The Missing Link Decoding True Reading Comprehension and between

Some Basics to Remember…

Wide Reading The most important thing we can do to improve children’s reading achievement is to have them read as much connected text at their instructional level as possible. The most important thing we can do to improve children’s reading achievement is to have them read as much connected text at their instructional level as possible. It is important that children read challenging (but not too challenging) material. It is important that children read challenging (but not too challenging) material.

The National Reading Panel z Analysis could not find support that having children read texts that they have chosen affects their reading achievement

We must know the students’ reading levels

How do I find my students’ reading levels? Plan time and needed assistance to screen each student for fluency and to obtain baseline data Identify students who need fluency building Prepare and administer a fluency screening (see attached handout “Survey Level Assessment”)

Reading Fluency Fluency

Fluency is more than automatic word recognition z Children also need to be able to read with prosody and expression.

Research on Fluency tells us that… “Slow effortful reading is a labor-intensive process that only fitfully results in understanding” (National Reading Panel, 2000)  There is a strong relation between reading fluency and reading comprehension.

Correlates with reading comprehension Improving fluency improves reading comprehension Reading Fluency

Mixed results  Sustaining reading  Repeated reading  Assisted reading Sustained Sustained Guided Guided Modeled Modeled Stronger results Assisted  Error corrections  Instruction  More reading

Sustained & Repeated Reading Sustained reading (new text) Repeated reading (same text) 2 –7 times Read to several people

Repeated Reading with a Model Teacher model (a) Entire passage then paragraph by paragraph (b) Beginning of passage (student finishes passage) (c) Simultaneously (echo reading) Taped Model Older student, better- reading peer Point to words as models

Listen and read to self Point with finger as listen & read to self Cued for when to turn page Level of difficulty Pace of narration Accountability to read fluently fluently Taped Model

Assisted Repeated Reading with Additional Features Reread to a criterion and graph results Follow a strategy and self-evaluate Reread to multiple audiences Comprehension activities Error corrections Pre teach unfamiliar words, vocabulary, and/or comprehension Features of effective instruction

Repeated Reading  Tutorial approach  Pick a 100 word passage, slightly difficult  Have child read passage, time reading and record errors  Review time and errors, Graph  Repeat until child can read 100 words per minute with 0 or 1 miscue.

Repeated Reading z Classical approach z Have children read a passage of 100 words. z Time their reading and note miscues z Graph their time and errors z Have them re-read the passage until they read with 0 or 1 error at 100 words per minute.

Paired Repeated Reading z Children read in pairs z One child reads the text three times z The other child reviews errors and rates the reader on fluency on the third reading. z The children reverse roles with next section. z Koskinen, P. S., & Blum, I. H. (1986). Paired repeated reading: A classroom strategy for developing fluent reading. The Reading Teacher, 40,

Results  Repeated reading does not seem to produce higher results than a control  Effects could be due to increased amount of reading  Assisted reading seems to be effective  Modeling?

Questions?  Are the effects due to increased amount of reading or something in the treatment?  How difficult should the material be?  What is the role of prosody?

Maintaining Rates with Increasingly Challenging Levels/Reading Materials

Paired Readers Read Chorally

Assisted Reading Teacher and student read passage together, repeatedly, until desired level of fluency is achieved.

Assisted Reading  Teacher and children read passage together.  Teacher and children re-read until adequate level of fluency is attained.

Curious George” Technique z Use Series books like “Curious George”, “Harry the Dirty Dog,” “The Poppletons”, etc. z Read entire book and discuss. z Teacher and children read first third of the book using assisted reading. z Children choose five words to learn from the book.

Curious George” Technique  Children practice their words at home.  Teacher and children make a summary of the story, using pictures from the book.  Children practice the summary.  Class proceeds through the book.  See Richek & McTeague

Buddy Reading z An older child reads with a younger child regularly y Two years apart seems best z Older struggling readers practice easy books y Motivational y Provides practice at an appropriate level z Should be school-wide

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Taped Reading z Child reads along with tapes, until child can read at desired level of fluency. z Only works if children are responsible for reading passage fluently. z If children are not responsible, this can be a waste of time.

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Taped Assisted Reading Purpose: To give students a sense of the proper phrasing and speed of fluent reading Purpose: To give students a sense of the proper phrasing and speed of fluent reading. The student … Listens to text read at wpm by a fluent reader and follows along by pointing to the text Reads aloud in sync with the tape sub vocalizing the words Reads same text independently following repeated reading procedures

Before using partner reading for Repeated Reading do the following: Pair reading partners Select appropriate reading materials Assemble materials Implement the program

Rank order students according to results of survey level assessment Split list in half to form pairs Pair top-ranked reader of the higher- performing half with top-ranked reader of the lower-performing half; do the same for the two students who are second on each list and so on until all student are paired.

Identify materials appropriate for the lower reader’s instructional reading level (no more than 1 error in 10 words. Have both partners read the same passage from the same material. Have enough materials selected for two new passages from the same material.

oTiming device oPartner pairings oPartner roles (on poster)  Partner  reading materials  folder What Teachers Need What Students Need

The less fluent reader reads aloud the SAME text for the same length of time. After both partners have read, one partner asks the other to:  Identify the sequence of key ideas; and  Tell the main idea. The stronger reader reads aloud for several minutes; this models fluent reading.

Procedures Teacher monitoring Interpreting fluency data Graphing progress

Student Self-Monitoring As part of repeated reading program, the student may record the wcpm of the first “cold” reading on a graph. On each subsequent reading these student records the increase in fluency.

For younger and lower-performing readers needing fluency building:  Teacher should monitor progress frequently  Every 6-9 weeks should read in end-of-year-goal level materials The results can be used to guide instruction and for reporting purposes.

Fluency is important because: It frees students to understand what they read. Reading fluency can be developed: By engaging students in repeated reading activities. Monitoring student progress is reading fluency Can be useful to students. Is useful in setting instructional goals.