Got Fluent Readers?

Do your students struggle with fluency?

This seems like a big battle every year.  You have a few students who really suffer with being fluent readers.  You tell them to practice reading like they talk, but still every time they read they... sound...like...a...robot.  You read to them so they can hear great fluency, but still no progress.

This year I have done tons of oral writing to help my kiddos with their fluency.  

The biggest connection I have found is if a child talks slowly, they are probably going to be a slow reader.  

We use Whole Brain Teaching in my classroom, so using Teach! Ok! is perfect for helping my students with their fluency.

Another way I am helping my students with their fluency is by using Reader's Theaters.  

Have you heard of these?

They are WONDERFUL for helping with fluency.

This past week my students got their first taste of Reader's Theaters.  I explained it to them as if they were going to be actors or actresses performing in a show.  They thought that was so cool.  I explained and showed them how to highlight their parts.  This was confusing for some of them.   They wanted to say the name and what they said.  I had to clarify for them that the name was who's part is was.  In a show you watch you don't hear the actor say Bob: I am going to the store.  You just hear Bob say, "I am going to the store."  This seems to help them visualize it better.  Next I put them in their groups for their story.

I gave the students about 10 minutes to read through the story.  

I walked around and listened and offered advice.  I found that I had to remind the students to pay attention while everyone was reading.  They needed to be ready to go when it was their turn. 

I think this Reader's Theater needed up being a challenge because a lot of the words were difficult.  Plus, for their first one the groups were too big.

The next day we started our next Reader's Theater.  This story only had three parts. 

We started out again highlighting our parts and then I placed them in groups.  The students really seemed to get this part better so we were off to a great start.

Once the groups were made and placed around the room I gave them some time to practice.  This time watching the kiddos, I could tell that they were understanding what to do and having a much better time with it.

Once time was up for practicing, I had each group perform their story.  Wow!!!  What a difference a day made.  I could tell how beneficial using Reader's Theaters in my class were going to be.  

The students seemed to really enjoy reading the story the second day.  They were reading with expression and most of them sounded great!

I would like to use more Reader's Theaters in my classroom.  I am going to make a goal of every other week if not every single week. I think it would make a great Friday activity that will help the students and motivate to become flueut readers.

I plan on taping my groups the next time we do one of these kinds of stories.  I think I will tape them throughout the year because it will be a great way to show parents how their child's fluency has improved throughout the year. 

We also learned about Veteran's Day this week.  We wanted to THANK all the Veterans!

I hope you have a great week!!

Have a Wolfelicious day!

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