Parker: Reading Lesson #2 - Prosody

Reading Lesson Plan #2: Prosody Rationale: In order for students to fully comprehend a text, it is essential that they are able to read it fluently.  One of the components of fluency is prosody, which involves reading with expression.  If readers are fluent in reading a text, and more specifically, read with expression, they have more cognitive space to focus on comprehending what they have read.  This, of course, is the ultimate purpose of reading. Objective: Students will fluently read “Many Birds” by first chunking, and then reading each page with a partner. Materials & supplies needed: 1.       A copy of “Many Birds” for each of the four students 2.       A Xeroxed copy of “Many Birds” available for marking 3.       Red pen

Procedures and Approximate Times • Introduction to the lesson: (2 minutes) ·         First, I will explain the topic of the lesson to the four students and provide examples and non-examples of reading with expression. “Alright, boys.  Today we are going to be working on reading with expression.  What do you thinking it means to read with expression?” (Lead students into a discussion) “Those are some great ideas, guys.  Reading with expression means that our reading is fluid or smooth, and with different tones in our voices.  Sometimes when we just learn to read things, we sound like robots.  What does a robot sound like?” (Students respond)  “Yes, the way robots talk is very choppy and short, and also in the same tone.  Do you think it would sound better to read short and choppy or in a way that is smooth and fluid? Do you think it would be better to use same tone to our voices while reading or to use different tones?” (Students respond). “Great!” Outline of Key Events: (20-25 minutes) ·         I will distribute the text to the students and model fluent and dysfluent reading by reading the first sentence of text. “Boys, tell me which sounds better, Reading #1 or Reading #2.” (Read sentence “like a robot”, read sentence fluently; students respond with Reading #2) “Yes, Reading #2 is better because it sounds smoother and more fluid than Reading #1, right?”  ·         Following this, I will show students how to chunk the text to read with more expression.  Chunking will be done page by page, and students will chorally read the chunks with fluidity and changes in tone of voice. “Let’s practice this by chunking the text.  I’m going to chunk the text by separating the sentences into smaller parts.  I have a copy of the book you’re reading, and I’m going to show you how I chunk it with my pen. Let’s try the first sentence.  Since it’s a rather short sentence, we don’t need to chunk it.  Let’s read it together.” (Read chorally).  “Awesome job! These next few sentences are a little bit longer, so watch as it chunk them.” (Chunk sentences and read them before engaging students in choral reading). ·         Once the entire text has been chunked, students will engage in a partner reading, specifically working on fluidity and change in tone of voice.  They will alternate in reading every other page, such that the student who is not reading aloud will follow along by pointing to the words as they are read with their finger.  I will monitor and listen to students as they read, as well as provide assistance if they are stuck on a word or need a reminder of how fluent reading should sound. • Closing summary for the lesson: (2 minutes) ·         I will end the lesson by stating the importance of reading with expression. “You did a great job reading today, boys.  Reading with expression is very important because if we read like robots, we have a harder time understand what we read.  If we read smoothly, the words make more sense in our heads and it easier to do things with the story, like retell it to someone or relate it to another story that we may have read.  Thank you so much for your hard work!” ·         Students will switch to the next literacy center. Ongoing-Assessment: ·         I plan on recording students as they partner read.  This will help me to plan for future instruction, as well as indicate whether or not they met the lesson objective. ·         I will also observe these four students as they are in literacy centers, particularly when they are in the “Read to Friend” or “Read to Teacher” centers, to check for progression and/or use of expression and prosody in reading aloud.

Adaptations:  This is a text that students keep in their “book baskets”, which serves as a reminder to them of what books that have read and accomplished; thus, students are rather familiar with the text.  This will hopefully prevent any difficulties in decoding and reading speed, giving all of the instructional focus to reading with expression.  I have also chosen to have students read in partners following the chunking portion of the mini-lesson in the small case students do become overwhelmed by the size of the text.  Partner reading essentially splits the text in half so that students are only required to read half of it aloud, and the other half silently following along.