easier that time, but we still read it slowly and didn’t use nay expression. Let’s read it one more time. *I will read the sentence fluently and with expression* “ Jack and Kate got lost on the island.”!! The last time we read the sentence fluently and with expression!”
3. Review a Strategy:
Using a Cover up Critter
I will model how to use the cover-up critter when you find an unfamiliar word.
Say: “We can use cover-up critters to help us decode an unfamiliar word we haven’t learned yet. *I will write the word might on the board.* I am going to use my cover-up critter to help me decode this word. * I will cover up all letters but m. //…mmm. *Then I will uncover igh. /I/… /mI/. * Lastly I will uncover t. /t/…/mIt/… might! This word is might. We used our cover-up critter to blend all of our correspondences together to find out the word.
Crosschecking
Say: “Another strategy that fluent readers can use is crosschecking. Did you notice how I thought about what a word should be when I finished the sentence? This is called crosschecking. You can use crosschecking when you come to a word you don't know- all you have to do is finish the sentence to see if you can figure out the pronunciation. For example, when I thought the word might have been “izland,” I realized that didn't really make sense once I finished the sentence. The word I was supposed to say was island- the s at the beginning was supposed to be silent.
4. Partner Reading:
I will pair the students into partners. I will give each pair a stopwatch, a copy of the story The Bernstain Bears Play T-Ball, two reading rate charts, fluency checklist, and a partner reading feedback sheet.
Say: You and your partner are going or take turns reading the book I gave you three times each to build your fluency. Each time, one person will be the reader and the other will be the timer. You will record your partner’s time on the reading rate chart after each time. When you are the timer, be sure to start the timer as soon as your partner starts reading, and stop the timer as soon as your partner is done reading. After your partner has read once, fill out the fluency chart, and give them feedback using your partner reading feedback sheet. This is will help them realize what they need to work on, and motivate them to work hard to meet their goal. On the checklist, you should make a note if you notice the reader remembering more words, reading faster, reading smoother, or reading with more expression. Once both partners complete the second round of reading, a third round should be completed in the same way.” (If additional explanation is needed, model the process with a student)
5. Motivate the Reader
I will introduce the book The Bernstain Bears Play T-Ball, by giving a booktalk.
Booktalk: “In this book, Brother and Sister Bernstain Bear try to teach a bunch of little cubs how to play T-ball, but the cubs get confused. One cub cries when he gets out, another runs home, and eventually—they all just play tag in the middle of the field. Brother and Sister bear are upset. What will they do? You and your partner will have to read and find out!”
6. Reader Response
Once the students have finished three rounds of repeated reading, have each student turn in his or her checklist. In between each round of repeated reading, make sure to praise students on aspects of fluency and make suggestions when needed.
Reading Comprehension questions:
•Why did Brother and Sister get upset?
• How did the umpire help Brother and Sister?
Assessment:
I will assess the students by grading their reading comprehension questions, reviewing their reading rate, and partner feed back form.
Reading Rate Chart:
WPM= words x 60/ seconds
Words Per Minute 1 2 3 4
Less than 50
51-56
57-62
63-68
69-74
75-80
81+
Partner Reading Progress Checklist:
Title of Book: ________________________________________
Total # of words in book: ______
Reader: ___________________________
Checker: __________________________
1: ___ Words in ___ seconds
2: ___ Words in ___ seconds
3: ___ Words in ___ seconds
Which turn sounded the smoothest? _______
Which turn had the least number of errors? ______
References:
Emily Davis: Yummy in my Tummy.
http://ead0026.wix.com/miss-davis-reading#!Programs/cee5
Murray, Dr. Bruce. Developing Reading Fluency
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html
Dilworth, Anna. “Climbing the Mountain of Fluency”
https://sites.google.com/site/annasresearchbasedlessonplans/home/growing-independence-and-fluency
Berenstain, Stan and Jan. The Berenstain Bears Play T-Ball. HarperCollins, I Can Read Book: New York. 2005. 32 p.
