Decoding and Spelling: Fluency and Cycle Assessment | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G1:S4:C21:L110

Decoding and Spelling: Fluency and Cycle Assessment

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Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can read a text fluently (smoothly, with expression and meaning, rereading and self-correcting when necessary). (RF.1.4)
    • I can read at an appropriate rate based on the text type.
    • I can reread when something doesn't make sense or sound right

Ongoing Assessment

  • Cycle 21 Assessment

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (10 minutes)

A. Fluency

2. Work Time (45 minutes)

A. Extended Differentiated Small Group Instruction: Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

4. Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher (40 minutes)

In Advance

  • Enlarge the selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Sam's Throat Hurts!" (see Module 1, Lesson 15 supporting materials).
  • Write the following Rules of Fluency index cards: "smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," "just the right speed."
  • Prepare the Cycle 21 Assessment.

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T)

  • decode, fluency, goal (L)

Materials

  • Enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Sam's Throat Hurts!" (one for display)
  • Rules of Fluency index cards (see Teaching Notes, "In Advance" above)
  • Individual copies of excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Sam's Throat Hurts!" (one per student)
  • Cycle 21 Assessment (one per student)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Fluency

  • (Transition song, sung to the tune of "The Muffin Man"):

Teacher: "Can you read this fluently? Smoothly, with expression, please. Can you read it smoothly with expression and with meaning?"

Students: "Yes, we'll read it fluently. Not too fast and not too slow. Yes, we'll read it fluently at just the right speed."

All together: "So now we'll read this fluently. Think about how smooth it will be. Now we'll read this fluently at just the right speed."

  • Begin the Fluency instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays enlarged selected excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Sam's Throat Hurts!"

2. Teacher explains that this is an "excerpt" from the Decodable Reader.

3. Teacher displays the Rules of Fluency index cards ("smoothly," "with expression," "with meaning," and "just the right speed") on the board and reads them aloud.

4. Teacher reminds students that these are four important rules of fluency that were mentioned in the song and invites them to think about these elements as they listen as the teacher reads the excerpt.

5. Teacher reads the excerpt word by word in a monotone, skipping over punctuation, with little to no expression.

6. Teacher invites students to turn to an elbow partner to share what they noticed about how he or she read the excerpt.

7. Teacher invites two or three student volunteers to share what they noticed (examples: sounded word by word, sounded too slow or too fast, sounded "boring"), prompting them to name specific examples in the text (i.e., naming a place where it was word by word, where punctuation was skipped).

8. Teacher asks:

"Does anyone have any suggestions for how I could make this more fluent?" (Responses will vary. Examples: stop at the periods; pause at the comma; make it sound like talking when Sam or James is speaking; say groups of words together.)

9. Teacher reads the excerpt again, incorporating students' suggestions.

10. Teacher invites students to think about the meaning of the selected text and asks:

"What is happening here in this excerpt?" (Sam hurt his finger with the hammer.)

11. Teacher points to the card labeled "with meaning" and says: "Reading this fluently includes making it match the meaning or feeling of the words. Sam hurts himself and we see an exclamation point, so we would read that the same way we would exclaim if we got hurt."

12. Teacher invites one or two student volunteers to come up and read the excerpt in a way that communicates how Sam asks a question.

13. Teacher reminds students of the rules of fluent reading (smoothly, with expression, with meaning, just the right speed).

14. Teacher distributes individual copies of excerpt from the Decodable Reader: "Sam's Hammer."

15. Teacher pairs students up and invites them to take turns reading the excerpt fluently and giving each other one star (positive comment naming a rule of fluency that was evident) and one step (a rule of fluency that wasn't evident or could be worked on).

16. Students practice reading the Decodable Reader in pairs.

17. If time allows, consider inviting one or two students to come up and read the excerpt to the group. When they are done, consider inviting students to name one star and one step.

  • The word "excerpt" may be unfamiliar to many students. Consider modeling this vocabulary by extending one hand, palm up, and explaining that this represents the whole text in the Decodable Reader. With the other hand, model pulling out a "piece" of the text. This "piece" is the "excerpt."

Work Time

Work Time

A. Extended Differentiated Small Group Instruction: Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting

  • (Cycle Assessment and Goal Setting transition song, sung to the tune of "The More We Get Together"):

"It's time to spell and decode to show what we're learning. It's time to spell and decode to show what we've learned."

  • Teacher helps students transition to their differentiated small groups, telling them they will complete the Cycle 21 Assessment during their rotations.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that effective learners keep track of and reflect on their own learning. Point out to students that they do this each time they consider how what they did today helps them become more proficient readers.
  • Remind students that today they worked on fluency and reading with expression. They also took an assessment to see what they've learned and what they still need to work on.
  • Explain that, in any work, people use information from assessments, advice from coworkers or friends, and help from experts to get better. Share examples (athletes reviewing videos of past games, getting advice from coaches and teammates, etc.). Part of being an effective learner is knowing what you need to work on to grow and improve.
  • Ask for volunteers to share out:

"What goal did you set following the assessment?" (Responses will vary. Example: "I noticed that I am forgetting the silent 'l' in the words 'should' and 'would.' I need to remember that part that doesn't play fair. I will make sure to look for it all week in my books.")

  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "When I read the excerpt, I thought about ___, and I _____."
    • "After I got feedback about _____ from _____, I read the excerpt again and made it sound _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: An extended differentiated small group instruction time today will allow the teacher to meet with each group. Begin by administering the cycle assessment to each group. If time allows, score the assessment right away and guide students to create goals based on assessment results. If time is a concern, teacher may only meet with one or two groups per cycle for goal setting. (Refer to Assessment Overview for more information.) Suggestions are provided for additional work with the Pre-Alphabetic group if time allows.

Pre-Alphabetic:

  • Assessment:
    • Use the Pre-Alphabetic phase blank Assessment Planning template (see Module 1, Lesson 15 supporting materials) to create an assessment focused on the letters and sounds appropriate for individuals or the group.

Partial Alphabetic:

  • Assessment:
    • Follow directions for the Partial Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

Full Alphabetic:

  • Assessment:
    • Follow directions for the Full Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

Consolidated Alphabetic:

  • Assessment:
    • Follow directions for the Partial Alphabetic Cycle Assessment.

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