Goals
1. To understand what fluency is and how it impacts reading.
2. To understand the rationale and research behind reading fluency and the Six Minute Solution program.
3. To understand and be able to use Six Minute Solution Program.
Agenda• What is Fluency?• Research and Rationale• Assessments • Selecting fluency partners and instructional groups • Introducing the fluency concept • Establishing partner behavior • Training students in the partnership model • Managing materials • Student progress and record keeping • Comprehension and writing strategies • Conclusion: more than six minutes a day
Reading: 5 Big Ideas Elementary
1. Alphabetic Principle2. Phonemic Awareness3. Vocabulary4. Fluency5. Comprehension
Reading: 5 Big Ideas Secondary
1. Word Study2. Vocabulary3. Fluency4. Comprehension5. Motivation
Automaticity is…
• Performance of a skill without conscious thought
• Necessary for proficiency
• Improved through practice, perfect practice
Automaticity in Reading
• Frees up cognitive space for comprehension and critical thinking
• Leads to enjoyable reading
Fluency• Fluency provides a bridge between word
recognition and comprehension (National Institute for Literacy 2001)
• Proficient readers are so automatic with each component skill (phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary) that they focus their attention on constructing meaning from the print (Kahn and Stahl 2000)
Dysfluent Readers
1. Students who struggle with underlying skill deficits, such as decoding and word recognition.
2. Students who have adequate skills, but are slow at word and text reading.
Strategies for Fluency• Phrase-cued Reading
• Alternate Oral Reading
• Simultaneous Oral Reading
• Reader’s Theatre
• Choral Reading
• Round Robin Reading
• Repeated Readings
Rereading to Build Fluency
• “Practice Makes Perfect”• Repeated Reading Research (Levy, Nichools,& Kroshen, 1993; Meyer &
Felton, 1999; Samuels, 1979)
• Six Minute Solution is based on repeated reading research
• Research also supports students’ reading skills improve when they work with peers in structured reading activities
Decoding and Fluency
• In order to read fluently the reader must be able to decode the vast majority of words automatically with approximately 95% accuracy
• While fluency helps improve decoding it is not sufficient to remediate an underlying decoding problem
Independent Reading & Fluency
• Students that are fluent generally find reading to be pleasurable and therefore read more
• Reading more increases reading related skills, vocabulary, background knowledge, decoding, and fluency skills
• The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the “Matthew Effect”
In 10 minutes of independent reading… A fluent reader might
read 2,000 words A struggling reader might
read only 500 words
Equal practice time, unequal practice
Work Completion & Fluency
• Think of the amount of reading assigned in upper elementary, middle school, and high school
• Both students are assigned the same amount of reading
• The student who reads 180 wpm will complete their work in two hours while a student who reads 60 wpm will need six hours to complete the same text
Reading Achievement and Fluency Practice
• We have the tools and knowledge to change the statistics! (44% of fourth graders were not fluent according to NAEP scores)
• Fluency can be taught.• “Guided, repeated, oral reading procedures
are appropriate and valuable avenues for increasing reading fluency and overall reading achievement.” (National Reading Panel 2000)
• I do it, we do it, ya’ll do it, you do it.
So how are we supposed to help these kids?
“Never, never think outside the Box !”
Six Minute Solution Overview Time Materials Procedures
1 minute TimerFolder containing two copies of the same passage, two copies of the fluency graph, on dry erase marker and cloth
Get ReadyTeacher announces that fluency timing will begin
1 minute Partner 1 Reads
1 minute Partner 2 Gives Feedback
1 minute Partner 2 Reads
1 minute Partner 1 Gives Feedback
1 minute Students put away materials
Six Minute Solution Books
Grades Interventions Passage Reading Levels
Primary K-2 1-3 1-3
Intermediate 3-6 3-8 1-6
Secondary 6-9 6-12 4-9
Primary: Step 1 - Assessments
Assessment is critical in determining students’: 1. Knowledge of phonetic elements (6 Phonetic
Elements Assessments: letter/sounds, CVC short, blends and digraphs, vowel combinations, CVC with distractors, “r” controlled vowels )
2. Level of sight-word acquisition (Automatic Words Assessment)
3. Oral reading rate on a grade-level passage (Passage Assessments, AIMSweb or DIBELS fluency scores)
4. Instructional reading level (San Diego Quick)
Assessment: Phonetic ElementsWhat do you need
• Approximately 2 - 5 min./student• Copies of a Student Copy of selected subtest
Select the appropriate list based on your best estimate of student knowledge. Ex. A kindergarten teacher might select the Letters and Sounds subtest at beginning of school year; a first grade teacher may select the CVC Short Vowel Patterns subtest at the same point in the year
• Teacher Record Sheet for each student being assessed
• Highlighter or marking pen for the teacher
Procedure:1. Give the student a Student Copy of selected subtest2. Instruct the student to say the letter name, the letter sound, or
the word depending on the subtest being administered3. Follow along, track the correct responses as well as the errors
allowing only three seconds per subtest item before marking it incorrect. You are assessing for automatic knowledge of phonemic elements, which is the goal of this program.
4. Continue administering the subtests until the student’s accuracy rate drops below 90%
5. Record their student’s individual instructional-level list number on the Class Record Sheet.
Phonetic Elements Assessments in Primary book p. 68-86
Primary Assessment: Phonetic Elements Assessment
Assessment: Automatic Words What do you need
• Approximately 2.5 min./student• Two copies of a Student Copy of selected word
list (select the appropriate list based on your best estimate of student knowledge)
• Teacher Record Sheet for each student being assessed
• Highlighter or marking pen for the teacher
Procedure:1. Give the student a Student Copy of word list2. Instruct the student to read the words quickly and carefully3. Follow along, drawing a line through any word the student does
not read correctly within three seconds, and record errors at the bottom of the word list(s).
4. When a student misses one word on any list, stop. This is the list number that the student should begin practicing.
5. Record their student’s individual instructional-level list number on the Class Record Sheet. This sheet will help form instructional groups.
Handout p. 40Automatic Assessment sheets in Primary book p. 87-95
Primary Assessment: Automatic Words by Ten
Primary/Intermediate/Secondary Assessments Step 1: Fluency and Instructional Reading Level
Assessment is critical in determining fluencypartnerships and appropriate reading levels1. Give each student a one minute timing on a grade
level passage to determine oral fluency rate2. Give each student a test to determine instructional
reading level (91-96% accuracy)- San Diego Quick, silent reading test or a passage placement accuracy test
Oral Fluency Assessment sheets in Intermediate book p. 59-64 and Secondary book p. 58-63 San Diego Quick Assessment sheets in Intermediate book p. 66-68 and Secondary book p. 65-67
Assessment 1: Fluency What do you need
• Approximately 2.5 min./student• Two copies of a grade-level fluency
assessment passage • Data sheet for the teacher to record correct
wpm (oral fluency rate)• Timer, clipboard, marking pen
Guidelines for Counting WCPM
Errors• Mispronunciations and dropped
endings• Omissions• Out of sequence (count as two
errors)• Words supplied by teachers• Substitutions with synonyms• Repeated errors are counted each
time
Not Errors• Mispronunciations or dropped
endings due to dialect or speech problems
• Repetitions• Insertions• Self-corrections
Count a word read correctly as correct. Don't say the correct word after the student has said an incorrect
word. Wait three seconds before supplying a word to a student who is
stuck.
Curriculum-Based Norms in Oral Reading Fluency
*WCPM = Words Correct Per Minute
Hasbrouck, J., & Tindal, G. A. (2006, April). Oral Reading Fluency Norms: A Valuable Assessment Tool for Reading Teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59(7), 636–644.
Conducting a One-Minute TimingHandout p. 16 passageHandout p. 20 Hasbrouck & Tindal Chart Handout p. 19 Initial Assessment Record
Assessment 2: Instructional Reading Level
What do you need
•Approximately 2.5 min./student•Materials to determine instructional reading level (passage placement accuracy test, word recognition test (San Diego Quick, group silent reading test)
•Data sheet for the teacher to record instructional reading level
Passage Placement Accuracy Test: What do you need
Determining Reading Levels Chart(Using a 100-word passage)
Passage Errors Allowed Passage Reading Level Comprehension Level
3 or fewer errors Independent (97% - 100%) Good to Excellent
4 - 9 errors Instructional (91% - 96%) Good to Satisfactory
10 or more errors Frustration (90% & below) Satisfactory/Fair/Poor
Conduct an Instructional Reading Level TestSan Diego Quick AssessmentHandout p. 11-13 San Diego Quick AssessmentHandout p. 19 Initial Assessment Record
Step 2 - Selecting Fluency Partners
• Partnering appropriately is essential to the success of the program
• Match students as closely as possible by both oral fluency rates and instructional reading levels
Selecting Fluency Partners
Materials:Fluency data for each studentA student ranking sheet or computer spreadsheet program that generates ranking order
Handout p. 19 Initial Assessment Record
Selecting Fluency Partners
• Fluency rates should be within 10-15 words of each other – within 10 words at the primary level
• Rank by fluency and by instructional reading level
• 1 and 2, 3 and 4 would be partners, and so on
Initial Assessment RecordTeacher__Mrs. Newman_______________Class_____Reading Strategies__ Date March 2013_____Student Name Assessment
1-Oral Reading Rate (CWPM)Assessment2- Instructional Reading Level
Jeremy 67 4th
Jon 68 4th
Lisa 75 4th
Kendra 78 4th
Stacie 80 4th
Joe 86 4th
Sean 86 4th
Erin 90 4th
Kara 91 5th
Craig 92 5th
Scott 99 5th
Sue 100 5th
Selecting Instructional Grouping
• Entire classrooms• Small groups• Individual fluency programs• Parent-student partnerships• Cross-age partnerships
Troubleshooting Partners
• Absenteeism• Odd number of students• One child who is far below all the others in
reading ability• Students who read less than 40 cwpm most
likely need to increase sight vocabulary – automatic word lists (handout p. 38)
• Noise Level
Step 3 - Introducing the Fluency Concept
Set aside 30 minutes for lesson1. Introduce the concept of fluency using activity
procedure or scripted procedure (in book).2. Select the Practice Passage for demonstration.
Explain the practice passage and model reading fluency procedure.
Rationale reduces resistance!
Introducing the Fluency Concept
What is Reading Fluency?The ability to read text:
• Accurately• Quickly• With expression
Introducing the Fluency Concept
It is directly related to:• Reading comprehension
• Independent reading
• Work comprehension
Modeling the fluency procedure
• Select practice passage for demonstration (match to lowest level of readability in the class)
• Explain one minute timing• Demonstrate whisper reading and tracking
with finger or pen, underline unknown words• Figure CWPM• Graph scores
Explicitly model
Introducing the Fluency ConceptDemonstration –
Teacher Models:• Track words with finger or pen• Underline unknown words• Timer sounds, draw bracket around last word read• Count the number of words• Count the number of unknown words• Find CWPM• Graph scoreStudents whisper read two times while timed to compare scores.
Step 4 –Establishing Partner Behavior
• Set aside 10 minutes• Instruct on appropriate fluency behavior• Providing appropriate corrective feedback• Noise level• No arguing rule• Use activity procedure or scripted procedure (in book)• You model partnership• Students practice partnership
When working in partners, , #1 should be the stronger reader and read first. Students are not told this.
Step 5 - Training Students in the Partnership Procedure
• Set aside 30 minutes for 3 days • Put students in any partnership• Model the fluency partnership using an overhead with a
student• Model the procedure of marking errors and noting the
stopping point• Model the error-correction procedure
“You read__________(total # of ) words. I heard _______ (# of ) errors.”
• Model how to calculate the cwpm and graph score• Use activity procedure or scripted procedure (in book)
Training Students in the Partnership Procedure Demonstration Handout p. 32-37, 41 Passages
Step 6 –Managing Materials
Set aside 10 minutesPocket Portfolio for each partnership• 2 copies of practice passage• Transparency• Fluency graphs• Zip lock bag• Dry erase marker• Eraser
MonitoringAccountability
Step 7 – Student Progress and Record Keeping• Check for reading progress at the instructional
level not at grade level• Check students Fluency Graphs for
-Is adequate progress being made?-Do students have the appropriate passage?- Are the partnerships appropriate?- Is it an appropriate time to increase the difficulty level of the practice passage being used by partners?
Step 1: Presentation of New Phonetic Element Model or teach new phonetic element or pattern. Hold up a card
“This letter says___.” “What letters make up this element? ____” “What does this element say?___” “Say its sound with me.__” “Say it by yourselves.___”
Step 2: Group Practice of New Phonetic ElementStep 3: Independent Practice of the New Phonetic ElementStep 4: Review Phonetic Elements
Use the Phonetic Elements Fluency Building Sheets Small group and partner practice
Primary book Chapter 10 p. 55-58
Building Phonetic Elements Fluency
Day 1: Introduce 5 of the set of 10 words. Introduce each word by using a flash card
“This word is___. What word? ____ Say the letters in this word with me. What do these letters spell? Say the word again with me.”
Practice new automatic words – magnetic letters, word walls, white boards, write in uppercase letters, lowercase letters, four corners of your white boards
Day 2: Introduce the next 5 words. Review yesterday’s 5 words. Introduce new words using the same procedure as day 1. Review of automatic words using flash cards, magnetic letters,
memory game, mixing up letters to making the words again
Building Automatic Words Fluency
Partner Practice: • Assign partners based on assessment results p. 95 in Primary Book
• Train students in the Six Minute Solution Primary fluency concept• Provide time each day for partner practice with Automatic Words Fluency
Building Sheets• Have partners record their own scores on an Automatic Words Record
Graph
When students can accurately read their assigned list of automatic words at 60 CWPM, they should be moved to the next list of automatic words with the introduction, instruction and practice cycle all over again.
Building Automatic Words Fluency
Let’s Practice
• Example 1: Kevin’s Fluency Graph Handout p. 25
• Example 2: Sarita’s Fluency GraphHandout p. 26
How to help a student who is not making progress
1. Check instructional reading level2. Read the practice passage with the student to make
sure that the student is placed appropriately3. Provide additional practice with the automatic word
lists4. Go a grade level below5. Check decoding skills – may need extra instruction6. Carefully monitor7. Consider a strategic partnership8. Give extra untimed practice
Step 8 - Comprehension and Summary Writing Strategies
• Summarizing• Paraphrasing• Retelling• Describing• Expository Sequence Structure• Summary Writing Strategies
More than Six Minutes a Day
• On the first day of the week• Some students may need additional fluency
practice• Certain grouping configurations• Incorporating comprehension and writing
Mondays
• Distribute new Practice Passage• Preview the passage and underline unknown
words• Teacher supplies unknown words• Make sure students are accurate before
beginning • First Timing• Word Walls
Tuesday – Thursday
• Six minutes a day• More if you want to include comprehension
and writing• More if needed
Friday
•Final Timing•Turn in current week’s practice passage •Select new passage for following week
Teacher Duties
• Change partners if necessary• Move students up or down in reading levels• Monitor student reading and provide
corrective feedback• Monitor progress• Use check list to ensure fidelity
Moving Upstream:A Story of Prevention and Intervention
In a small town, a group of fishermen gathered down at the river. Not long after they got there, a child came floating down the rapids calling for help. One of the group on shore quickly dived in and pulled the child out.
Minutes later another child came, then another, and then many more children were coming down the river. Soon everyone was diving in and dragging children to the shore, then jumping back in to save as many as they could.
In the midst of all this frenzy, one of the group was seen walking away. Her colleagues were irate. How could she leave when there were so many children to save? After long hours, to everyone’s relief, the flow of children stopped, and the group could finally catch their breath.
At that moment, their colleague came back. They turned on her and angrily shouted:
“HOW COULD YOU WALK OFF WHEN WE NEEDED EVERYONE HERE TO SAVE THE CHILDREN?”
She replied, “It occurred to me that someone ought to go upstream and find out why so many kids were falling into the river. What I found is that the old wooden bridge had several planks missing, and when some children tried to jump over the gap, they couldn’t make it and fell through into the river. So I got someone to fix the bridge.”
Let’s Try it!Six Minute Solution Overview
Time Materials Procedures
1 minute TimerFolder containing two copies of the same passage, two copies of the fluency graph, on dry erase marker and cloth
Get ReadyTeacher announces that fluency timing will begin
1 minute Partner 1 Reads
1 minute Partner 2 Gives Feedback
1 minute Partner 2 Reads
1 minute Partner 1 Gives Feedback
1 minute Students put away materials
Exit SlipGoals:
1. To understand what fluency is and how it impacts reading.
2. To understand the rationale and research behind reading fluency and the Six Minute Solution program.
3. To understand and be able to use Six Minute Solution Program.