The Five Day Fluency Plan
The goal for all students is to be able to read and understand grade level text. The Five Day Fluency Plan is one strategy that can be used to achieve this goal. It is important to keep in mind that this strategy is not meant to be rigid. On the contrary, it needs to be continually adapted to meet the needs of your students. Here are a few ideas to consider:
• Include only the levels of support needed (e.g., You might be able to begin with choral reading or partner reading on day one).
• Integrate word study with the plan so students learn word-solving strategies, which can be used on all texts.
• Use the plan with a small group of students reading below grade level instead of the whole class (if most of the class can read the text without the supports).
The Five Day Fluency Plan needs to be a short-term intervention. We must implement it in a way that moves students to independence. After using the plan for a few weeks, try moving to less support. You might find you only need to use the plan for the first quarter. If students are not becoming more independent, you may need to do further analysis of the students word-solving strategies and provide more explicit instruction in this area.
Another way some buildings have adapted the Five Day Fluency Plan (especially in upper grades) is to use the plan with content area material (science, social studies). This is helpful when students are able to read narrative text, but struggle with expository text.
Directions Prior to Day One
Read the story several times, thinking about those places that students will need clarification and places you will want to ask a question to get students to think more deeply.
Locate multi-syllable words you want to use during your word knowledge block when teaching students how to take words apart.
Determine whether or not you will use the plan with the whole class or a small group of students. Also, determine whether you need to use all of the levels of support (read to, echo, choral and partner reading) or only some of the levels of support (e.g., only partner reading or only choral then partner reading).
Directions for Day One
During the mini lesson of the Reading Workshop, the teacher introduces the story with a variety of pre-teaching activities (e.g., vocabulary introduction, building background, etc.).
The teacher uses the Guided Comprehension model to read the grade-level text with the students. The teacher provides a model of fluent reading while students follow along in their own book. (This provides the students with the opportunity to see the words as they were pronounced.) The teacher stops periodically to engage the students in a meaningful conversation about the text.
The teacher determines the length of the passage to be practiced throughout the week. In grade 2, the passage might be short enough to have students practice reading the whole passage. However, in grade 5 the texts are often very lengthy. In this case, the teacher might choose a large portion of the text for students to practice. Keep in mind, in order for the plan to work students must be given extended amounts of time to practice reading texts (at least 20-40 minutes per day).
Note: If the most of the students in your class are reading at grade level, you might want to (1) partner the students, (2) ask a purpose-setting question, (3) have them partner read the section, and then (4) facilitate a discussion responding to the question you posed. You could continue this process working your way through the text.
Directions for Day Two
Note: In upper grades, you may need to continue the guided comprehension lesson on day two during the mini lesson in order to finish the selection.
During the Reading Workshop mini lesson, students reread all or a large portion of the text through the use of echo reading. The teacher reads at least a paragraph a text. The students then echo back the same portion of text. This encourages the child to pay attention to the words rather than simply memorizing the text. As the year progresses, the teacher may lengthen the amount of text to be echoed, such as a whole page or section. When students stumble over challenging words, the teacher stops and quickly teaches how to problem solve that word.
Note: You might find that some students need less support than others. In this case, you might vary the support by having some children (who are reading close to grade level) partner read while you echo read with a group of students needing more support. Keep in mind, the idea is to provide the amount of support your students need to be able to read the text independently by the end of the week.
The teacher continues to build comprehension of the text (e.g., stopping 2-3 times to think aloud, ask students to respond to a question, use a comprehension activity from Houghton Mifflin, use a graphic organizer together).
The teacher includes study of challenging words taken from the five-day fluency text within the word knowledge block. For example, students might need instruction on how to take larger words apart (e.g., a…part…ment) or how to use their knowledge of structural analysis to decode and understand words (e.g., pretest). Some students need extra practice with high frequency words or applying the knowledge of word patterns to reading.
Students needing extra practice take the text home to read with a family member or friend.
Directions for Day Three
During the Reading Workshop mini lesson, students reread the same portion of the text through the use of choral reading. The teacher monitors the students to ensure they are actively engaged in the reading of the text.
Note: Again, you might find that some students need less support than others. In this case, you might differentiate the support by having some children partner read or practice reading independently while you echo read with a small group of students needing more support. Keep in mind, the idea is to provide the amount of support your students need to be able to read the text independently by the end of the week.
The teacher continues to build comprehension of the text (e.g., stopping 2-3 times to think aloud, ask students to respond to a question, use a comprehension activity from Houghton Mifflin, use a graphic organizer together).
During the word knowledge block, the teacher continues to focus on study of challenging words and skills that will help children read the five-day fluency text successfully.
Students needing extra practice take the text home to read with a family member or friend.
Directions for Day Four
During the mini lesson or work time of the Reading Workshop, students reread the same text or portion of the text through the use of partner reading. Partner A reads a page. Then, partner B reads the next page. And so on. The teacher listens in on partners and provides support as needed. Partners can be selected by students or determined by the teacher. The first option might increase student motivation and engagement. The second option gives the child a more able reader to help if he gets stuck. You will need to make this decision based on your knowledge of your students.
Note: This is a critical component since it gives the student the opportunity to read half of the text independently. If time allows, have students read the text a second time, with Partner B reading the first page.
Directions for Day Five
During the work time of the Reading Workshop, students complete an extension activity, such as writing a response to the selection in their reader’s notebooks.
The teacher checks to see that all students are able to read the text. She might do this through the use of a one-minute fluency check or taking a running record on a portion of the text (at least 100 words). The teacher might already have a good idea as to those who are able to read the text. Check the students in question.
CELEBRATE! Think about a way to celebrate the students’ accomplishments. Perhaps there is someone in the building that could listen to the children read the text and brag o them. Maybe each child has an individual incentive chart (kept private) that records each week the child is able to read the grade level text with a reward for a certain number of stickers on the chart. Maybe the class has an extended recess or a class party when everyone in the class meets their goal. The sky's the limit. Be creative in finding some way to celebrate their accomplishments.
http://www.sps186.org/resources/languagearts/instruction/?p=7902
The goal for all students is to be able to read and understand grade level text. The Five Day Fluency Plan is one strategy that can be used to achieve this goal. It is important to keep in mind that this strategy is not meant to be rigid. On the contrary, it needs to be continually adapted to meet the needs of your students. Here are a few ideas to consider:
• Include only the levels of support needed (e.g., You might be able to begin with choral reading or partner reading on day one).
• Integrate word study with the plan so students learn word-solving strategies, which can be used on all texts.
• Use the plan with a small group of students reading below grade level instead of the whole class (if most of the class can read the text without the supports).
The Five Day Fluency Plan needs to be a short-term intervention. We must implement it in a way that moves students to independence. After using the plan for a few weeks, try moving to less support. You might find you only need to use the plan for the first quarter. If students are not becoming more independent, you may need to do further analysis of the students word-solving strategies and provide more explicit instruction in this area.
Another way some buildings have adapted the Five Day Fluency Plan (especially in upper grades) is to use the plan with content area material (science, social studies). This is helpful when students are able to read narrative text, but struggle with expository text.
Directions Prior to Day One
Read the story several times, thinking about those places that students will need clarification and places you will want to ask a question to get students to think more deeply.
Locate multi-syllable words you want to use during your word knowledge block when teaching students how to take words apart.
Determine whether or not you will use the plan with the whole class or a small group of students. Also, determine whether you need to use all of the levels of support (read to, echo, choral and partner reading) or only some of the levels of support (e.g., only partner reading or only choral then partner reading).
Directions for Day One
During the mini lesson of the Reading Workshop, the teacher introduces the story with a variety of pre-teaching activities (e.g., vocabulary introduction, building background, etc.).
The teacher uses the Guided Comprehension model to read the grade-level text with the students. The teacher provides a model of fluent reading while students follow along in their own book. (This provides the students with the opportunity to see the words as they were pronounced.) The teacher stops periodically to engage the students in a meaningful conversation about the text.
The teacher determines the length of the passage to be practiced throughout the week. In grade 2, the passage might be short enough to have students practice reading the whole passage. However, in grade 5 the texts are often very lengthy. In this case, the teacher might choose a large portion of the text for students to practice. Keep in mind, in order for the plan to work students must be given extended amounts of time to practice reading texts (at least 20-40 minutes per day).
Note: If the most of the students in your class are reading at grade level, you might want to (1) partner the students, (2) ask a purpose-setting question, (3) have them partner read the section, and then (4) facilitate a discussion responding to the question you posed. You could continue this process working your way through the text.
Directions for Day Two
Note: In upper grades, you may need to continue the guided comprehension lesson on day two during the mini lesson in order to finish the selection.
During the Reading Workshop mini lesson, students reread all or a large portion of the text through the use of echo reading. The teacher reads at least a paragraph a text. The students then echo back the same portion of text. This encourages the child to pay attention to the words rather than simply memorizing the text. As the year progresses, the teacher may lengthen the amount of text to be echoed, such as a whole page or section. When students stumble over challenging words, the teacher stops and quickly teaches how to problem solve that word.
Note: You might find that some students need less support than others. In this case, you might vary the support by having some children (who are reading close to grade level) partner read while you echo read with a group of students needing more support. Keep in mind, the idea is to provide the amount of support your students need to be able to read the text independently by the end of the week.
The teacher continues to build comprehension of the text (e.g., stopping 2-3 times to think aloud, ask students to respond to a question, use a comprehension activity from Houghton Mifflin, use a graphic organizer together).
The teacher includes study of challenging words taken from the five-day fluency text within the word knowledge block. For example, students might need instruction on how to take larger words apart (e.g., a…part…ment) or how to use their knowledge of structural analysis to decode and understand words (e.g., pretest). Some students need extra practice with high frequency words or applying the knowledge of word patterns to reading.
Students needing extra practice take the text home to read with a family member or friend.
Directions for Day Three
During the Reading Workshop mini lesson, students reread the same portion of the text through the use of choral reading. The teacher monitors the students to ensure they are actively engaged in the reading of the text.
Note: Again, you might find that some students need less support than others. In this case, you might differentiate the support by having some children partner read or practice reading independently while you echo read with a small group of students needing more support. Keep in mind, the idea is to provide the amount of support your students need to be able to read the text independently by the end of the week.
The teacher continues to build comprehension of the text (e.g., stopping 2-3 times to think aloud, ask students to respond to a question, use a comprehension activity from Houghton Mifflin, use a graphic organizer together).
During the word knowledge block, the teacher continues to focus on study of challenging words and skills that will help children read the five-day fluency text successfully.
Students needing extra practice take the text home to read with a family member or friend.
Directions for Day Four
During the mini lesson or work time of the Reading Workshop, students reread the same text or portion of the text through the use of partner reading. Partner A reads a page. Then, partner B reads the next page. And so on. The teacher listens in on partners and provides support as needed. Partners can be selected by students or determined by the teacher. The first option might increase student motivation and engagement. The second option gives the child a more able reader to help if he gets stuck. You will need to make this decision based on your knowledge of your students.
Note: This is a critical component since it gives the student the opportunity to read half of the text independently. If time allows, have students read the text a second time, with Partner B reading the first page.
Directions for Day Five
During the work time of the Reading Workshop, students complete an extension activity, such as writing a response to the selection in their reader’s notebooks.
The teacher checks to see that all students are able to read the text. She might do this through the use of a one-minute fluency check or taking a running record on a portion of the text (at least 100 words). The teacher might already have a good idea as to those who are able to read the text. Check the students in question.
CELEBRATE! Think about a way to celebrate the students’ accomplishments. Perhaps there is someone in the building that could listen to the children read the text and brag o them. Maybe each child has an individual incentive chart (kept private) that records each week the child is able to read the grade level text with a reward for a certain number of stickers on the chart. Maybe the class has an extended recess or a class party when everyone in the class meets their goal. The sky's the limit. Be creative in finding some way to celebrate their accomplishments.
http://www.sps186.org/resources/languagearts/instruction/?p=7902
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