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The Boss of Fluency

Aaron Bush

Growing Independence and Fluency Design

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Rationale:

In order to be successful readers, we must be able to read automatically with no hesitation. Fluency is very important in gaining better comprehension, expression, and speed of one’s reading. Students are able to reflect on what they have read instead of having to decode every word which causes them to lose their understanding of the story. Students become expert readers by reading, decoding, crosschecking, mental marking, and rereading to build confidence and fluency.

 

Materials:

  1. Class set of Junie B. Jones Boss of Lunch

  2. Pencils

  3. Stopwatch or timer (1 per 2 students)

  4. Cover-up critter

  5. Sentences for teacher to sample

  6. Assessment Questions

  7. Teacher fluency check

  8. Partner reading checklist

  9. Reading rate forms for teacher

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Procedures:

  1. Say: Begin the lesson with, “Good morning class! Today we are going to learn how to read fluently. What does it mean to be a fluent reader? Does anyone have any words that come to mind when I say fluent reader? Wait for student responses. Being a fluent reader is when you start to really enjoy reading and read words effortlessly and accurately. You won’t have to stop at every word and comprehension will become easier. Fluent readers are those who read very smooth. We are going to practice our smooth reading today!”    

   

  1. Say: “What are some different skills you can use for when you come across a word? Wait for responses. Yes, I can use a cover up critter! Now let’s look at the sentence on the board: “I am going to the store today to shop.” Let’s see if I sound like a fluent reading while I read this sentence. I am g-o-o,/i/-/i/-/i/, n-g-g, going to the s-s-t-o-o-o-r-e to-day to sh-h-o-p-p, shop. How did that sound? Wait for response. Right, not very good. Did it flow? Did I say it with expression? Wait for response. No, you’re right, I didn’t sound good. I am going to try again. I am going to the store today to shop. How did that sound? Yes, it was smooth and not choppy. I just showed you how fluent readers read sentences.

 

 

  1. Say: “Now we are going to practice our fluency with the book Junie B. Jones Boss of Lunch.” Book talk: Something very wonderful is happening to Junie B. She’s getting to be a professional lunch lady! And that means hanging out with Mrs. Gutzman in the cafeteria. And standing behind the counter. And even wearing a real actual hair net! Who knows? Pretty soon she could be the boss of the whole entire lunch operation! Let’s finish reading to find out what happens!

 

  1. Say: “I want you to read two pages by yourself using your cover-up critter if needed then you will read aloud with a partner.”    

                                                                           

  1. Say: “I will assign partners for you and then you will each read a chapter aloud to each other. You will just to listen to each other and not help one another.

                                                                                                                                                     

  1. Give students stopwatches and recording sheets. Say: “We are about play a game on reading fluency. Here’s how to play. Reader 1 is going to start and Reader 2 is going to use the stopwatch to time Reader 1. Reader 1 is going to read the first two pages and Reader 2 is going to time them and then will write the time on the sheet I have given you. Once the information has been written down, Reader 1 and Reader 2 will switch. Do this three times so each person reads three times. During the second and third time reading the listener has a few things to listen for: Does your partner remember the words? Is your partner able to read the passage smoother than the time before? Is your partner using more expression? Record answers on the paper.”          

 

Assessment:  Observe students’ reading and recording while they are working and have students come up one by one and read a paragraph from their reading. Then I will time their reading and use the formula to calculate how many words they read per minute. Give students comprehension assessment and check them when they are finished.

 

Formula: Words x 60 seconds/ seconds read

 

Comprehension Assessment:

  1. What food did Junie B. not like the smell of?

  2. Who is angry at Junie B?

  3. What does Junie B. pass out to the class?

 

 

Peer Fluency Checklist

Name of Reader: ______________________

Date: ___________________

1st Time: _______________

2nd Time: ______________

3rd Time: ______________

After which read: 2nd or 3rd

Remembered more words: ___________

Read faster: ______________

Read smoother: _______________

Read with expression: ___________

 

Fluency Check (Teacher)

Name of Reader: __________________________

Time: _________________

Words x 60/ time in seconds: _______________ WPM

 

References:

Park, Barbara., and Denise Brunkus. Junie B. Jones Boss of Lunch. Random House, 2001.

 

Sarah Johnson, Skipping into Fluency with Junie B. Jones

http://skj0006.wixsite.com/mysite/growing-independence-and-fluency-de

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