Growing Independence: Ready Set Let's Be Fluent!
Rationale: The goal of this lesson is for reading comprehension. In order to have good reading comprehension you have to be a fluent reader. A fluent reader is a reader that can read effortlessly. A great way to become more fluent is through using repeated readings, and then testing your level of comprehension.
- Dry erase board
- Dry erase markers
- Decodable Passage "Strange Object"; enough for everyone to have a copy or be able to share with a partner
1. I will introduce the lesson by explaining what a fluent reader is. "A fluent reader is a reader that comprehends what they read and hardly any mistakes while reading." Then I will model an example of a fluent reader versus a non-fluent reader by reading a short story to them. "Becoming a fluent reader takes time and a lot of practice." Now we are going to practice with some sentences.
2. Being a fluent reader does not mean that you know every word in the text but that you fully understand what the text is telling you and are able to do this quickly. "Let's practice by writing and rereading some sentences." I will write a sentence on the white board and read it to them slowly and carefully and really focus on sounding out each word. Example: "IIII tooook mmmmy doooog Ellllliiieee to the ppppaaarrrk." Then I will model for them rereading the sentence fluently and with expression. Example: "I took my dog Ellie to the park." "Which way of reading the sentence did you like better?"
3. Then we will continue to practice writing more sentences and rereading them. Our goal is to become more fluent each time we read the sentence. I will call on different students to help me read and reread the sentences. They can even do partner work for the last couple of sentences.
- We played freeze tag for a total of five hours on Saturday.
- I love going to Santa Rosa beach during the summer with my family.
- Zach, Stephen, and Stephanie went on a trip to the Grand Canyon.
4. Then I will introduce the decodable passage "The Strange Object" There is child who sees something in the sky and can't figure out what it is. What are some things you see in the sky? What do you think is moving in the sky? "We will have to read to find out!" I will read the text out loud to the class the first read through. "I want everyone to follow along as I read so that we can become familiar with the text."
5. Now it is time for everyone to reread the decodable text to themselves. I want you to reread it to yourself and you can whisper read to yourself if necessary. Then once you finish, get a partner and practice reading the text to each other. Each time you read I want you to focus on how you read the text. "I want you to read with excitement and expression." "While you guys complete the rereading, I will be calling each of you back for a few minutes so that you can read for me as well." "Let's get started!"
6. I will allow them about fifteen to twenty minutes for them to work independently and with a partner.
Assessment: I will have each student come back and read for me while I mark off the checklist while they read and I will time them. I will have a stopwatch and my checklist ready. I will be assessing their speed, comprehension, and tone while they read.
How many words in a minute?--one minute read
How many words correct? Accuracy
Words they are struggling with?
Did they read with expression?
Did their pitch or tone change throughout the text?
What kind of animals did Di see?
What did they mice bring with them?
"The Strange Object" decodable passage BRI fluency test
Bruce Murray, The Reading Genie. http://www.auburn.edu/~murraba/
Jennifer Redd: "On your mark, get set, read" Growing Independence and Fluency.
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