Page 37 - ABCTE Study Guide_Neat

fluent adult reader picks a book, poem, or passage that is appropriate for the student’s
age and reads it to the student. After modeling, the adult provides guidance while the
student reads the text repeatedly, until he or she is able to demonstrate rapid, natural-
sounding reading. This occurs during one mentor visit, making effective use of mentors
while allowing students to see and hear their own progress.

D. Reading with partners allows students to work with their peers to continue the
momentum of a teacher-modeled reading lesson. After demonstrating a fluid, fluent
reading of an age-appropriate text, split students into dyads (pairs) and give each
student a copy of the text.

For pairing purposes, it would be best to pair your less fluent readers with readers who
are more fluent. Ask the more fluent reader to read aloud to his or her partner first.
Then the less fluent reader reads with guidance from his or her partner until such
guidance is no longer necessary. Pair students of average fluency with other students of
average fluency. These students take turns reading to each other until they’re quite
fluent with the text.

E. Dramatic reading, or readers’ theater, is a fun, kinesthetic, and interactive way for
students to become fluent with a text. As with any script for performance, the narration
should be kept to a minimum. Student actors practice reading their lines until they’re
able to do so with great fluency. One effective incentive is to arrange a production of
the play for parents to attend.

During the performance, students act out their parts with scripts in hand. The narrator

provides stage direction as needed, according to instructions that are part of the script.
Actors follow along with the script and, when the time is right, read their lines with
great gusto and fluency.

Though acting out a play with scripts in hand may not sound very challenging, please
keep in mind that the objective is reading fluency. If the students happen to memorize
their lines, that’s OK. They’ll still be expected to read their lines with excellent fluency.

F. Independent reading of self-selected books provides students an opportunity to read
about topics they find interesting. Such books also contain vocabulary with which

students are already familiar, enhancing the odds that the student will be able to
comprehend much of what she or he reads. Greater comprehension prevents
frustration, which can damage a student’s self-identification as a reader and diminish
his or her motivation to continue reading.

Though teachers should concentrate on direct instruction and repeated reading aloud of
texts during precious class time, it is a good idea to encourage independent reading for
quiet times in the classroom, such as when other students are completing class work