Continuing with Fluency and Prosody

After the first prosody activity my students were provided with a script to take home and read. I found "The Fox and the Goat" from kidsinc.com. 

(If necessary read through the script once together.)

To begin the lesson discuss the script: who were the characters, what happened in the story, was there a lesson/moral, what did they like/not like, etc...

Next, go through the script and have students point out different clues they see that help add voice. Use the "Clues for Improving Fluency" worksheet to help. 

Assign roles and read the script together. Tell students to "act" and read the script as if they were the character.

Now comes the fun part...ask the students to think of emotion words or characters such as sad, happy, pirate, and mouse. Students will write them down on provided strips of paper, fold them in half, and put them in a pile. Everyone will choose a piece of paper from the pile, be assigned a character, and read the script using the chosen role. For example if they choose "sad" and are assigned the Narrator, they will read each Narrator's line as if they are sad. This can also be turned into a game where the student's role is kept secret and everyone has to guess what their paper said after reading the script. 

   

Working on Prosody

In order to work on prosody and fluency I created a worksheet with clues to use to add intonation and voice while reading. 

To begin my students alternated reading through the sentences without any instruction given. 

Once they had completed this we discussed how the sentences should be read. Once they decided this they told me what clues they used to help them choose how to read each sentence. Each student practiced reading the sentences again with appropriate intonation. 

Students were provided with this worksheet and added anything else that helped them while reading.

Lastly, students were asked to write some of their own sentences with voice and have their partner read it. Students were instructed to use the clues discussed (including ones they added).

Reading for Understanding

This was the original lesson plan I created to help the students I was tutoring to remember what they were reading. One student was reading too fast and forgetting details while the other was getting stuck on words and struggling to connect everything. I thought this was a good activity to help both students. I ended up using two Shel Silverstein poems instead of stories, and it worked out really well! The students loved the activity and started using the skills we discussed! 

Activity 1 – Both students will be given the same story. They will be instructed to read the story as fast as they can. Once they have finished reading they will tell me and I will give them an envelope. Inside the envelope there will be story strips with main ideas of the story. I will instruct them to put the story in order without looking back at the passage. After both students have completed the task we will read what order they had their story strips in and discuss what they think the correct order is. This is meant to be a little difficult because I want them to see that they have to read and understand what is going on in the story.

Following this activity we will discuss what they think they need to work on and strategies for remembering. Some ideas I will give them are:

•         “Questions to Think About as You Read” *
•         Make sure you understand BEFORE you move on.
•         Using your finger as a pointer or highlighter as you read.
•         Using a paper to guide you line by line.

Activity 2 – Using the new skills just learned students will be given a new passage and have as much time as they need to read. After they finish reading they will be given another envelope and instructed to put the story strips in order. Upon completion of this task look at and compare the order of their story strips. Ask the students if they thought it was easier or harder this time to put the story in order. Discuss what hopefully made it easier (Was it an easier story? What new skill did you use? Did you remember more this time?).

Activity 3 – Each student will be given a copy of the handout “Questions to Think About as You Read”. As a group we will look over the three sections of the handout and read the questions that are under each category. I will also give the boys the opportunity to add any other questions they think fit. On the back we can write different skills that help us read (using the two learned and any others they think of – maybe underlining unknown words and moving on).

*See blog post "Tools to Help Struggling Readers" for this worksheet

Teaching in South Korea

A video I made for my technology class about my time in South Korea. : )

Tools to Help Struggling Readers

This is a worksheet (front and back) I created to help two students I am tutoring in reading. I searched online for questions, skills, strategies, and tips for them to use. When my search turned up dry I decided to create something of my own. The questions are all open ended hopefully provoking higher order thinking. The skills and strategies to use were things I thought of while observing them reading. I left spaces at the end for discussion and anything they could think of to add. I am also giving them reading logs and asking them to note in one section one question or skill they used while they read. I am hoping that this encourages future use of these skills and higher order thinking strategies. 

* Questions to Think About as You Read *

Before you read:

What is the title?

What does the title tell me about the book?

What type of book is it?

What do the pictures tell me about the book?

Who are the main characters of the book?

What do I already know about the book?

What happened last time I read?

What do I want to learn?

What do I think will happen?

While you read:

What just happened?

Do I understand what is happening?

What am I feeling right now?

What are the characters feeling right now?

What is the problem in the story?

Make connections: What does the story make me think of?

What is going to happen next?

After you read:

Were there any words I did not know?

Was there anything that was not clear?

What did I find out about the characters?

What happened?

What pictures did the story bring up in my mind?

What is going to happen next?

* Skills/Strategies to Use *

• Always ask questions!
• Use your finger as a pointer while you read
• Use paper to guide you line by line
• Underline unknown words (but keep going)
• Don’t rush / read carefully
• Re-read
• Make sure you understand the “big picture” before you move on (it is okay if you do not know a few words, but if you do not know what is happening in the story try asking questions and/or re-reading)
• Talk about what you are reading with a friend, family member, or teacher!
• Use cues and clues (pictures, familiar words, background knowledge, etc…)
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