A Guide to Teaching

Reading Fluency
Rebecca Anderson and Kristine M. Burgess

Table of Contents
Chapter 1!
Introduction..........................................................................3

Chapter 2!
! ! ! !

Syllabication..........................................................................4 2.1 Resources for Practice.....................................................8

Chapter 3 !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Rate........................................................................................10 3.1 The Six Minute Solution...................................................11 3.2 Read Naturally..................................................................12 3.3 Jamestown.......................................................................13 3.4 Recorded Readings..........................................................14

Chapter 4!
Accuracy.............................................................................................................16 ! ! ! ! 4.1 Word Lists........................................................................18

Chapter 5
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Expression................................................................................22 5.1 Punctuation and Phrasing....................................................24 5.2 Readers Theater...................................................................27 5.3 Poetry....................................................................................29 5.4 Song lyrics............................................................................30 5.5 Childrens Books...................................................................32 ! Sample Agendas for Fluency Instruction....................................33

Chapter 6

Chapter 7!

Take Aways..................................................................................35

Appendix A! Appendix B!

Sample Resources for Syllabication Practice Word Lists

Appendix C !Song Lyrics Appendix D! Adapted scripts for Readers Theater

References

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1
Introduction
! Teaching reading uency is imperative lescents for whom traditional reading uency programs may seem too babyish. In addition to a chapter on syllabication, strategies, and planning, there is a larger chapter for each of the elements of uency- rate, expression, and speed (automaticity). Within each of these chapters you will nd sections on the various material designed to target the aspect of uency that the chapter is devoted to. These sections include a brief discussion on what the type of material is, how it helps uency, and what research as well as personal experience says about its effectiveness. After that there are sample word lists, poems, song lyrics, passages, etc of the material discussed. It does not reinvent the wheel, but rather provides classroom teachers with a variety of ideas to use in teaching reading uency. We hope that this book will help you as you work to build strong and successful readers. to helping students become strong readers. Fluency is dened as reading text with speed, rate, and proper expression (National Reading Panel, 2000). Mastering uency allows for readers to focus on comprehension and meaning of text rather than solely on decoding the text. When taught, uency must be addressed systematically, explicitly, and purposefully. ! Some students will require more ex-

plicit instruction than others based on early exposure to language, learning abilities, and level of engagement. In this way, uency instruction must become individualized especially with struggling readers. Finally, purposeful instruction in this case means making a plan, measuring progress, and adapting plans to as needed to reach mastery. ! This book is designed to aid in the sys-

tematic, explicit, and purposeful instruction of reading uency, specically of ado3

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Syllabication
! Syllabication is the process of breaktypes and give some examples. Word lists can be found online that correspond with each syllable type. Open Syllables An open syllable is one that ends with a vowel. In this case, the vowel will almost always be the long vowel sound of that letter by making the sound of the letter itself. It will often be abbreviated as v/cv. The followThis chart gives visual representation of the six types of syllables

ing down words so as to properly decode and pronounce them. Knowledge of syllabication provides the foundation of uency as students must rst be able to break down words, on paper or in their heads, in order to be able to properly decode them. In this way, it builds a students word attack skills.The following methods and resources are helpful in practicing this skill.

ing words include examples of open syllables: lol-li-pop re-mind va-

cant Six Syllable Types ! t is important to start with the six sylClosed Syllables ! A closed syllable is one that ends in

lable types so students can recognize and get comfortable with patterns within words. Here we will briey discuss the six

a consonant. In this case, the vowel will almost always make the short vowel
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sound. It is abbreviated as vc/c or vc/v. The following words include examples of closed syllables: ab-sent chil-dren col-lec-tion

weak

playing

explain

Consonant-le Syllables ! Consonant-le syllables consist of an

LE almost always found at the end of a word. The le sounds similar to UL giving it more of an l sound than an e sound. bub-ble puz-zle whis-tle

Vowel-consonant-e Syllables ! A vowel-

consonant-e syllable type contains a vowel followed by a consonant and then a silent e. The silent e makes the vowel before it say its name (long sound). grove re-state

R-controlled syllables ! In r-controlled syllable types (sometimes known as bossy r), a vowel is followed by the letter r. The r "controls" the vowel and gives it a different sound that is neither long or short. AR-sounds similar to the letter R. You do

par-tic-i-pate

Vowel Team Syllables ! A vowel team syllable is one that con-

not hear the A at all. car !! starry ! pillar

tains two vowels next to each other. Even though there are two vowels, they make only one sound. The most common saying of this rule says, If two vowels go walking, the rst one does the talking. This rule applies only about half of the time, but it can give students a good place to start.

ER, IR, UR -sounds similar to ER porter ! ! squirm! ! hurdle!

OR -sounds similar to the word OR odor! ! censor! ! warrior

Any of the R controlled syllables (ar, er, ir, or, ur) can sound like ER when appearing at the end of words and is not accented. Sailor Regular Grammar

grab the next consonant sound (letter or consonant digraph) to the left in order to group the vowel with the consonant sound. This equals one syllable. 4- Read the word syllable by syllable. Flex (adjust) any vowel sounds that you believe to be incorrect based on previous knowledge. Read the word as a whole. !When using this method to correct mispronounced words in context, make sure to have the student read the words before and after to ensure preservation of the correct pronunciation. There can be many exceptions to expected vowel sounds where students might need guidance, but it provides a solid foundation for students just learning the skill of syllabication.

Dot n Grab Method ! Dot n Grab is a

technique taught to students who are struggling to initially divide up words by their syllables. There are various ways to teach this method, but here is one approach to get you started. Steps: 1- Underline any prexes and sufxes. Prexes and sufxes will become their own syllables. 2- Place a dot under all of the vowels that make a sound. This means you will put one dot for most vowel teams and no dot for silent e. 3- Starting at the end of the word, place your pen/pencil on each vowel dot and

Accent Patterns ! After learning dot n grab and the divi-

Four Syllable Words 1. The stress is often placed on the second syllable. Example: la-bor-i-ous

sion of syllables, the next skill to teach is how to place emphasis on the correct syllable within the word. At times the placement of the accent can even change the intended meaning of the word. Here are some rules to help dictate this decision. Two and Three Syllable Words 1. Place the accent on the rst syllable 2. If there is a prex, the accent is put on the second syllable. 3. Sometimes accent varies with the part of speech intended. ! ! ! ! Nouns - 1st syllable Verbs - 2nd syllable conduct vs conduct contract vs contract

2. Many words with three or more syllables will follow special accent patterns. Special Accent Patterns 1. Accent the syllable before the following endings -ic! -cial!! -tion! -sion! -cian! -tial! !

-ity! !

Examples: dem-on-stra-tion, con-ti-nu-ity 2. Syllables with schwa are never accented. The schwa is visually represented by an upside down e and makes the uh sound. If the schwa syllable is in the middle of the word, the accented syllable is the one that precedes it. Examples: in-no-cent, ap-pren-tice

Resources for Syllabication Practice

! There are many resources available to Great Leaps ! The Great Leaps Reading Program,

practice syllabication. Resources that contain word lists are some of the best for practicing syllabication and the development of word attack skills. These can be created on the spot based on errors a student makes while reading. A running record, an ongoing record a teacher keeps of student errors as the student readers, helps to individualize uency instruction. ! There are also programs that organize

by Kenneth U. Campbell, is a program broken into three parts: phonics, sight phrases, and oral reading sections. The phonics part lends itself best for practicing syllabication skills specically. The initial word lists work with phonemes alone, but then the lists progress to phonograms, which can help reinforce sounds of isolated syllables as well as syllable types. These lists do not include instructional components and are not as extensive as within other programs, but the program as a whole can be valuable to struggling readers.

word lists by different categories. These include real words as well as nonsense words. Working with nonsense words forces students to rely on word attack skills as they will not be able to merely rely on their memory. Some of the available programs that help with syllabication are listed below. Vowel Power ! Vowel Power, by Galst and Wilson, is

a program that focuses on word attack skills. The program includes word lists in addition to guided practice. It is by syllable type and number of syllables to help reinforce the importance of syllabication in decoding.

Megawords ! Megawords, by Kristin Johnson and

The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program ! This program also organizes words by

Polly Bayrd, is a program designed to help with decoding, spelling, and comprehension. The section on decoding includes a helpful diagnostic that links word patterns with different lists based on student errors. It offers extensive lists that can help students understand the sounds that common patterns of syllables make. Therefore, it helps students with decoding by recognizing common patterns and how they sound.

number of syllables and also includes nonsense words. As previously discussed, nonsense words are for students to use word attack skills and not just their memory. See Appendix A:Word List for a sample list of nonsense words.

3
Rate
! Rate is measured as the number of until they reach a pre-determined goal. Ideally, the students should read the passages out loud, whether with a partner, through a simple set-up of PVC pipes, or with audio recorders. This allows them to either receive immediate feedback from their peers or hear themselves and assess their own uency. The teacher should aim to meet with and observe students a few times a week (at least twice) and provide suggestions for improvement. Students should also map their wcpm scores on a graph so they can see their own progress. They can also use a uency rubric to rate the different components of uency. (See rating chart Appendix A) We will now examine three different research-based uency programs: Six Minute Solutions Passages, Jamestown, and Read Naturally, as well as discuss other options for practicing uency through repeated readings with students, some of which may be located in other chapters. words read correctly per minute (wcpm). Rate is not just a product of speed, but also accuracy. The formula used to determine rate incorporates time as well as the number of errors. Calculating and keeping track of rate provides quantitive measurements by which to evaluate a students uency as well as map their progress. In order to calculate rate, take the total number of words in the passage and subtract the number of errors to nd the correct number of words read. Divide that by the time it took the student to read the passage in seconds and then multiply that number by sixty to nd wcpm. ! There are many research-based u-

ency programs that include daily repeated readings in which a student will perform a cold read, one that is done with no previous exposure or practice, of a text at their instructional reading level. Then, in the days that follow repeat the same reading

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The Six Minute Solution

The Six Minute Solution, published by Sopris Learning, includes three levels: primary, intermediate, and secondary. The interest level is geared K-12 and readability level includes grades 1-9.

Pros Passages have a word count for each line Adolescent appropriate material Shorter passages for learners with less reading endurance Non-ction passages from multiple disciplines Word lists within leveled material material

Cons No related comprehension No visual reinforcement Level system more difcult to determine

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Read Naturally, Inc. publishes repeated reading material that includes 8 levels and 30 passages per level. The interest level for the material includes grades 1-8 and contains topics ranging from ducks to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Pros
Extensive material for each of the eight levels Breaks each level down into early, mid, and late grade equivalence (i.e. 5.5 or grade 5 and 5 months) Related comprehension material Provides charts and graphs to aid in recording of errors and wcpm Images and vocabulary to help preview topic Material at interest level of middle and high school students Word counts at the end of each line

Cons Levels only go up to grade equivalent eight Passages can get long (up to over 400 words in higher levels) Images can make it appear targeted to younger audience Comprehension material doesnt always match grade level

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Jamestowns Reading Fluency

! Jamestown Educations Reading Fluency program, similar to other uency programs, includes a recorded reading section with 7 levels (A-G) and 72 passages per level. The interest level of the material is geared towards grades 6-12 as the readings are selections from known literature.

Pros
Passages with word counts for each line Shorter passages (avg 200 words) for readers with less endurance Levels go up to grade equivalent 10 Adolescent appropriate material Alphabetical level system makes it more difcult for students to determine who is reading at which level

Cons
No related comprehension material Limited to around 200 words per passages Students nd readings random at times as they are excerpts of larger works Level system more difcult to determine Pages not labeled with corresponding level

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Recorded Readings

Recorded Materials ! Another way to practice repeated

Sample material includes President

Whitmore's speech from Independence Day after the world has been attacked by aliens and is ghting for it's survival. Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind. That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We cant be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps its fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be ghting for our freedom Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution but from annihilation. We are ghting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: We will not go quietly into the night! Were going to live on! Were going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLywi aM6PA

readings is through recorded materials which includes movies and television. There are several ways to include these materials within the classroom. By choosing monologues from movies, the students can practice the speeches as repeated readings and then perform them for the class. By allowing the students to view the scene from the movie, the teacher provides a forum for them to evaluate their own practice and performance for correct intonation, expression, and emphasis. The students could even choose monologues from their favorite movies thus increasing their interest level. Furthermore, captioned television is a great class activity or even a homework assignment where the students need to use the captioned portion of the television to emphasize intonation and expression for various segments of the television show or even movies.

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Additionally, Herb Brook's (Kurt Russell) speech to the 1980 USA hockey team before their game against the dominant Soviet team can also be of high interest to students. "Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players - every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it!"

One nal speech that students can use is Our deepest fear speech from the movie Coach Carter. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. This is nothing enlightened about shrinking, so that other people won't feel secure around you. We were all meant to shine as children do. It's not

Kurt Russell reinacting Herb Brooks speech to the 1980 USA hockey team as featured in the movie Miracle.

just in us, it's in everyone. We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liber-

ated from our fears, our presence automatically liberates others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_fDhq Rk_Ro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdmyo Me4iHM

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4
Accuracy
! Accuracy is the ability to decode robin reading has actually been shown to be ineffective because of the difculty in keeping others focused while one student is reading (Hoffman, 1987). Here are methods, including round robin reading, that can work. Choral Reading ! Choral reading occurs when the words properly. Word lists are essential when addressing this skill. Work through these patterns in a systematic way to ensure they are receiving the explicit instruction necessary for remediation. More on this is discussed in section entitled Word Lists. ! Passages are also an essential compo-

nent to practicing and assessing accuracy. Errors become informants for word lists and other practice exercises. Often the errors made will fall into one of the following categories: substitution, omission, repetition, reversal, and breakdown in pattern preservation. You can nd these mistakes included under irregular patterns. ! Other activities used to practice accu-

teacher reads along with the students all reading at the same time. This allows the students to both hear themselves read, practice reading uently, and hear the teacher read uently along with them. While this would not necessarily be ideal for long periods of time reading, choral reading can be extremely helpful in developing uency through activities such as poems and song lyrics. Whether the teacher reads the material rst and everyone joins or everyone just reads the cold read (rst read) together, choral reading can be helpful in developing uency. When everyone reads together a sense of community is de-

racy in context are choral reading, paired reading, round robin reading, and radio reading. Research shows that these methods vary with their effectiveness. Contrary to popular classroom practices, round

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veloped and students can follow the model of uent reading. Paired Reading ! Paired Reading is a great idea for

ing them. By assigning the sections the day before, the teacher is allowing the students to practice the more difcult words to decode as well as giving the students the opportunity to read their sections in a more uent and less labored and tense manner. The teacher could assign designated sections as homework assignments where the students need to keep a list of difcult to decode or understand words along with both one literal and one inferential question that the student needs to answer for their section. With this assignment the lesson planning is more cumbersome, but the students are given the opportunity to preview and practice their section rather than being put on the spot. Round Robin Reading ! Round robin reading is best done in

larger classrooms or repeated reading practice. With paired reading, the students get assigned a partner whether it be a more skilled reader with a lower-level reader or two similar reading level students. Paired reading can be done by having the students practice reading together: one student at a time with evaluation by their partner or both readers at the same time working together to decode and comprehend. This is an excellent strategy for repeated reading passages when the teacher cannot listen to each student all the time. By having the students listen to each other and evaluate their uency, they are providing each other feedback that requires them to think about what constitutes uency, but it also frees up time for the teacher to evaluate individual students or observe pairs as they practice. Radio Reading ! Radio reading is similar to round robin

the popcorn reading style. This means that rather than moving from student to student in a circle, the teacher chooses the next student at random often in the middle of a page or paragraph. This ensures that the students are following along because they know that they can be called upon at any moment. A great way to facilitate round robin reading is to use a squishy ball. By easily tossing the ball to another person, you are not only designating the next reader, but also providing the reader with a dget tool that is not distracting to the class as a whole.
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reading with the difference being that students know their sections the day before. While round robin reading puts students on the spot without any opportunity to practice, radio reading gives the students the chance to know their sections before read-

Word Lists

There are several ways to incorporate

long vowel sounds in single syllable words ending in (vC-e ) long vowel sounds in words with open syllables (Cv) initial and nal consonant blends in simple or multi-syllable words (stamp, scrap) consonant digraphs (sh, ch, ng, sch, th, wh, ck, gh, kn, ph, sc, wr) double vowels (soap, sail, deal, need) diphthongs (coin, boy, house, cow) decode high-frequency sight words (Dolch and Fry lists)

words lists into the classroom as warm-up and in-class activities. Word lists allow students to practice syllabication, decoding, and recognition in isolation in addition to their encounters in context. This practice in isolation allows students to recognize patterns and sound-symbol correspondences while they have the time to do so. Pattern-Based Word Lists ! Pattern-based word lists are a great

idea for helping students to recognize sound-patterns. With pattern-based lists, the teacher can note student errors and choose from lists that the most students have difculty with. Sample pattern-based word list programs include Megawords. The following is a list of the patterns, both regular and irregular, in order of difculty.

Irregular Patterns words with vowel controlled R

Regular Patterns hard and soft sounds of C and G consonants in closed syllables (CvC) the letter Y (Sydney, cylinder, cycle) borrowers (c, qu, x, y) silent letters (bt, ck, gh, gn, h, kn , ld, lk, short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u ) lm, mb, pn, ps, pt, rh, sc, t, wr)

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L -controlled vowel unbound vowels (boa, uid) Pre- and Post Reading Lists ! Pre-reading lists are lists of words

created by the teacher for the novel that is currently being read in class. By prereading and pulling out words that might prove to be difcult, the teacher is allowing the students that extra practice and recognition before they encounter those unfamiliar words within context. The idea is that when the students then encounter those words in context, they will be able to read them more efciently. ! Post-reading lists are composed of

words that students struggled with during contextual reading in class. By keeping a running record of errors, the teacher can construct a list containing unfamiliar or difcult to pronounce words. At the end of class or the beginning of the next class, the teacher can have the students practice reading those lists of words for additional practice and recognition.
A sample template for recording errors that can become form pre and post reading wordlists.

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Word Lists for Automaticity ! Automaticity is the ability to read

list while you time them more than once, never revealing their time, but looking to see that each student is making improvement. Another way is to have students work in pairs and take turns reading the lists and timing each other (the students should be at similar levels). Also, the teacher could choose lists based on each student's abilities and needs and have each student read a different list. By keeping careful records of student's times and accuracy on each read, this information can be vital toward planning for IEPs and progress reports. Phyllis E. Fischer has created several speed drills for increasing uency known as the Fischer Drills.

words accurately and quickly, without stopping to pronounce or sound out. Word lists, speed drills, and visual discrimination exercises all help students to improve their automaticity. While the average person can recall a word after 4-14 exposures, it takes a student with reading difculties an average of 40 exposures before they can recognize a new word (Blevins, 7). It takes students with Language-Based Learning Disabilities even more exposures before a word becomes part of their lexicon/ vocabulary. Therefore, the teacher should ensure that the students are receiving multiple and meaningful exposures to words to ensure both recognition and automaticity. Speed Drills with Sight Word Lists ! Speed drills typically consist of word

lists of various sight words (can be from Dolch Word Lists as seen in Appendix A) that help students practice automaticity by reading the words accurately and as quickly as possible. This continuous practice with the same words allows students to recognize them quicker and with increasing accuracy. There are several ways of doing speed drills within the classroom. One way is to have each student read the same

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Visual Discrimination Exercises ! When students are having difculty dif-

teacher should lead a discussion around how the shapes made it easier to differentiate between the letters and how those shapes may be able to correspond to the letters themselves and their differences. This can be done with whole words and any word patterns as well. Small words are often among the most difcult to differentiate. While reading, it is often common to hear words such as a and the substituted for each other. Although this does not always change the meaning of the passage, it is important to read the words accurately. One way to help students practice differentiating between these small words is to guide them in direct practice where they are forced to recognize the differences. By creating tracking exercises the students can work toward noticing the differences and reading the words accurately. These activities can be done repetitively or with different words each time. See a sample word list in Appendix A.

ferentiating between certain words, particularly small words or words that are visually similar, explicit instruction in visual discrimination may be necessary. Such instruction is best done in the form of activities centered around noticing and drawing attention to the visual differences. One activity the class can do is word ending discrimination. By giving the students a worksheet with multiple word endings present (s, ed, ing) the teacher can lead the students in an activity to draw their attention to the differences. Together, the students can decide to circle one ending, box another, and triangle the last (or whatever shapes they decide). They then go through the sheet appropriately shaping each ending. The students then read through the sheet out loud either one at a time, as a class, or one row at a time round-robin style. Finally, the

An example of a list of visually similar words .

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5
Expression
! Expression is one of the higher level Tone ! One activity that is great to do with skills within uency and is essential to developing a strong reader as it incorporates all aspects of uency. Because of that, many of the ideas presented in this book fall under that category. The skills specic to expression include observing punctuation, using appropriate tone and intonation, enunciating, and recognizing the prosodic features of language. ! Prosody refers to those elements of

students is selecting a voice in which the students use knowledge of characters, authors, and reporters to determine a mood or emotion in which to read with. This can be done with sections of Readers Theater, sections from a novel, news articles, or random reading selections. First, the students would need to determine who the character or author is and how he or she might be feeling or speaking. After determining a mood or emotion, the student would attempt to read the monologue, selection, or article following the previously determined voice or mood. Sample emotions include: 1.! fear, anxiety, apprehensiveness, worry 2.! anger, displeasure, hostility 3.! pride 4.! love
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reading uency related to pitch, tone, stress, and pausing. Since one of the overall goals in uency instruction is improving prosody, there are several specic activities that can be done as warm-ups within the classroom. These direct and explicit assignments will allow the students to practice the skills associated with prosody in isolation before/while attempting to apply them to reading within context.

5.! happy, optimistic 6.! enthusiasm, vitality 7.! grief 8.! sad, unhappy, depressed, sorrowful 9.! astonishment, surprise

Intonation ! Intonation involves the adherence to

punctuation while reading. Before students can read with the correct intonation by observing punctuation in context, they must rst understand the importance of the punctuation marks in isolation. See the section on punctuation and phrasing for specic examples of exercises to practice. ! !

In addition to these ideas, the chapter has sections on other materials that can be used to practice expressive reading. They include the following: Punctuation and Phrasing Exercises ! After reading the section, the student Readers Theater Poetry Song Lyrics Children's Books as well as the other students and the teacher in the classroom can evaluate the students performance and the student can practice based on suggestions. Another way to incorporate selecting a voice into the classroom is to have slips of paper (attached to Popsicle sticks is a great idea) that contain different emotions. The teacher would then have each student selection an emotion at random and apply that to a section of reading for the day.

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Punctuation and Phrasing

Punctuation ! One component of using appropriate

silly to students, so the teacher should model what the conversation should look like. There are several ways to break up the alphabet and rearrange the various punctuation marks. One example is as follows: ABC? DE. FGH! I? JKL. MN? OPQ! RST! UV? XW. YZ! ! 2. Another way to practice observing

expression while reading is adhering to the proper type of punctuation. For a beginner or struggling reader, knowing to have the intonation of the voice rise with a question mark is not a given. Likewise, they are apt to not see or not understand how to treat commas. This becomes particularly important when differences in punctuation changes the intended meaning of the reading. One famous example of the importance of punctuation exists in the following example. Time to eat, Grandpa! is very different from, Time to eat Grandpa!. Often this example is used when teaching writing, but the importance of punctuation is not a message to be overlooked when teaching reading either. The following exercises can aid in adhering to proper punctuation. ! 1. Break the alphabet into pieces con-

punctuation is to use the same simple sentence with different punctuation marks and discuss how the sentences or the meanings change depending on the end mark. Model the different sentences and ask the students to evaluate what was different. Mice run. ! Cats play. ! Mice run! ! Cats play! ! Mice run? Cats play?

As the year progresses and students master the simple sentences, the teacher can increase the difculty of the sentences to be practiced. Camels eat a lot of food.! lot of food!! Camels eat a

taining punctuation marks and have students work in pairs to have a conversation based on the alphabet. This may seem

Camels eat a lot of food?

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3. The next way is to practice placing

for a helpful discussion on what works and what does not work when conveying intonation through punctuation. Phrasing ! Structured activities in phrasing help

the stress on different words within a sentence by placing a word from the sentence in bold or italics. I ran to the store. ! I ran to the store. ! I ran to the store. ! I ran to the store. I ran to the store. ! Again, the teacher should model what

students to determine where words should naturally be chunked to improve wordby-word reading to smoother, phrasebased reading. By teaching phrasing strategies in isolation, the teacher assists the students in observing how uent readers break sentences into parts as well as practicing that strategy independently. Before students can apply these skills accurately to contextual reading, they need to be able to understand them on a basic level. There are several ways to teach phrasing as warm-up and in-class activities. ! 1. Common phrase lists are a good

the activity should sound like and lead a discussion with the students about how each sentence is read differently and what the implications of those changes are to the meaning of the sentence. As the year progresses and the students skills improve, the sentences can become more complex. ! 4. One great idea for students to prac-

tice intonation in a more open-ended forum is to put a sentence on the board such as, The dog likes milk and have each student silently determine which form of punctuation they are going to put at the end of the sentence. The students then take turns reading the sentence by incorporating their own punctuation. At this time, the other students in the class should try to guess which punctuation mark was followed. The students can then evaluate their own effectiveness based on whether or not the students guessed appropriately. This allows way to introduce students to phrases that are often encountered in reading. Similar to word lists, phrase lists can be used to instill automaticity and recognition by having students read and re-read the lists and even time themselves or each other. There are lists of phrases based on the Fry Instant Sight Words that can be found at www.timrasinski.com/presentations/fry_60 0_instant_phrases.pdf Teachers can also create their own lists of phrases based

25

upon phrases that they most often encounter in reading such as, they walked and down the street. There is a link to a phrasing activity website under resource list in Take-Aways. ! 2. In addition to common phrase lists,

chunk based on the syntax of the sentence. ! 3. Phrase-Cued Text is another useful

tool to practice phrasing in more of a contextual setting. In this exercise, the teacher would either choose a specic passage or a section from the novel. Using that passage, the teacher would go through and mark / or // for pauses either at a breath (/) or the end of a sentence or thought (//). The teacher would then model how the students should read the passage and then the students would practice reading it following the pausing (this can be done in choral reading or paired reading). Eventually, the teacher would provide the students with that same passage without any pausing marks to see if their skills have carried over. The teacher can use any material to create original phrase-cued texts or use any one of the samples found at www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_res ources/pdf/b/building_uency_lessons.pdf

a great way to work on phrasing is to teach students about the different types of natural phrases that exist (this activity is better for higher level students who will not require much grammar instruction). For example, prepositional phrases are fairly common within the English language, so teaching students to notice prepositional phrases and doing several activities where they underline or circle such phrases and then read the sentences is extremely useful. To begin, the teacher would need to provide the students with a list of common prepositions and even prepositional phrases www.abcteach.com/free/l/list_prepositions .pdf Once the students are familiar with prepositions themselves, practice nding them and chunking them within practice sheets or sections of reading. ! This can also be done with subjects

and predicates. By breaking the sentence the cat and dog ate the food into the cat and dog (subject) ate the food (predicate) the students are learning to naturally

26

Readers Theater

The age old practice of Reader's Thea-

play, it is often a good idea to have the students assign parts and do several reads. After their performance show the students that particular clip from the movie/ show and have them evaluate their portrayal of their character. You can even have them perform again taking their evaluation into account. Modied versions of the following screenplays are available in Appendix D: -The Princess Bride -The Three Little Pigs -Aladdin

ter is usually considered to be more for the younger grades, but there are ways to adapt them to high school that will make them both educational and fun. There is a large selection of Reader's Theater that exists in books that are as easy to implement by assigning parts and reading through them. However, you should always take the time to discuss character development and how each student plans to emphasize their character. In addition, you should read through each play more than once (this could be a daily uency practice activity). At the end of a week, you may even want to have the students put on a performance depending on their age. This performance could be in a classroom, via podcast, for another class, or for a lower grade level. If you have a class that would benet from higher-level, more engaging Reader's Theater, you can access screen-plays for common and popular movies and Television shows. It is your choice whether you use the whole screen-play or cut down various scenes or sections. When using a screen-

27

Other recommended materials: ter ! Scholastic's Fabulously Funny Idiom Bull Run by Paul Fleischmann (grades 4-7) is simple to turn into Reader's Thea-

Simply Scripts is a great website

where you can nd the movie script for almost any movie

Plays uses various idioms as well as their denitions in short plays that are easy warm-up activities ! Evan-Moor Educational Publishers

has Reader's Theater books for all elementary grade levels that can be found and purchased easily on Amazon.com ! Read-Aloud Plays: Classic Short Sto-

ries by Mack Lewis contains plays such as Sleepy Hollow and A Christmas Carol which are great for holiday related activities.

28

Poetry

Poetry is a great way to get students

students with practice for intonation and expression in easy to manage segments that are easily repeated. Poetry 180 is a great website including 180 of the best American poems for high school students. For an extensive list of possible poems use the following link: http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/p180-list.ht ml. Other popular authors that provide high school level material are: -Langston Hughes -Robert Frost -Emily Dickinson -e.e. cummings -Walt Whitman

involved in the oral reading process. The rhythmical pattern of poetry not only allows students to practice emotion and intonation, but the students are also given the opportunity to discuss individual meanings from the poems. Additionally, students cannot rely directly on context due to the authors use of syntax. This encourages students to deduce their own meaning so as to provide the correct expression. ! There are several ways to incorporate

poetry into the classroom. A teacher can choose to read a poem a day, a poem a week, or the same poem every day. Some teachers even consider coffee houses where the students must choose a poem and practice it Monday-Thursday and then perform for the class or other classes on Fridays. ! There are many authors and re-

sources that lend themselves to adolescents while practicing more fundamental aspects of reading. Shel Silverstein provides an array of poetry that is easier to read, contains pictures, and provides the

29

Song Lyrics

Song lyrics, similar to poetry, allow

movie Across the Universe which is a little more interesting for students.

students to practice both intonation and expression as well as comprehension when considering the meaning of the lyrics. One way to include song lyrics in the classroom is to select a song and have students practice reading the lyrics. Then, view the music video (this should be preapproved) and have the students discuss what they could improve expression-wise based on the lyrics. Finally, practice the song lyrics again. This can be done in one class period, over several class periods, or as a repeated reading. The students should then discuss what the lyrics mean to them.This is also a great opportunity to allow students to make suggestions that the teacher could view previous to class. Sample lyrics included in Appendix C: September by Daughtry www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzBcKM3ZI E Revolution by The Beatles www.youtube.com/watch?v=72jK7qzdXDc this video is from the modern ! ! !

List of Other Songs: - Lean on Me by Bill Withers www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJZ3bcPr-Ds

- Every Morning by Sugar Ray www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cqU1pFRqY

- The World's Greatest by R. Kelly www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgcovIu3K9 o This particular music video can lead to great conversations about symbolism, gurative language, historical gures that are represented, and what it means to be a hero.

- Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo

30

- Don't Know Why by Norah Jones www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO4dxvguQDk - Four Dead in Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young - Ain't No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKtsdZs9LJo www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnOoNM0U6o c

- True Colors by Cyndi Lauper www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPn0KFlbqX8

- Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcL---4xQYA Keep in mind that this song is upwards of 10 minutes.

- If I Were a Boy by Beyonce www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWpsOqh8q0 M This may be of questionable content depending on the class.

- Time by Pink Floyd www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYxY_P8Vn3k

- Imagine by John Lennon www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCX3NDZAwY

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Childrens Books

Children's books are a wonderful

younger students, which is a rewarding experience for both sets of students. These children's books allow students to focus on expression and intonation because they are already familiar with the word patterns and decoding. Here are some classic childrens books to get students started. -Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak -Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown -The Very Hungry Caterpiller by Eric Carle -Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. -The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss -Make Way for Duckings by Robert McCloskey -The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper -Blueberry for Sal by Robert McCloskey

way to engage students in the uency process. By providing the students with common books from their childhood (or even your own), the students are allowed to choose material that they are already familiar and comfortable with (maybe even nostalgic about). Again, there are several ways to incorporate children's books into the classroom. ! One way is to have a class period

where the art of reading a children's book is discussed including what to do and what not to do. This is then followed by allowing each student to choose a book and read it to the class. After each reading, a discussion should follow where the students evaluate the performance. Then, each student should practice it for several days (thus making this repeated reading exercise as well). The eventual goal would be a uent rendition of the book in front of the class. ! To take this activity a step further,

the students can take a eld trip to a preschool or elementary school classroom where they read the books to the

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6
Sample Agendas for Fluency Instruction
! When teaching uency, it can be helpup with what they read for homework. You can occasionally give the students a Reading Review type pop-quiz (but never call it a quiz). 2.! 5 minutes with Repeated Readings. In a uency class, it is important that students are reading a structured passage multiple times in order to track improvement in words correct per minute as well as prosodic features of uency. Students should each read a passage from a chosen uency program (perhaps with partners). The teacher should work with each student individually at least twice a week. 3.! 10-15 minutes with a structured direct instruction activity. This is where you would do isolated practice with phrasing, punctuation, word patterns, syllabication, or some other specic uency skill. The teacher should clearly explain the process or directions and lead the students either in paired, group, or individual practice. (You can do more than one activity).
33

ful to establish a routine for the day as well as the week in order to address all aspects of uency. Daily In a 50 minute class, this is one way to break up your class period: ! It never hurts to have something pre-

pared for as students are coming into the classroom and getting settled. One way to do that is by displaying a list of words either from the reading for that day, from yesterday, or following a certain pattern. This list could be displayed on the board and the students would need to practice reading the words as they are coming in (maybe they even have their own printed pages). 1.! 5 minutes reviewing homework. Check each students assignment. Have questions prepared to ask them to follow-

4.! 20 minutes can be sent applying these skills to reading material in context whether Readers Theater, short story, or novel. Have students practice the skills they are working on. Choose a reading style, possibly popcorn reading where the students pass a ball. 5.! 5 minutes should be spent wrapping up what you read and worked on in class that day. Have the students complete some sort of ticket to leave written activity before leaving the classroom. Make sure you leave adequate time to discuss homework and write it down.

Weekly

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday Word List Poetry (Speed Drill)

Friday Readers Theater

Phrasing

Expression

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7
Take Aways
! Overall, teaching and practicing u Remember the ultimate goal of uency is comprehension. Teach uency as a vehicle to understanding, rather than a separate entity. Students will not always make the connection themselves, and therefore uency seems unimportant. Find ways to make that connection for them if needed. Set goals and track data so students can see the outcome of their hard work. It can help provide motivation and increase in self-condence. Not to mention that it assists the teacher in measuring progress. Keep up-to-date with best practices. New technologies and methodologies present themselves each day. We have given you just a few to get started. ency with adolescents can be an enjoyable experience, even if it initially feels embarrassing or tedious to them. Fluency is not just about reading word lists, though they can be helpful, but getting students to engage in and think about how they read and how to improve their reading. Here are a few rules to live by: Teach to the student and where his or her skills are. Fluency should be less about challenge and more about practice so students do not become overly frustrated. Find topics that interest students and nd material that corresponds, such as poets, themes of stories, music types, and favorite movies.

35

Internet Resources Famous Movie Speeches: ! http://www.imdb.com/list/Bf4eKcczgnk/

Fry Instant Sight Words: ! www.timrasinski.com/presentations/fry_600_instant_phrases.pdf

Prepositions: ! www.abcteach.com/free/l/list_prepositions.pdf

Phrase-Cued Texts: www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/b/building_uency_lesssons.pdf Readers Theater Website ! www.simplyscripts.com

Poetry ! http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/p180-list.html

Phrases ! http://www.fcrr.org/curriculum/PDF/G2-3/2-3Fluency_3.pdf

Additional Resources: ! Florida Center for Reading Research (can be found online)

36

Appendix A: Word Lists

Nonsense Words
af bef besk sooks blefs snest ap bek ble blef tefs blofs snoesp ba chash dree blek teft bloft throest bo chos eps blof teps blost throisk de
37

chosh esk jeps thask brofs throist di sek esp jept thoint broks trievd

Visually Similar Words

wiping whipping whining winning quite quiet quit quilt delineate delete delight delicious

precarious precious previous pervasive

tough though through thorough

difference deance difcult diffuse

tired tried triad trial

exact extract extra exit

glue glide gild glad

38

Dolch Word List

in was said his that she for on they but had at him with up all look is her

there some out as be have go we am then little down do can could when did what so

39

see not were get them like one this my would me will yes big went are come if now

long no came ask very an over your its ride into just blue red from good any about around

40

want don't how know right put too got take where every pretty jump green four away old by their

here saw call after well think ran let help make going sleep brown yellow ve six walk two

41

Appendix B: Song Lyrics

Revolution"
You say you want a revolution.! Well, you know,! We all want to change the world.! You tell me that it's evolution.! Well, you know,! We all want to change the world.! But when you talk about destruction! don't you know you can count me out?! Don't you know it's gonna be alright?! Don't you know it's gonna be alright?! Don't you know it's gonna be alright?! Alright Alright! You say you'll change the constitution! Well, you know,! We all want to change your head.! You tell me it's the institution.! Well, you know,! You better free your mind instead.! But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao,! You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow.! Don't you know it's gonna be alright?! Don't you know it's gonna be alright?! Alright Alright Alright
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September
By Daughtry How the time passed away! All the trouble that we gave! And all those day we spent out by the lake! Has it all gone to waste?! All the promises we made! ! Yeah, We knew we had to leave this town! But we never knew when and we never All the things I still remember! Summers never looked the same! Years go by and time just seems to y! ! We knew we had to leave this town! But we never knew when and we never knew how! ! All the things I still remember! Summers never look the same! Years go by and time just seems to y! But the memories remain! Now it all seems so clear! There's nothing left to fear! So we made our way by nding what was real! Now the days are so long! That summer's moving on! Reach for something that's already gone! ! All the things I still remember! Summers never look the same! Years go by and time just seems to y! But the memories remain! In the middle of September! We still played out in the rain! In the middle of September! We still played out in the rain! Nothing to lose but everything to gain! Reecting now on how things could've been! It was worth it in the end But the memories remain! In the middle of September! We still played out in the rain! Nothing to lose but everything to gain! Reecting now on how things could've been! It was worth it in the end! ! knew how! We would up here the way we are! One by one they vanished just the same! ! Nothing to lose but everything to gain! Reecting now on how things could've been! It was worth it in the end!

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Appendix C: Readers Theater

THE PRINCESS BRIDE

Characters:

NARRATOR! !

________________

VIZZINI! !

________________!

INIGO!

________________

FEZZIK! !

________________

MAN IN BLACK!

________________

BUTTERCUP! !

________________
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SCENE 1 NARRATOR: Three men: Vizzini, Fezzik, and Inigo have just kidnapped Princess Buttercup and are sailing away to an unknown island. Inigo is at the helm, Fezzik stands near the body of the princess, whose eyelids utter slightly -- or do they? Vizzini sits motionless. The waves are higher, there are only occasional ashes of moon slanting down between clouds.!! VIZZINI: (to Inigo) We'll reach the Cliffs by dawn. (Inigo nods, glances back.) VIZZINI: Why are you doing that?! INIGO: Making sure nobody's following us. VIZZINI: That would be inconceivable. BUTTERCUP: Despite what you think, you will be caught. And when you are, the Prince will see you all hanged. (Vizzini turns a cold eye on the Princess.) VIZZINI: Of all the necks on this boat, Highness, the one you should be worrying about is your own. (Inigo keeps staring behind them.)

VIZZINI: Stop doing that. We can all relax, it's almost overINIGO: You're sure nobody's following us? VIZZINI: As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, inconceivable. No one in Guilder knows what we've done. And no one in Florin could have gotten here so fast. Out of curiosity, why do you ask? INIGO: No reason. It's only, I just happened to look behind us, and something is there. VIZZINI: What? NARRATOR: And suddenly the three whirl, stare back and Inigo was right -- something is very much there. A sailboat. Black. With a great billowing sail. Black. It's a good distance behind them, but it's coming like hell, closing the gap. VIZZINI: (explaining with as much logic as he can muster) Probably some local sherman out for a pleasure cruise at night through eel-infested waters. (A sound comes from their boat and they turn as Buttercup, diving into the water, starts to swim away.)

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VIZZINI: Go in, get after her! INIGO: I don't swim.! ! ! ! !

INIGO: (pointing behind them.) I think he's getting closer. VIZZINI: He's no concern of ours. Sail on! (to Buttercup) I suppose you think you're brave, don't you? (Buttercup stares deeply at him.)

FEZZIK: I only dog paddle. VIZZINI: Veer left. Left. Left! (A not-too-distant high-pitched shrieking sound is heard. Buttercup stops suddenly, treads water.) VIZZINI: Do you know what that sound is, Highness? Those are the Shrieking Eels -if you doubt me, just wait. They always grow louder when they're about to feed on human esh. (The shrieking sounds are getting louder and more terrifying. Buttercup stays silent.) VIZZINI: If you swim back now, I promise, no harm will come to you. I doubt you will get such an offer from the Eels. NARRATOR: The shrieking sound is louder still, but she doesn't make a sound. She's scared, sure, petried, who wouldn't be, but she makes no reply Then a giant arm pounds the Eel unconscious in one move, then easily lifts Buttercup into the boat. VIZZINI: Put her down. Just put her down.

SCENE 2 NARRATOR: The boat is sailing at dawn, being followed closely by the black sailboat, which we can see for the rst time is being sailed by a Man in Black, and his boat almost seems to be ying. INIGO: Look! He's right on top of us. I wonder if he is using the same wind we are using. VIZZINI: Whoever he is, he's too late -(pointing ahead of them)-- see? (big) The Cliffs of Insanity.! ! ! ! !

SCENE 3 NARRATOR: They have arrived at THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY. Its DAWN. The cliffs rise straight up, sheer from the water, impossibly high. The two sailboats are in a wild race for the Cliffs and the Man In
xlvi

Black is closing faster than ever, but not fast enough, the lead was too great to overcome, and Inigo sails with great precision straight at the Cliffs. VIZZINI: Hurry up. Move the thing! Um ...that other thing. Move it! We're safe -only Fezzik is strong enough to go up our way -- he'll have to sail around for hours 'til he nds a harbor. NARRATOR: Fezzik grabs a rope and harnesses everyone in. He uses the rope and his brute strength to carry his men and Princess Buttercup up the cliffs. As they are scaling up the side, the Man in Black watches them from his sailboat. Eventually, they reach the top. At this time, the MAN IN BLACK is leaping from his ship to the rope, starting to climb. He's impossibly far behind, but the way he goes you'd think he didn't know that because he is ying up the rope, hand over hand like lightning. INIGO: (looking down) He's climbing the rope. And he's gaining on us. VIZZINI: Inconceivable! (Shrieking) Faster! FEZZIK: I thought I was going faster.

VIZZINI: You were supposed to be this colossus. You were this great, legendary thing. And yet he gains. FEZZIK: Well, I'm carrying three people. And he's got only himself. VIZZINI: I do not accept excuses. I'm just going to have to nd myself a new giant, that's all. FEZZIK: (hurt) Don't say that, Vizzini. Please. VIZZINI: Did I make it clear that your job is at stake? NARRATOR: Vizzini makes it to the cliff top and leaps off and takes out a knife, and begins to cut the rope which is tied around a great rock while Inigo helps the Princess to her feet and Fezzik just stands around, waiting for someone to tell him to do something. Nearby are some stone ruins. Once they might have been a fort, now the kind of resemble Stonehenge. The Man in Black is only feet from the top now, maybe less -- maybe only 50 and his pace is as dazzling as before. FEZZIK: (to Inigo -- impressed) He has very good arms.

xlvii

VIZZINI: He didn't fall? Inconceivable!! INIGO: (whirling on Vizzini) you keep using that word -- I do not think it means what you think it means.! VIZZINI: Whoever he is, he's obviously seen us with the Princess, and must therefore die. (to Fezzik) You, carry her. (to Inigo) We'll head straight for the Guilder frontier. Catch up when he's dead. If he falls, ne. If not, the sword. (Inigo nods.)

(FEZZIK nods, hurries after Vizzini.)

SCENE 5!

NARRATOR: Inigo watches them depart, then turns, peers down over the Cliffs. He watches a moment, then paces, shaking his hands loose. He practices a few of his honed fencing skills. He is a taut and nervous fellow, and has never been one for waiting around. The Man in Black is climbing on. He must be six inches closer to the top than when last we saw him. Inigo is watching and then walks away. Finally he

SCENE 4 INIGO: I want to duel him left-handed. VIZZINI: You know what a hurry we're in. INIGO: Well, it's the only way I can be satised. If I use my right -- tch -- over too quickly. VIZZINI: (turns abruptly, starts off-screen) Oh, have it your way. FEZZIK: You be careful. (gravely)-- People in masks cannot be trusted. VIZZINI: (calling out) I'm waiting!

goes back to cliff edge, starts to talk. It's instant death if the Man in Black falls, but neither gives that possibility much credence. This is our two heroes meeting. They don't know it yet; but that's what it is. INIGO: (hollering down) Hello there. (The Man in Black glances up, kind of grunts.) INIGO: Slow going? MAN IN BLACK: Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks. So I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't distract me. INIGO: Sorry.

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MAN IN BLACK: Thank you. INIGO: I do not suppose you could speed things up? MAN IN BLACK: (with some beat) if you're in such a hurry, you could lower a rope, or a tree branch, or nd something useful to do.! ! ! ! ! ! !

INIGO: I swear on the soul of my father, Domingo Montoya, you will reach the top alive. MAN IN BLACK: (pauses) throw me the rope. NARRATOR: Inigo dashes to the giant rock the rope was originally tied to. Meanwhile, as his grip loosens a moment, THE MAN IN BLACK tries to cling to the side of the cliff. INIGO, now with a small coil of rope, hurries back to the edge and hurls it over -- It hangs close to the Man in Black. He releases the rocks, grabs the rope, hangs helplessly in space a moment, then looks up at Inigo and ---rises through the early morning light, slowly, steadily, and the cliff top at last comes within reach MAN IN BLACK: (pulling his sword) Thank you. INIGO: We'll wait until you're ready. MAN IN BLACK: Again. Thank you. INIGO: I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six ngers on your right hand?

INIGO: I could do that. In fact, I've got some rope up here. But I do not think that you will accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you. MAN IN BLACK: That does put a damper on our relationship. INIGO: But I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top. MAN IN BLACK: That's very comforting. But I'm afraid you'll just have to wait. INIGO: I hate waiting. I could give you my word as a Spaniard. MAN IN BLACK: No good. I've known too many Spaniards. INIGO: You don't know any way you'll trust me?! MAN IN BLACK: Nothing comes to mind.

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ngered man and say, "Hello, my name is MAN IN BLACK: Do you always begin conversations this way? INIGO: My father was slaughtered by a sixngered man. He was a great swordmaker, my father. And when the sixngered man appeared and requested a special sword, my father took the job. He slaved a year before he was done. (He hands his sword to the Man in Black.) MAN IN BLACK: (fondling it-impressed) I have never seen its equal. INIGO: The six-ngered man returned and demanded it, but at one-tenth his promised price. My father refused. Without a word, the six-ngered man slashed him through the heart. I loved my father, so, naturally, challenged his murderer to a duel... I failed ... the six-ngered man did leave me alive with the six-ngered sword, but he gave me these. (He touches his scars.) MAN IN BLACK: How old were you? INIGO: I was eleven years old. When I was strong enough, I dedicated my life to the study of fencing. So the next time we meet, I will not fail. I will go up to the sixInigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." MAN IN BLACK: You've done nothing but study swordplay? INIGO: More pursuit than study lately. You see, I cannot nd him. It's been twenty years now. I am starting to lose condence. I just work for Vizzini to pay the bills. There's not a lot of money in revenge. MAN IN BLACK: (handing back the great sword, starting to rise) Well, I certainly hope you nd him, someday. INIGO: You are ready, then? MAN IN BLACK: Whether I am or not, you've been more than fair. INIGO: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you. MAN IN BLACK: (walking away a few paces, unsheathing his sword) You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die. INIGO: Begin! And on that word ! ! ! ! The End

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

by Jon Scieszka

CHARACTERS:

Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3 Narrator 4

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

Narrator 5 ___________________________________________________! Narrator 6 Pig 2 Pig 3 Wolf ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

li

WOLF:

Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they

do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story. I'm the Wolf. Alexander T. Wolf. You can call me Al. NARRATOR 1: No one knows just how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong. NARRATOR 2: Maybe it's because wolves eat cute little animals like bunnies and sheep and pigs. That's just the way they are. If cheeseburgers were cute, folks would probably think people were Big and Bad, too. NARRATOR 1: But the whole Big Bad thing is all wrong. NARRATOR 2: The real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar. NARRATOR 3: Way back in Once Upon a Time time, our friend, the wolf, was making a birthday cake for his dear granny. NARRATOR 4: He had a terrible sneezing cold. NARRATOR 5: He had ran out of sugar. NARRATOR 6: So he walked down the street to ask his neighbor for a cup of sugar. NARRATOR 1: Now this neighbor was a pig. NARRATOR 2: And he wasn't too bright, either NARRATOR 3: He had built his whole house out of straw. NARRATOR 4: Can you believe it? Who ln his right mind would build a house of straw? NARRATOR 5: So of course the minute the wolf knocked on the door, it fell right in and he didn't want to just walk into someone else's house.

lii

NARRATOR 6: So he called. WOLF: Little Pig, ... Little Pig, are you in? NARRATOR 1: No answer. NARRATOR 2: He was just about to go home without the cup of sugar for his dear old granny's birthday cake. NARRATOR 3: That's when his nose started to itch. NARRATOR 4: He felt a sneeze coming on. NARRATORS 1-2-3-4-5-6 (TOGETHER): Well, he huffed. And he snuffed. NARRATOR 1: And he sneezed a great sneeze. NARRATOR 2: And you know what? That whole darn straw house fell down. And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig-dead as a doornail. NARRATOR 3: He had been home the whole time. NARRATOR 4: It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So the wolf ate it up. NARRATOR 5: Think of it as a big cheeseburger just lying there. NARRATOR 6: He was feeling a little better. But he still didn't have his cup of sugar. NARRATOR 1: So he went to the next neighbor's house. NARRATOR 2: This neighbor was the First Little Pig's brother. He was a little smarter, but not much. He had built his house of sticks. NARRATOR 3: He rang the bell on the stick house.

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NARRATOR 4: Nobody answered. NARRATOR 5: He called: WOLF: Mr. Pig, ... Mr. Pig, are you in?

NARRATOR 6: He yelled back: 2ND PIG: chin. NARRATOR 1: He had grabbed the doorknob when he felt another sneeze coming on. NARRATORS 1-2-3-4-5-6: He huffed. And he snuffed. NARRATOR 2: And he tried to cover his mouth, but he sneezed a great sneeze. NARRATOR 3: And you're not going to believe it, but this guy's house fell down just like his brother's. NARRATOR 4: When the dust cleared, there was the second Little Pig -- dead as a doornail. WOLF: Wolf's honor! Go away wolf. You can't come in. I'm shaving the hairs on my chinny chin

NARRATOR 5: Now you know food will spoil if you leave it out in the open. NARRATOR 6: So the wolf did the only thing there was to do. He had dinner again. NARRATOR 1: Think of it as a second helping. NARRATOR 2: He was getting awfully full. But his cold was feeling a little better. NARRATOR 3: And he still didn't have that cup of sugar for his dear old granny's birthday cake.

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NARRATOR 4: So the wolf went to the next house. This guy was the First and Second Little Pigs' brother. NARRATOR 5: He must have been the brains of the family. He had built his house of bricks. NARRATOR 6: The wolf knocked on the brick house. No answer. WOLF: Mr. Pig,. . . Mr. Pig, are you in?

NARRATOR 1: And do you know what that rude little porker answered? 3RD PIG: Get out of here, Wolf. Don't bother me again.

NARRATOR 2: Talk about impolite! NARRATOR 3: He probably had a whole sackful of sugar. NARRATOR 4: And he wouldn't give the wolf even one little cup for his dear, sweet old granny's birthday cake. NARRATOR 5: What a pig! NARRATOR 6: The wolf was just about to go home and maybe make a nice birthday card instead of a cake, when he felt his cold coming on. NARRATORS 1-2-3-4-5-6: He huffed. And he snuffed. And he sneezed once again. NARRATOR 1: Then the Third Little Pig yelled: 3RD PIG: And your old granny can sit on a pin!

NARRATOR 2: The wolf was usually a pretty calm fellow. But when he heard somebody talk about his dear, sweet old granny like that, he went a little crazy.

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NARRATOR 3: When the cops drove up, of course he was trying to break down this Pig's door. And the whole time the wolf was hufng and pufng and sneezing and making a real scene. NARRATOR 4: The rest, as they say, is history. NARRATOR 5: The news reporters found out about the two pigs he had for dinner. NARRATOR 6: They gured a sick guy going to borrow a cup of sugar didn't sound very exciting. NARRATOR 3: So they jazzed up the story with all that "huff and puff" and "blow your house down" stuff. NARRATOR 4: And they made him the Big Bad Wolf. NARRATOR 5: That's it. NARRATOR 6: The real story. WOLF: I WAS FRAMED!

NARRATORS 1-2-3-4-5-6: But maybe you could loan him a cup of sugar.

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Aladdin
(Edited by: Kristine M. Burgess)

Characters: Aladdin..________________________

Jafar._________________________

Iago.__________________________

Sultan.__________________________

Genie..__________________________

Jasmine..__________________________

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Scene 1: On the balcony in Agrabah, the Sultan is making a speech SULTAN: People of Agrabah, My daughter has nally chosen a suitor! (Cut to behind the curtain, where JASMINE is peeking. ALADDIN appears at the bottom of the stairs.) ALADDIN: JASMINE: ALADDIN: JASMINE: ALADDIN: JASMINE: Jasmine? Ali, where have you been? There's something I've got to tell you. The whole kingdom has turned out for father's announcement! No! But Jasmine, listen to me, please! Good luck! (She pushes him out onto the platform with the SULTAN, where

he overlooks the entire crowd.) SULTAN: ...Ali Ababwa! ALADDIN: Oh, boy!

(Far above, IAGO and JAFAR watch through a window.) IAGO: Look at them, cheering that little pipsqueak. JAFAR: Let them cheer.

Scene 2: Jafar now has possession of Aladdins lamp. He takes it out and begins to form a plan. (He lifts the lamp and rubs it. GENIE comes out.)

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GENIE: You know Al, I'm getting (turns and sees JAFAR) reallyyyyyy--I don't think you're him. Tonight, the role of Al will be played by a tall, dark and sinister ugly man. JAFAR: I am your master now. GENIE: I was afraid of that. JAFAR: Genie, grant me my rst wish. I wish to rule on high, as sultan!!! (The castle shakes. The roof rips off and the SULTAN and ALADDIN duck.) ALADDIN: Whoa!

SULTAN: Bless my soul. What is this? What is going on? JAFAR: Heh heh heh! SULTAN: Jafar, you vile betrayer. IAGO: That's Sultan Vile Betrayer to you. Oh, yeah? Well, we'll just see about that! (Pull off his own turban, but nds it

ALADDIN:

empty) The lamp! JAFAR: Finders-keepers, Abooboo. ALADDIN: Genie! No!

GENIE: Sorry, kid--I got a new master now. SULTAN: Jafar, I order you to stop! JAFAR: There's a new order now--my order! Finally, you will bow to me! (The SULTAN bows, but JASMINE does not.)

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JASMINE: We'll never bow to you! IAGO: Why am I not surprised?

JAFAR: If you will not bow before a sultan, then you will cower before a sorcerer! (To GENIE) Genie, my second wish--I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world! (GENIE extends his nger.) IAGO: Ladies and gentlemen, a warm Agrabah welcome for Sorcerer Jafar!

JAFAR: Now where were we? Ah, yes--abject humiliation! Prince Ali. Yes, it is he, But not as you know him. Read my lips and come to grips With reality. Yes, meet a blast from your past. Whose lies were too good to last. Say hello to your precious Prince Ali! IAGO: ALADDIN: Or should we say Aladdin? Jasmine, I tried to tell you.

JAFAR: So Ali turns out to be merely Aladdin. Just a con, need I go on? Take it from meHis personality aws Give me adequate cause To send him packing on a one-way trip. So his prospects take a terminal dip His assets frozen, the venue chosen Is the ends of the earth, whoopee! So long. IAGO: Good bye, see ya!

JAFAR: Ex-Prince Ali!

Scene 3: Aladdin has managed to return to the palace in an attempt to rescue Jasmine and the Sultan. He plans to take back the lamp and defeat Jafar. GENIE: Al! Al, little buddy! ALADDIN: Shh!

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GENIE: (Literally zips his mouth shut, then unzips it.) Al, I can't help you--I work for senor psychopath, now. ALADDIN: ABU: Hey--I'm a street rat, remember? (He rezips GENIE's mouth.) I'll improvise. Yuck!

JAFAR: That was--(he sees Aladdin) You!! How many times do I have to kill you, boy? ALADDIN: Get the lamp!

(Aladdin is about to get the lamp when Jafar stops him) JAFAR: (laughs hideously) You little fool! You thought you could defeat the most powerful being on earth! IAGO: Squeeze him, Jafar--Squeeze him like a--awk! JAFAR: Without the genie, boy, you're nothing! ALADDIN: The genie! The genie! The genie has more power than you'll ever have! JAFAR: What!! ALADDIN: He gave you your power, he can take it away!

GENIE: Al, what are you doing? Why are you bringing me into this? ALADDIN: Face it, Jafar--you're still just second best!

JAFAR: You're right! His power does exceed my own! But not for long! (JAFAR circles around the GENIE.) GENIE: The boy is crazy. He's a little punch drunk. One too many hits on the head. JAFAR: Slave, I make my third wish! I wish to be an all powerful genie!

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GENIE: (Reluctantly) All right, your wish is my command. Way to go, Al. (GENIE zaps JAFAR) JAFAR: Yes! Yes! The power! The absolute power! JASMINE: ALADDIN: (to ALADDIN) What have you done? Trust me!

(A black lamp appears at JAFAR's base. JAFAR is busy conjuring.) JAFAR: The universe is mine to command, to control! ALADDIN: Not so fast, Jafar! Aren't you forgetting something? You wanted to be a ge-

nie, you got it! And everything that goes with it! (Shackles appear on JAFAR's wrists.) JAFAR: No! No! IAGO: I'm gettin' out of here! Come on, you're the genie, I don't want--

(IAGO tries to y away, but is sucked in with JAFAR.) ALADDIN: Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty bitty living space.

GENIE: Al, you little genius, you! JAFAR: (Both from inside the lamp.) Get your blasted beak out of my face!

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IAGO:

Oh, shut up, you moron!

JAFAR: Don't tell me to shut up! GENIE: Allow me. (He takes the lamp and goes to the balcony. He icks the lamp with his nger). Ten- thousand years in a cave of wonders ought to chill him out! Genie is freed. Jasmine and Aladdin live happily ever after.

The end.

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References
Blevins, Wiley. Building Fluency: Lessons and Strategies for Reading Success. New York: Scholastic, 2001. Print. Learning Point Associates. http://www.learningpt.org/literacy/activitypdfs/Fluency.pdf. 9 July 2013. Nettles, Diane Hood. Toolkit for Teachers of Literacy. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2007. Print. Rasinski, Timothy V. The Fluent Reader: Oral & Silent Reading Strategies for Building Fluency, Word Recognition & Comprehension. New York, NY: Scholastic, 2010. Print. Vacca, Jo Anne L., Richard T. Vacca, and Mary K. Gove. "Chapter 7: Reading Fluency." Reading and Learning to Read. New York: Longman, 2006. N. pag. Print.

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