Growing Fluency

One small step for Reading, One giant step for Fluency

Katherine Hope Youngblood

Rationale:

It is important for students to gain the ability to comprehend while reading. In order to accomplish this skill, students need to learn how to read fluently. This means that the student slowly becomes less dependent on decoding. Reading helps students with fluent instruction and helps students make sight words. A student can improve his or her fluency and speed through repeated reading. This lesson will require students to crosscheck for meaning through repeated reading. Each student’s progress will be charted during paired partner reading. In turn, students will be motivated to read and reread due to his or her progress in fluency and comprehension.

Materials:

Stopwatches for each set of student partners, fluency graphs for each child, class set of Space Cat by Doug Cushman, Partner Reading Progress checklists (included at the end of the lesson), Reader Response Form (included at the end of the lesson), Grading Rubrics, fluency chart for students (Reaching the Moon and beyond) (graphic included at the end of the lesson)

Procedures:

Explain the Activity Say: When we are able to read smoothly and effortlessly, it's easy to understand the words and what's happening in a story. Today, we are going to learn how to pick up speed while we read. Once we learn how to do this, we will be able to read just as easily as you can speak.
Model Fluent and Nonfluent Reading Say: I am going to read the first page of Space Cat by Doug Cushman aloud two times. When I'm done, we'll discuss which time I sounded better. Option 1: B-l-a-m. W-h-oo-sh. Space Cat t-oo-k off in his rock-et. He was fly-ing home to /Erth/. Hmmm oh! Earth! (I had to finish the sentence to figure out that word was Earth!) I’ll read the passage again. Option 2: BLAM! WHOOSH! Space Cat took off in his rocket. He was flying home to Earth. Now I want you to raise your hand for which sentence sounded better. Option 1? (Wait for student response) What about Option 2? (Wait for student response). You're right, I definitely sounded better the second time. Why did the second time sound better to you? (Wait for student responses) That’s right! When I reread the page, I was able to remember what the words were. I also was able to read it faster and with more expression. Review a Strategy Say: 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 In order to do this, have to finish the sentence to see if you can figure out the pronunciation of the word. Do you remember when I thought the word “earth” was “eerth”? When I finished the sentence, I realized that word didn’t make sense and I knew the word had to be “earth”. This word is special because the “ea” does not make the /E/ sound.
Practice Together Say: Let's read the first sentence of the next page as a class. There is one word you might not recognize. (Choral Read) “’I’m hungry’, said Space Cat.” Some of you might have had trouble with the word “hungry” because the y doesn’t say /I/, but you used the rest of the sentence to help you figure it out. Great job!
Motivate to Read Say: Let me tell you a little more about the book, Space Cat by Doug Cushman. This book a Space Cat and his robot friend Earl. They are on their way back to earth when their spaceship crashes! Will Space Cat and Earl be able to return to earth? How will they find fuel in space? You will have to read to find out.
Explain Partner Practice While explaining the procedures, write directions on the board for students to reference. Say: Now, we are going to practice some reading with our reading partner with this book!

Directions:

1: Pair up with your reading partner. One partner can come get the materials you'll need: 2 Partner Progress Checklists, 2 Reader Response Forms, 2 copies of Space Cat, and 1 stopwatch. Then, return to your reading places. While one partner is getting the materials, the other will count all the words in this chapter, and write that number at the top of your checklist forms.

2: Take 3 turns reading the chapter to your partner. While one partner is reading, the other partner will use the stopwatch to time your partner's readings.

3: Pay close attention to how many mistakes your partner makes each time they read. Make a check mark on a sheet of paper for every mistake you think you hear.

4: Then, subtract the number of checkmarks from the total number of words. Do this each time your partner reads. After each reading, record how many words your partner read during the amount of time you tracked with the stopwatch.

5: After you figure out these progress measures, answer the two questions on the progress form about which turn was the smoothest and had the least amount of errors. Make sure to use complete sentences!

6: When you are done timing each other, discuss the answers to the two questions.

7: Each of you will write your answers on your own sheet of paper back at your desks.

8. Take your graph to the reading board, on the fluency poster.

6. Assessment: The teacher will assess her students by listening to their responses and making notes during group discussions and practice trials, collecting Peer Checklist Evaluations, and have a one-on-one individual assessment with each student. The teacher will move around the room to assess student fluency progress and areas to address during the repeated reading trials. Have students come to the teacher to assess their fluency ability in reading two pages from chapter one using the formula (words read x 60/seconds) to chart progress and their reading comprehension level through open-ended discussion questions and vocabulary word meaning on the chapter given verbally. The teacher will show the student his or her progress using the fluency cart of “reaching the moon”. If a student is struggling with the repeated readings and is not progressing, the teacher can intervene and partner with that student to provide assistance.

Partner Reading Progress Checklist

Total # of words in chapter: ______

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? ______

Reader Response Form

Name ________________________________

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer each question with at least one complete sentence.

1. What happens at the beginning of the story?

2. How does Bob get to work?

3. What is something you thought was funny in Bob’s daily routine?

4: What was hiding from Bob on the moon?

Teacher Checklist Evaluation:

Name of student: ___________________ Date: ____________________

-Reading 1

Time: _____________

Total # of words: _____________

WPM: _____________

Miscues: ______________

-Reading 2

Time: _____________

Total # of words: _____________

WPM: _____________ (words x 60 / seconds)

Miscues: ______________

Did the student… (put an X in the blank)

Reading 1 Reading 2

Remembered more words: ________ ________

Read faster: ________ ________

Read smoother: ________ ________

Read with more expression: ________ ________

Fluency Chart:

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 120

Resources:

Cushman, Doug. Space Cat. New York: HarperCollins, 2004. Print.

Bailey Samples- Lightning Fast Fluency

http://brs0008.wix.com/missbailey#!growing-independence-and-fluency-lesson/cmo4

Mrs. Johnson- Lassoing Fluency in Reading

http://mej0029.wix.com/miss-johnson-lesson#!independencefluency/cgbz

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