Teaching Fluency

AHA! Moment -Goal 4 of The Reading Strategies Book Wow :)  I realized that I do not give my sixth graders enough time to focus on their reading fluency. To me, comprehension has always been the most important component of reading and I thought focusing on the fluency might take away from that. Keep in mind, in my school district fluency is synonymous with timed passages- yuck!

Serravallo shares what reading fluency involves:

• phrasing
• intonation
• emphasis
• automaticity
• pace

Yikes! That's a lot to consider and thus deserves  a strong focus in our reading curriculum. One of my big takeaways are the strategies related to Phrasing.

So- phrasing! These are the phrases that appear often in reading and should be read without pausing
Phrasing can be done as a warm-up activity before reading a text.
Here are a few examples:
at the
two of us
it's about time
but not for me

I think one can take this concept and chart phrasings found in nonfiction text too. Here are some thoughts...
in like manner
the difference between
one may conclude
the best estimate
This will definitely support my ELL's and struggling readers to improve fluency and ultimately comprehension

How have you used phrasing?

Running Records, MSV OhMy...

Running Records! I feel like it's been so long since they were mentioned. I am actually pretty jazzed with myself for still using them to analyze my students needs... and I simply used a blank sheet of paper too.
In this chapter Serravallo discusses the three cuing systems that skilled readers use in order to make meaning of what they are reading - M=Meaning, S=Structure, and V=Visual. At first, I thought I remember using these strategies when I taught first and second grade. Then Serravallo tweeted this eye-opening article: Click on the birdy :)

The article discusses the need to rethink how we teach sight words in the U.S. The author, Nell K. Duke,  has good tips and sound reasoning on why there is a need for change. This article hit home, because I had a handful of students that struggled to read in 6th grade and I often felt unsure of what to do to help them. One point that made total sense is that teachers have often taught these amazing strategies too early in a child's development for them to really understand how to use these strategies on their own. Duke shares that strategies should be taught later at a later age when students have had a more solid foundation.

What are your thoughts... any strategies you use that you have found useful in teaching sight words?

Wowza! I'm Back with PD!

I gotta to say that one of the biggest reasons I love summer vacation is because I get to catch up to some much needed professional development reading. I know "nerd!" After 20+ years of teaching it keeps me excited about the profession, the kiddos, and all the other not so fun stuff teachers deal with.
I was hesitant to take on this little (big) number because it seemed soooo very long with 378 pages. I love to read, but I love to lounge around and do nothing during the summer too :)

I'm diggin' how it fits so nicely with Daily 5/Daily 3/CAFE. This book is filled with relevant strategies teachers can use when working with whole group and/or small group! 

The Goal 2 chapter is filled with strategies to keep students engaged and focused during independent reading. I don't know about you but, this is an area I need to work on. I have my handy dandy notes/jots of AHA moments! I am so freakin' excited!

What is your PD reading for the summer?