November Strategy of the Month

November Strategy of the Month

Paired Reading(Partner Reading)

Welcome to the November Strategy of the Month Paired or Partner Reading. You may also hear this strategy referred to as Buddy Reading. 1

www.readingrockets.org/strategies/paired_reading?theme=printwww.interventioncentral.orgwww.adlit.orgwww.readingquest.org

I would like to thank the following for the information in this presentation. Reading Rockets is a comprehensive website that has a wide variety of classroom strategies available. The Intervention Central, adlit and Reading Quest also provide a wide variety of resources on-line. 2

What Do Skilled Readers Do When They Read?Make ConnectionsVisualizePredict & InferAsk Questions & wonderEvaluate & Judge the textMonitor & ClarifySummarizeSynthesizeEvaluate

The research, although it may vary slightly depending on the study, indicate that the skills of good readers are essentially the same. Good readers monitor their comprehension and know how to employ fix-up strategies flexibly when their comprehension breaks down. The research agrees that comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. The research also supports the idea that teaching multiple strategies that can be used before, during and after reading improve comprehension. Countless other studies have shown that students' ability to fluently and automatically decode text is linked to higher levels of text comprehension (Bell and Perfetti, 1994; Bruck, 1988, 1990; Cunningham, Stanovich, and Wilson, 1990; Perfetti, 1985; Roth and Beck, 1987; Stanovich, 1991), and students who develop good decoding skills at a young age are typically better at comprehending text in subsequent grades (Juel, 1994).3

What is Paired Reading?

Paired reading is a research-based fluency strategy used with readers who lack fluency. In this strategy, students read aloud to each other. When using partners, more fluent readers can be paired with less fluent readers, or children who read at the same level can be paired to reread a text they have already read. Each student reads and provides feedback about their own and their partners reading behaviors.4

Why Use Paired Reading?

There are many reasons to use the Paired Reading Strategy. It helps students work together. It encourages cooperation and supports peer-assisted learning. It encourages students to try reading materials that may be just above their normal reading level. It can be used to build oral skills. Paired Reading can be used in any content area with many types of reading materials. It can be used with students at any grade level. Finally, this strategy frees up you, the teacher, to observe, collect data and/or work with different students while the remainder of the group continues to work in pairs. 5When Should I Use Paired Reading?During READING

Paired Reading is a strategy that is used during a reading activity. Research has proven that repeated oral reading is very beneficial in the development of fluency and we know that fluency in reading improves comprehension. 6How To Utilize the Paired Reading StrategyDefine/Explain/Describe the strategy or conceptCite your instructional objectiveProvide instructional materialsDescribe the sequence of steps involved in the processAnticipatory setModeling of the instructional procedureGuided practice activity

First you will want to explain the strategy. You might say We will be learning and using a new reading strategy in our class. This strategy will give you (students) an opportunity to practice your oral reading and receive feedback from a classmate. Next cite your instructional objective. My goal for this lesson is for students to repeatedly and orally read a passage from a text to a partner in order to improve their reading fluency skills. Provide instructional materials. For this lesson I will use a short, simple and predictable text such as The Three Little Pigs. (or any age appropriate text that is at the appropriate reading level)Next describe the sequence or steps involved in the process. Establish a routine for students to use so that they know the step-by-step requirements for engaging in paired reading such as: Will they read aloud simultaneously? Will they take turns reading with each person reading a paragraph? A page? Will one partner read first and the second partner re-read the same passage? Or will one person read while the other person listens? Ask students to begin reading in pairs. If they are reading simultaneously, have them adjust their speed so they stay together. Have student offer feedback and praise frequently for correct reading. Monitor and support students as they work. 7Anticipatory SetEstablish a motivation to learnModel both a non example and an example of fluent readingReinforce the purpose of the strategy and how it will help them as readers

In order to establish a motivation to learn, you must model for students both a non example and an example of fluent reading. For this I have chosen to use the book The Three Little Pigs. First I will begin by reading a passage using a voice that is monotone. I will avoid paying attention to punctuation, and I will make mistakes without attempting to correct them. I will then model fluent reading to them, using appropriate rate, a high level of accuracy and with expression. I will correct myself when I say something that does not make sense in the passage that I am reading. I will then ask students to compare these two readings. I will then inform students that in order for us to read fluently like I did when I read the second time, it is important to practice reading a text several times and to pay attention to the pitch and rate at which we use our voice as we read. I will tell them that they will be reading with partners and offering feedback to each other which they should take seriously and use when they read again with their partner. I will be sure to inform them that this procedure will help all of use to become better readers and that is why we will be using this strategy. 8

Here is an example of non-fluent reading.9Modeling of Instructional Practice

I will model how I want students to perform this activity by going through the steps with a selected student. I will begin by reading the passage to the student. When I am finished, I will instruct my partner to read the passage back to me in the same manner in which I read it. When my partner is done, I will demonstrate how to give feedback. For instance, It seems as though you had some trouble with a few words in the text. Lets go over them and pronounce them together. Or Next time, try to change the pitch of your voice as you read. Rather than reading in one voice the whole time, try to make it change by going up and down in pitch as you read. Let me show you what I mean. Now you try. I will stress the importance of being positive, helpful and motivational to your partner. I will explain that we will practice reading this text repeatedly until we can read it correctly with appropriate speed and expression similar to the way that I read my passage the second time around.10Guided Practice Activity

I will pair students together by pairing a proficient, fluent reader with a weaker, non-fluent reader. I will tell students who the person is who must begin reading, and who is the one who must work to imitate the reading performed. I will then instruct students to begin reading the selected passage in The Three Little Pigs. The proficient, fluent reader will begin reading with fluency. I will walk around to monitor their progress and offer assistance. I will then stop students after each partner has had a chance to read. I will tell them the positive things that I am seeing as well as some of the things that certain pairs have to remember to do as they read together. 11Independent Practice

During independent practice students will continue to read passages from this book until the less fluent reader can read the passage independently with fluency. 12How to Pair StudentsPair students either by same reading ability or by high level readers with low level readers.

Make a list of your students in order from highest to lowest according to reading ability.Divide the list in halfPlace the top student in the first list with the top student in the second listContinue until all students have been partneredBe sensitive to pairings of students with special needs, including learning or emotional needs. Adjust the pairs as necessary.The reader from the first list should read first while the reader from the second list listens and follows along. The second reader should pick up where the first reader stops or have the second reader reread what the first read.13How Might I Differentiate This Strategy?Differentiate Reading MaterialsEncourage Rereading passagesAllow students to choose high interest materials for paired readingAllow students to read from different texts during the reading activity.Have one partner occasionally ask comprehension questions. Adjust partners as students improve so students have opportunity to be in the modeling role.

Here are some ways that this strategy might be differentiated for students. Certainly as students improve their reading you will want to re-evaluate the reading levels of the materials being used and you may want to consider changing up the partners. Additionally you want to ensure that students are reading from a wide variety of texts, both literature and informational text. 14What Are the Benefits of Paired Reading?

Paired reading provides students the opportunity to read without fear of failure, which helps them build confidence. Reading with someone else to help them out at first also encourages them to try reading materials that may be beyond their normal reading level. Paired reading helps to bridge the gap for students who can read basic books, but not hard and more interesting books. As students gain confidence in their reading ability they are more motivated to read, read for longer periods of time, and read more difficult text. Finally paired reading makes reading more fun. 15Watch an Examplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0QwL0KzA-4&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

This video shows paired reading in action. To watch the video click on the link. 16THANK YOU!

Thank you for viewing this skill builder. I wish you success as you implement paired reading in your classroom. 17