RE 5100-375, Teaching Beginning Readers and Writers

Betsy Baldwin

Final

Dr. Schlagal

What is fluency in reading? Why is it important? Discuss some ways that fluency could be developed in achieving second graders or above?

What makes a reader fluent? In his article, S. Jay Samuels points to two components of fluency, reading speed and accuracy. We must then infer that the fluent reader is able to decode quickly and accurately. The ability to decode quickly and still maintain accuracy requires the reader to be well beyond the nonaccurate, beginning, stage of reading and even beyond the accurate or developing stage of reading. The fluent oral reader exhibits an ability to concentrate on meaning even as she interjects expression into her delivery. This automatic stage of reading, similar to achieving a level of proficiency in a sport or musical skill, allows the participant (reader) to move beyond merely focusing upon the specific skill (decoding) to other skills such as comprehension and expression much as the skilled pianist can concentrate on delivery rather than on the specific keys she must hit.

One method, expounded by both Samuels and Carol Chomsky, to improve students’ reading fluency is known as repeated readings. Repeated readings, practice in reading and rereading a certain passage, is much like basketball practice or piano practice. With repeated practice of a certain skill or technique, comes an acquired ease with that skill. Repeated readings focuses on improving a reader’s speed rather than accuracy; however, both Samuels and Chomsky found that repeated reading not only resulted in improved speed but it resulted in an improved ability to decode accurately even when that student was faced with a new more difficult passage.

In my work tutoring Rebekah, a struggling 3rd grader whose instructional level was 2nd grade, I employed a repeated readings approach. Rebekah and I discussed her incredible prowess on the playground monkey bars. She admitted that she wasn’t afraid to attempt difficult feats because she liked climbing and hanging and she’d been doing it for “years.” She’d had lots of practice! When I asked about reading, she readily admitted she didn’t like to read. It was hard so she didn’t want to practice it! I agreed to let her choose a book she liked that I thought she could read with ease (so that she would be engaged and working at her instructional level). She chose a Frog and Toad book which she’d read before and I let her practice reading before I timed her. Because she was comfortable with the text, she enjoyed seeing if she could improve her speed. As she improved and moved to other passages and eventually to other, harder, texts, Rebekah began to have more confidence in her own reading ability. Keeping a reading log which we eventually turned into a graph gave her some concrete feedback that seemed to keep her motivated even on those days when she was less interested. The amazing result was that in a few months, Rebekah made a half year’s growth in reading speed and accuracy!

Other reading tasks which I’ve found helpful and popular with struggling readers in 2nd through 4th grade are performance reading activities which are tasks that require repeated reading practice. Students are assigned a portion of text which they practice at school and at home and then “perform” (read) for their classmates. This performance reading can be with a partner, within a group or individually before a larger group or even on tape. Often the struggling reader seems to get the greatest pleasure from “performing” for his or her classmates (perhaps it’s the applause!). Another practice or repeated reading technique which Tim Rasinki supports involves practice with high frequency words. He suggests that students practice reading high frequency words in the context of short sentences or phrases in order to encourage fluency and counteract the idea that reading is simply decoding individual words. I think I’ll adopt this concept in my classroom next year by having a “phrase wall” rather than a “word wall.”

Discuss the role that imitation can play in helping children master elements of story-writing or storytelling. How can this be used in a classroom? Why is this an effective teaching strategy?

It is an accepted practice in the arts for a developing artist or musician to model after a beloved instructor, another artist, or one of the “masters.” In this same vein, young writers learn to write by imitating the writing of others. In order to develop an understanding of, and appreciation for, the intricacies of literary form and technique, the young writer must be exposed to excellent examples of writing. Through reading and listening to many varied styles of writing, the young writer comes to understand what writing must “sound like.” Much exposure from reading and hearing good literature enables a budding writer to improve his “ear” and his grasp of what writing should include.The more proficient the reader, the greater likelihood that he will imitate in his writing or speaking. Techniques of sentence structure, vocabulary choice, figurative language and presentation are often stored in the reader’s memory and used unconsciously in his storytelling.

Very young storytellers mimic or imitate when first attempting to tell a story. It is common and developmentally appropriate for a beginning writer to retell or summarize a familiar story and present it as his own creation. Later that student may adapt a familiar story by using the basic outline of a familiar tale but adding original details. Both forms of imitation, close and loose imitation, reflect appropriate and predictable stages in learning to write. Often the teacher may encourage such imitation by first reading a specific story to the class and then encouraging students to write an extension of the story or an addition to the story told in the same style. This encourages creativity but affords the struggling writer some security by allowing him to build on an existing structure.

One such example is patterned writing, a method of writing instruction which employs loose imitation. Stories or poems with distinct language patterns are introduced to the class. After reading and rereading the selection and identifying the patterns, students are encouraged to write a story or poem which mimics the original in its use of pattern. This instructive technique requires thoughtful planning and sufficient time for students to become comfortable with the language patterns discussed. Patterned writing provides clear direction and motivation for the young writer and usually results in great pride of authorship. One year my second graders read If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and then had fun creating other stories modeled after the language patterns in that book. Imitation even works for successful authors. Laura Joffe Numeroff imitated her own work in her book, If You Give A Moose A Muffin, sequel to If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Hopefully the budding writer eventually reaches a creative modeling stage. At this stage, the writer may employ an established literary model such as haiku, iambic pentameter or first person narrative but his ideas and his word choices are now original, his product unique.This stage is the ultimate goal for a writer, a “place” where the writer is confident enough to attempt original thought. Ron Cramer insists that “Imitation is a natural and beneficial type of learning behavior among writers.” He points to well respected writers whose literary styles were influenced by other writers. Cramer points to Hemingway’s being influenced by (imitating) the writings of Gertrude Stein and T. S. Eliot by Ezra Pound. Historically imitation has been an accepted practice for writers. There is no evidence that modeling diminishes creativity or encourages dependency. It appears that imitation actually encourages creative thought. Research has established that imitation plays a positive role in learning many behaviors. Certainly it allows for a “safe” or comfortable environment in which the young writer can begin to experiment with language and literary technique and build the confidence necessary to become secure in his attempts at original creative endeavors.