Reading Makes Me Bananas


Growing Independence and Fluency

Amanda Etheridge




In order for children to be able to have better comprehension, they must first become readers that are more fluent. Without learning all the skills needed for decoding, comprehension can become very difficult. Fluency must be achieved, but only after the major correspondences have been mastered. Through repeated readings, children can become more fluent, and will begin to grasp the content of the story easier, their sight vocabulary will increase, and their reading speed will increase.



Charts to display the students' individual progress (monkeys that climb the banana tree)

Sentence strips with sentences for students to practice

·         I enjoy riding in the boat on the lake

·         Will you go to Meg's party on Sunday?

Fluency Checklist (read fast, slow, stopped, did not stop)

Class copies of Monkey See Monkey Do (1993)



1. Explain to the class that it is important for them to be fluent when they read in order to read quickly and accurately. Today we are going to continue to become better readers by working on fluency. This skill will help you become faster readers and you will be able to read words easier. We are going to do this by reading and rereading a book. The more times you read a book, the more practice you have the more fluent you become.


2. I am going to read a sentence for you but I will read it in a different ways. I want you to tell me what was different about the two readings. Are you ready? (Modeling- Read the sentence first slowly, sounding out each word. Then read the sentence smoothly and fluently.) "Which time was easier for you to understand? Which way is how you want to read? The second time, right? That is what we are going to practice today. Now let us practice some sentences together. Read the sentence 'I enjoy riding in the boat on the lake.' Ready ok, now read it again. Again. Which time was the smoothest? The last time right? Why? Because you practiced. You were becoming more fluent with reading that sentence. Now try the next one. (Repeat steps for the first sentence)


3. Now listen as I read the sentence, 'I enjoy riding on the lake.' (Read the first time in a slow, monotone voice, and second time with expression.) Which time was better? Yes the second time. Why? Because I read with more expression. That is something that we will practice when we read and reread our story.


4. Now let us read Monkey See Monkey Do. This is about a monkey that bounces all over the house doing different things. What kind of things let's read to find out. We are going to read this several times, so go ahead and read to yourself and then reread the story twice after you are done. After reading, ask the student if there are any questions.


5. Give the students a fluency checklist. Describe the different areas for them to check. Tell them that they will be reading with a partner and they will each fill out a checklist on each other. If your partner reads fast, you will mark this box. If they stop you will mark the stop box. If they do not stop check the did not stop box. If they read slowly check the slow box.


6. To further assess the students, have the students come up to your desk and ask them questions about the story.



"Ready, Set, Read!" by Ann Ludlum


"On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!!!" by Kristen Herren



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