Repeated Reading

Running head : REPEATED READING

Repeated Reading

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Repeated Reading

Introduction

Repeated reading can be defined as a strategy in which fluency is built A meaningful paragraph is re-read several times to increase the reading fluency . Typical format of repeated reading involves the setting of a fluency criterion and selection of a meaningful and short passage of text . In this method , students are supposed to read and re-read the short passage until the fluency criterion is achieved . Then the same process is repeated but

a new passage is read

This provides useful information about four elements that are essential to consider when repeated reading is to be implemented

Importance of Expertise in Repeated Reading

Teachers have successfully used repeated reading in a variety of ways Typically it has been sued as an adjunct to regular instruction providing repeated practice for fluency . More recently , however teachers have begun to integrate it into the fabric of literacy instruction

Repeated reading appears to provide opportunities for learners to develop expertise by contributing to increases in knowledge of both content and strategy . In addition , increased knowledge and awareness of improvement provides considerable motivation for continued practice Because it allows students at many different instructional levels to participate in the same activity and improve at their own pace , repeated reading responds to Meichenbaum and Biemiller 's (1990 ) recommendation to provide activities at a wide range of difficulty levels

The following is an example of one teacher 's use of paired repeated reading as as fluency strategy that encourages the development of expertise (Blum Koskinen , 1990

In a unit on monkeys , Mrs . B . read a group of second grade beginning readers the book Curious Geography while the children read along with their own text . An audiotape of this story was then put in the listening center as part of the class audio library . During the students independent practice time , students were asked to work in pairs selecting a short 50 word or fewer segments from the book to read to a partner . This segment was to focus on something interesting they learned about George . Each student read the segment three times to their partner . After each reading , the reader rated his /her improvement on a five point Likert scale ranging `fantastic ' to `terrible ' and then the listener commented on how their partner 's reading improved

This repeated reading activity fostered expertise

Role of Repeated Reading on Fluency

While fluency has traditionally been a neglected goal in instruction Allington (1983 ) stimulated an interest in examining the role of fluency in skilled reading . He reviewed a variety of sources that support the view that oral fluency should be regarded as a necessary feature of defining good reading , that readers can be helped to acquire fluency through training , and that fluency training improves overall reading ability

In an effort to explore these ideas , researchers , using a variety of repeated reading strategies , have documented evidence of improved fluency as a result of training . Studies provide...