Growing Independence and Fluency (GF) Design

Growing Independence and Fluency Design (GF)
By: AC Palmer

Materials:

1. Timer/stopwatch for each pair.

2. Sample sentences on white board for teacher to model.

3. Pencil for all students.

4. Peer fluency sheet (one for each student).

5. Reading rate forms for teacher.

6. Teacher Fluency Checklist (one for each student) with attached comprehension questions.

7. A class copy of “If You Give a Pig a Pancake” by: Laura Numeroff.

Procedures:

1. Teacher: “We are going to achieve one of our goals in becoming a fluent reader in class today. Is anyone aware of what a fluent reader is? (Calls on a student to answer.) A fluent reader is someone who is able to read swiftly and seamlessly because they recognize the words. If we can distinguish the word, then we can understand more fully what we are reading because we promptly know each word’s meaning. It makes reading way more fun!!”

2. Teacher: “Now let’s look at a sentence on the board: The pancakes were hot. Everyone please turn your listening ears on. I want you all to let me know if I sound like a fluent reader when I read this sentence out loud to you. The ppp-aaaa-nn-ccc-aaa-kk-ees, oh yes pancakes. The pancakes were hit. Oh, that doesn’t make sense. It must be hot. The pancakes were hot.  Did you notice I was struggling with the last word in that sentence? To figure out what the word was, I reread the sentence from the beginning and tested what I thought the word hot said, hit. That did not make sense, did it? To fix myself, I reread the sentence to figure out which word made the most sense. This strategy of rereading is called crosschecking, and it is very important to use when we are growing into being fluent readers! Since I figured out these hard words while reading it helped me become a more fluent reader. Here's how a fluent reader would have read that sentence: The pancakes were hot. I read the sentence easily which means it was easier to understand. Now, turn to your partner and practice reading the second sentence on the board. The pig loves the pancakes. Read the sentence out loud to one another until you both have read the sentence fluently.”

3. Teacher: “Now class let us think back to when I read the first sentence when I got stuck on the word hot. In order to figure out what the word was, I had to reread the sentence from the start and attempted to figure out what the word hot said; I pronounced it just to say hit. The sentence was puzzling, so I reread the sentence to figure out what this word should say to make the sentence correct. This is called crosschecking, and it is very important to use when we are learning to become fluent readers!”

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Now pass out the book to each preassigned pair.

Teacher: “We are going to practice being fluent readers by reading “If You Give a Pig a Pancake.” A sweet little pig comes up to a little girl’s window and wants a pancake. Once she gets a pancake, the pig will want more things. What are these things the pig wants; you will have to finish the story to find out?!

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1. Students will read the whole book silently to themselves. Then they will read the book to their partner without helping them or getting frustrated.

2. Pass out the recording sheets and stopwatches to each group.

Teacher: “We are going to play a very fun game to see your fluency. Turn those listening ears back on to know how to play. Reader 1 is going to start the game off and Reader 2 will be in control of the timer. Reader 2 is going to time how fast Reader 1 reads the first two pages. Reader 2 will then record Reader 1’s time on the sheet that I handed out. You and your partner will switch places after Reader 1 completes the two pages. You will be both parts these three times. As you listen to your partner read aloud the pages, listen to how their reading changes each time. Do they remember more words, do they read with more expression, meaning more facial movement and change in their voice? Please mark these changes you notice on your paper.”

1. When they finish their partner work, have students come up to your desk one at a time and read the first two paragraphs to you. They will bring their record sheet; you will attach it to the back of the assessment sheet. As they read you will time them on the paragraph read aloud and using the formula given to record how many words read per minute.

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Reading Comprehension Worksheet:

1. What did the pig want with her pancakes?

2. Name what kind of bath the pig wanted to take?

3. What did she want pictures of?

4. What did ​the pig want in the end?

Fluency Checklist:

Title of Book: __________________________________

Student’s Name: ____________   Date___________

Partner's Name: ______________________________

After 2nd Reading       After 3rd Reading

_________                    _________                   Remembered more words

_________                    _________                   Read faster

_________                    _________                   Read smoother

_________                    _________                   Read with expression

           
(Words x 60)/seconds= WPM

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

Correct Words Per Minute

Book: Numeroff, Laura Joffe. If You Give a Pig a Pancake. New York: Laura Geringer Book/HarperCollins, 1998.

Hop Into Fluency: https://oreillyvm.wixsite.com/lessondesignsoreilly/gf-desgin 

Insights – Bruce Murray, College of Education

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