Do I really sound like that?

Do you have students in your class who are reading accurately, but struggling to put words and phrases together smoothly, quickly, and with expression?  It's hard for students to hear themselves when they are working so hard on reading words correctly in front of a teacher or classmate.

Let them listen to themselves read!  Use an audio recording device or program to record students as they read a selection.  Then, let them listen to it.  The first few times they will be totally entertained by hearing their own voices.  They'll often say "That's not me!  Do I really sound like that?!"

Now that you've got them engaged, ask them to listen for certain things.  Use a fluency checklist (see below) and let them evaluate their reading.  After they have evaluated it (and they are usually painfully honest!), help them pick one aspect of fluency to work on.  Then let them record again.  Play it back to them and let them compare the two readings.  Depending on the age of your students, you may be able to teach them to do this independently or with a buddy.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

If you want to take it a step further, record a small group performing a Reader's Theater.  Some programs, like GarageBand, allow you to add sound effects!  Not only will students be listening to and evaluating their own reading, but they may learn a thing or two about using technology to become better readers!

You don't have to reinvent the wheel!

Teaching students in small groups adds a large chunk of planning to any teacher's plate.  Keep it simple!  Choose one or two areas to focus on with your students during each group meeting, or even for a whole week.  After all, you may only have that group for 10-20 minutes.  Not only will it help you focus your instruction, but your students will have a clear purpose for reading and becoming better readers.  Whether you meet with students by reading level, interest, or reading strategy, here is a great website with a plethora of instructional techniques to use with students.

Visit fcrr.org!  It's the website for the Florida Center for Reading Research.

Use the "Student Center Activities Search Tool" under the link "Instructional Materials for Teachers."  The search is broken down into 7 areas:
1.  Phonemic Awareness
2.  Phonics
3.  Fluency
4.  Vocabulary
5.  Comprehension
6.  DIBELS
7.  SSS (Florida's State Standards)

Some of my students' favorites are the fluency games!  You can print out directions to the game, as well as all the game materials.  Not only can you use this with students during small groups to build fluency, but they can do it independently!  Once they realize that they can read more smoothly and quickly, let them reread a page in a book a few times they are reading to see if they can read more smoothly and quickly.

There's no shame in "borrowing" ideas from a website or a respected colleague.  Try what works and modify it for your students' needs.