Fishing for Fluency

     

RATIONALE: Fluency is a necessary for good reading comprehension. Fluent reading takes place when students quickly read a text because most words are sight words. When students can recognize most words in a text automatically, they are able to use their cognitive efforts to understand the meaning of the text rather than to decode the words. Evidence supports repeated readings as the best pathway to fluency. This lesson aims to guide students in repeated reading methods and strategies that will help them attain fluency so that they can better understand the stories they read.

​

MATERIALS:

• Copy of Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy by Barbara Parks

• Dry-erase board or smart board

• Timers for half of the number of students

• Print outs of check sheet for each student (attached)

• Worksheet with comprehension questions for each student (questions attached)

​

PROCEEDURES:

1. Begin lesson by explaining fluency. Say: “We have learned many words and can read a lot of books, right? But we can always read better, can’t we? We read better when we can read faster, and we don’t have to sound out as many words. When we read words quickly and correctly, we have an easier time understanding stories and adding expression. We are going to practice reading the same story several times so that we can learn to read fast! As we get faster, we learn new words and can read more stories!”

2. Review using cover-ups. Say: “What do we use when we don’t know a word? Our cover-up critters! I am going to show you guys how we use cover-ups to remind you. Let’s look at the word “sheet” on the board. If I have trouble reading this word, I can use my critter to help me sound it out. Let’s cover up sh. What sound does ee make? Yes! It sounds like /E/. Now if I uncover sh can you tell me what sound it makes? That’s right! It sounds like /sh/. Now let’s combine the two sounds: /sh/ -- /E/. She. Then we can add the t at the end. /sh/ -- /E/ -- /t/. Sheet. We can use our critters to help us figure out new words. Just cover up the letters before the vowel to figure out the vowel sound. Then add back the consonants before the vowel and after it.

3. Next go over how to use cross-checking. Write this sentence on the board: Molly needs to make cookies for the bake sale. Say: “Now I am going to show you how to use a reading strategy called cross-checking. I am going to read this sentence out loud and you tell me if I sound like a fluent reader. Molly needs to make c-oo-kies, cookies, for the b-a-k, back, sale. Molly needs to make cookies for the back sale. Does that sentence make sense? No! Molly needs to make cookies for the back sale. What is a back sale? Hmmmm, let me sound it out. Bbb-aaa-kkk. Oh! Silent e means a says /A/. The word must be bake. Molly needs to make cookies for the bake sale. This is how we use the cross-checking strategy to become fluent readers!”

4. Say: “Okay class, raise your hand if you thought I sounded like a fluent reader the first time I read it? (wait a few seconds) Exactly right, I do not think I sounded like a fluent reader either! I was reading very slow and had trouble decoding some of the words. However, the second time I read it effortlessly!”

5. Say: “Now that we know the difference between a non-fluent reader and a fluent reader, we are going to practice fluency ourselves. We are going to practice by reading the first chapter of Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy. Junie B. Jones is in kindergarten and her teacher decides to have a pet day. All animals can come to school on this day IF they live in cages. There is just one little exception…no dogs or cats allowed! Junie only has a dog! What will she do for pet day?”

6. Say: “Now we are going to split into pairs so we can practice reading this story together. I will give everyone a sheet to use to grade your partner as they read. We will read three times each. The first time you read, do not time your partner. Once everyone has read the story untimed, you and your partner will take turns timing each other and marking off their fluency sheets. Pay attention to what your partner does better every time you read. Check the boxes next to what your partner does well at. I only want to hear encouraging words! Now I want everyone to choose a partner.”

7. Say: “Remember, if you have any questions or need any help, don’t be afraid to ask. I want this to be fun, but it is also very important that you follow directions. I am going to repeat the instructions one more time: be encouraging to your partner, make sure you are keeping track of the time it takes your partner to read, and make notes of progress your partner makes while they read. I will collect your sheets at the end. You may go ahead and begin working!”

8. To assess the students, I will read the story with them each individually as pairs work on their repeated readings. In reading with each student, I will keep a running record of miscues and self-corrections to see if the book is at their instructional or frustration level. As they read, I will also time their reading. At the end I will calculate their words per minute. Using the running record and the words per minute, I will assess if the student is ready to move on from that book and start another, or if they need to continue with repeated readings of that book until their words per minute increases.

9. After the assessments, students will fill out a worksheet to assess their reading comprehension. Reading quickly is ineffective unless the reading is well-comprehended

​​

I noticed that my partner…

​

After 2nd reading           After 3rd reading    

___________                _____________   remembered more words

___________                _____________   read faster 

___________                _____________   read smoother

___________                _____________   read with expression

​

​

reader____________                             tester___________

​

Comprehension Questions: 

1. What day was the class getting ready for? (Pet Day)

2. Which animals were not allowed at Pet Day? (dogs and cats)

3. What did the animals have to be brought into the room in? (a cage)

4. What could the children who did not have a caged pet bring instead? (a picture of their pet)

5. Why was Junie disappointed? (She wanted to bring her dog to school)

​

​

​

​

​

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

Correct words per minute

 

References:

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy, Barbara Parks;  https://www.librarything.com/work/62159

Jordan Spivey, Getting Froggy with Fluency; https://jls0114.wixsite.com/mysite-1/growing-independency-fluency

Anna Mungenast, Swimming into fluent reading; https://annamungenast.wixsite.com/mysite/growing-independence-and-fluency