Webquest about Increasing your Fluency and Comprehension

Are you a 3rd. grade student that is struggling with your reading ability?  Do you feel like you read too slow and have a difficult time keeping up with your classroom readings or your classmates?  You can improve your reading and read like your classmates.  You will be learning about "fluency" in reading and the importance of increasing your rate.  You will also be learning about Reader's Theater and how it will help increase your fluency and comprehension skills.

As I embark in the quest for developing a fluency and comprehension activity, I have selected the board games or projects category and have decided to work on the following: The creation of this WebQuest is to help 3rd grade ELL/ESL/EFL students increase their speaking/reading fluency and comprehension abilities. This WebQuest may also serve as a resource for teachers to enhance their ability to incorporate speaking/reading fluency and comprehension within their classes.

In addition, it may also serve as a continued learning point about the area of fluency and comprehension. We must remember that instruction in fluency can be particularly beneficial for English language learners because activities designed to enhance fluency and comprehension in reading can also contribute to oral language development in English. As students practice reading English text accurately, automatically, and prosodically, they are gaining valuable information about the sounds and cadences of spoken English (speaking), and they are also developing vocabulary skills that can contribute to oral language fluency and comprehension, as well as reading and listening comprehension.

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First, it is necessary to learn about fluency and comprehension and what those skills exactly are. You will need to research some definitions of fluency and comprehension in order to know how to improve on it. You will be able to follow the list to view a variety of fluency and comprehension websites.

Ford, K. n,d, ELLs and reading fluency in English: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/ells-and-reading-fluency-english

Lydia Breiseth, n.d. Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners: http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol5/511-breiseth.aspx

Blau, L. n.d. 5 Surefire Strategies for Developing Reading Fluency:http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/5-surefire-strategies-developing-reading-fluencyHasbrouck, J. n.d. Developing Fluent Readers: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/developing-fluent-readers

Second, you will be assigned to a group of 4 students. Each group of students will research the above provided websites.  Each group member will also be able to follow the URLs within the list to view a variety of available fluency and comprehension websites. Students will then choose an article of interest as a group and develop a presentation of their findings, what interests them about the article and develop a PowerPoint presentation of their findings. Each group member will need to practice their part in the development of the PowerPoint all week in order to be ready to create it and share it to the class at the end of the week.

A fluent reader reads with confidence and control.  Their reading (also oral communication) is well paced and filled with expression.  A fluent reader (speaks) reads at an appropriate rate and accurately.  This reading (and speaking) is done with a deep understanding of what is being read. (Franco, Fierro, 2005).

You will need to research some other definitions of what fluency entails. Click on the icon below and learn about fluency and comprehension.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/fluency.htm

Now you will be able to research a variety of speaking/reading fluency and comprehension sites for you to select an article that will help your group to work on your group’s PowerPoint presentation. You will need to select an article that you and your group will enjoy and begin reading and rereading the text. You can practice alone a few times and then with your group. The actual PowerPoint presentation will be done at the end of the school week.

Remember to use confidence, expression, and an appropriate rate when reading aloud.

You and your group will be evaluated based on individual performance.

PowerPoint Presentation

CHECKING YOUR FLUENCY:

1 minute reads: Select a book that is at your appropriate grade level. Read the first page for 1 minute. Count the number of words you read correctly within that minute. This is your fluency of words per minute.

Let's take some time to think about what we have learned.

Fluency is an essential part of your reading/speaking ability.  It involves a variety of areas. Talk to your group about them now.

Fluency is important because it will help increase your understanding of what you are reading. This is, after all, the main reason why you are learning to read.

Credits

Thanks to all of the following:

Franco, M. & Fierro, A. (2005). Fool Proof Fluency Strategies.  Region 19.

    Presentation given on October 28, 2005.

McCabe, M. (n.d.) Building Fluency: Do It Well and Do It Right!. US Dept. of

    Educ. Retrieved on November 19, 2005 from www.edu.gov.

Ford, K. n,d, ELLs and reading fluency in English: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/ells-and-reading-fluency-english

Lydia Breiseth, n.d. Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners: http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol5/511-breiseth.aspx

Blau, L. n.d. 5 Surefire Strategies for Developing Reading Fluency:http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/5-surefire-strategies-developing-reading-fluencyHasbrouck, J. n.d. Developing Fluent Readers: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/developing-fluent-readers