TESOL 2012 Presentation: Engaging Activities to Teach Sight Words for Improved Reading Fluency

I just found out my proposal "Engaging Activities to Teach Sight Words for Improved Reading Fluency" was accepted at the TESOL 2012 conference in Philadelphia next March. The acceptance rate this year was 24%, so I'm honored to have this opportunity. I submitted this presentation as a poster session format this year to provide some variety in my presentation repertoire. I will be sharing ideas for teaching sight words, specifically how to build on phonic clues, promote rapid recognition, and help students commit these sight words to long-term memory. I have addressed this topic before in a blog post entitled "Ideas for Teaching Sight Words for ELLs/ESL Students." (See a photo of my poster here.)

Here is a summary of my presentation:

Free RTI Online Resource

I'm currently working with my curriculum team on creating some reading passages for kids ages 4-9 to help them practice decoding in context. One of my colleagues introduced me to a website called "Intervention Central", which was designed to serve as a resource for Response to Intervention (RTI) teachers. I thought it was worth sharing this resource on this blog since it has several helpful tools that can be used in various classroom settings.

My team and I are using the reading fluency passage generator tool to pilot our stories. We simply copy and paste our passage text into a box and click "submit," and the website creates a document we can use to pilot our passages. The number of words on each line are identified in the right margin, as well as the Grade Level Equivalency score/s of our choice. We've chosen to use the Flesch-Kincaid measure, but you can opt to use any number of readability formulas, including (but not limited to) Fog Index, Spache, SMOG-Grading, and Coleman-Liau. The website also provides a number of other kinds of tools, including a letter naming fluency probe generator, a wordlist fluency generator, and a maze passage generator (similar to a cloze exercise), to name a few. There is also a math worksheet generator. Although this website was designed specifically as an RTI resource, I find the tools on this website effective for various language classrooms.

Ideas for Teaching Sight Words for ELLs/ESL Students

Why Teach Sight Words?
One effective approach to teaching reading to low-level readers is to teach sight words. Sight words are words that occur so often in a text that readers should be able to read them by sight without having to decode them. Sight words also consist of words that cannot be decoded and must be memorized by sight. Knowing these high-frequency words and being able to recognize non-decodable words by sight are extremely important skills for developing reading fluency.

In order to read well, students need to read sight words very quickly. They need to memorize them. Students should memorize a few sight words at a time.

The Five Reasons Why English Language Learners Benefit from Systematic Phonics Instruction

In my last post, I mentioned that Dr. Neil J. Anderson, world-renowned second language reading expert, spoke at the Reading Horizons Distributor Seminar in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 15, 2010. Since I work for Reading Horizons, and since I know Dr. Anderson personally, he asked me before the seminar my opinion on what topic he should address. As we discussed possible topics, I was reminded of the perpetual need to establish and promote the important role that systematic phonics instruction plays in an English Language Learner's education. Thus, his presentation was entitled, "The Five Reasons Why English Language Learners Benefit from Systematic Phonics Instruction." The five reasons he discussed, each supported by research, include:

Reading Fluency: Optimal Silent and Oral Reading Rates

Neil J. Anderson, professor of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University, recently presented at the Reading Horizons distributor seminar in Salt Lake City, Utah. He shared some interesting information about how English Language Learners (ELLs) benefit from systematic phonics instruction. Two of the reasons he cited include the following: 1) reading fluency increases as students learn to decode words; and 2) oral reading improves when students can decode words correctly.

Reading fluency, as defined by Neil Anderson, is "reading at an appropriate rate with adequate comprehension" (Anderson, 2008, p. 3). This definition of reading fluency is important as teachers consider what an "appropriate reading rate" is for their students. Remember that reading at a quick pace (an "appropriate rate") without comprehending what is being read is not fluent reading. Additionally, reading super slowly and understanding everything being read ("adequate comprehension") likewise is not fluent reading. The balance between the two--reading rate and comprehension--is important to fluency.

So what constitutes an "appropriate rate"? During the presentation, Anderson referenced national averages for optimal silent and oral reading rates by grade level (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006). I wanted to share this information below: 

Silent Reading Rates

1^st grade: 80 wpm

2^nd grade: 115 wpm

3^rd grade: 138 wpm

4^th grade: 158 wpm

5^th grade: 173 wpm

6^th grade: 185 wpm

7^th grade: 195 wpm

8^th grade: 204 wpm

9^th grade: 214 wpm

10th grade: 224 wpm

11th grade: 237 wpm

12th grade: 250 wpm

College or University: 280 wpm

Oral Reading Rates

1^st grade: 53 wpm

2^nd grade: 89 wpm

3^rd grade: 107 wpm

4^th grade: 123 wpm

5^th grade: 139 wpm

6^th grade: 150 wpm

7^th grade: 150 wpm

8^th grade: 151 wpm

Notice that oral reading rates beyond the 8th grade level are not listed. This is due to the fact that when we read aloud, we generally do not read faster than what we can read at an 8th grade reading level.

These silent and oral reading rates can be used as a guideline when discerning appropriate reading rates for students. Adjustments to these reading rates could be made to accommodate English Language Learners and students with reading difficulties. 

-->

References:

Anderson, N. J. (2008). Practical English language teaching: Reading. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hasbrouck, J., & Tindal, G. A. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for teaching teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59, 636-644.

See also my post about a free online speed reading tool here.

Learning Strategies for Reading Faster and Speed Reading

Learning strategies are always of interest to me, so when I came across this link that presents 70 strategies to improve speed reading, I thought I would pass it along. While I don't know the research backing of each strategy provided on this particular link, I do think there is relevance in presenting learners with specific strategies, teaching learners how to use them appropriately, allowing learners to try the strategies out themselves in context of a relevant learning situation, providing learners with opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of each strategy, and then allowing learners to make their own decisions regarding the potential usefulness of the strategies in future learning situations. If a strategy worked well for them, learners should be encouraged to continue to use the strategy. If the strategy did not work well, learners should use a different approach. This process can be used in a classroom setting or by an independent learner. This approach develops strategic, self-directed learners.

Following is the list of strategies on the link mentioned above:

Selection & Timing
Get better control of what you read and when you read it.

1. Go for big fonts: Big fonts are easier to speed read because it’s harder to skip lines accidentally.
2. Make it more interesting: Approach reading as something interesting instead of a dreaded task.
3. Set a time goal: Decide how fast you’d like to read and keep on track to push yourself.
4. Put together a reading schedule: Find out a time of day when you’re alert and ready to read.
5. Don’t read unnecessary items: Delete joke emails, catalogs, and newsletters to reduce your pile of reading to get through.
6. Read correspondence once: Read correspondence right away and decide what to do about it so that you don’t have to go back over it again.
7. Squeeze reading in: Get reading done in tiny increments, taking advantage of opportunities like doctor’s appointments and carpooling.
8. Practice frequently: The more you read, the faster you will read.

What is Grade Level Equivalency?

You may have heard teachers and publishers refer to Grade Level Equivalency (GLE) in context of leveled readers and assessments. Care should be taken to interpret these scores accurately. Something that is important to recognize is that the intended use and definition of GLE is not to prescribe at which grade level students can perform. For example, a sixth grade student's performance at an 8.1 grade level does not necessarily mean that the student is performing at the eighth-grade level. Rather, it signifies that an eighth-grader would score the same as the sixth-grade student had this eighth-grade student taken the sixth-grade test. (Visit this link to learn more.)

There are a variety of measurements used to obtain GLE scores, but it is important to note that each tool provides different GLE scores. To see an example of this in action, visit the StoryToolz website. (See also these online resources: Tests Document Readability and Improve It and Edit Central.) Paste some text into the text box and click "Check Readability." You'll see several different GLE scores appear, as well as an average of the scores. Notice the wide range of scores based on the different tools used.

The solution? Learn the purpose and function of each tool and how each score is derived to decide which tool best meets your objectives. Or, use the average score of the combined tools. Whatever option you choose, just be consistent.


(See also my post on Lexile measures here.)

ESL Webinars - "Developing Fluent Readers" by Neil J. Anderson

Developing reading fluency is currently receiving a lot of attention. Dr. Neil Anderson of Brigham Young University just presented an excellent ESL webinar for teachers and parents on the topic on August 14, 2008. Listen to his  his webinar presentation and view his powerpoint, as well as download a copy of his hand-out on reading fluency.

For a list of other informative webinars, click here.

What Does it Mean to Read at Grade Level?

In my last post, I made reference to a speech delivered by Dr. Joseph Torgeson of the Florida Center for Reading Research. In light of the post I wrote about readability a couple weeks ago, I wanted to share some other insights he offered in this same speech with regards to what it means for a student to read at grade level.
(NOTE: Words and phrases in quotations in the following text were taken directly from Dr. Torgeson's speech at the UREAD/UBIDA 2nd Annual Reading Conference on March 18, 2005 entitled, "Preventing and Remediating Reading Disabilities: Evidence from the New Research on Reading.")

What do we really mean when we say that our goal is to help all students read “at grade level or above”?

1) Students should be able to read text at grade-level "with a reasonable level of understanding."

2) Students should be able to read grade-level text "fluently so that reading the text doesn’t take an inordinate amount of time."

3) Students should be able to "find pleasure in reading...without having to struggle with the words and be able to focus on the meaning."

We often hear that the goal of reading is comprehension. So "what skills, knowledge, and attitudes are required for good reading comprehension?" To answer this question, we need to address "what we know about the factors that affect reading comprehension." Specifically, we need to know that "proficient comprehension of text is influenced by [the following]:"

1) Accurate and fluent word reading skills.

2) Oral language skills (vocabulary, linguistic comprehension).

3) Extent of conceptual and factual knowledge.

4) Knowledge and skill in use of cognitive strategies to improve comprehension or repair it when it breaks down. Students have to be active readers.

5) Reasoning and inferential skills.

6) Motivation to understand and interest in task and materials.

(Key to color coding: red text = word reading; brown text = intellectual skills; green text = motivation)

In other words, students’ reading comprehension depends on:

1) "How well they read the words on the page."

2) "How much knowledge they have, and how well they think."

3) "How motivated they are to do 'the work' of comprehension."

According to the National Reading Council report in 1998, "three potential stumbling blocks to becoming a good reader" include:

1) "Difficulty learning to read words accurately and fluently."

2)"Insufficient vocabulary, general knowledge, and reasoning skills to support comprehension of written language."

3) "Absence or loss of initial motivation to read, or failure to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of reading."

Teachers have a stewardship, then, to instill in their students the confidence necessary to master these skills.



See also the post entitled, "Optimal Silent and Oral Reading Rates".

What Makes a Good Reader?- Strategies for ESL Students

How would you answer the question, "What makes a good reader?"
Neil Anderson (2005) of Brigham Young University defines language learning strategies as "the conscious actions that learners take to improve their language learning" (p. 757). Good language learners use a variety of strategies frequently and appropriately in their language learning. It is critical to teach strategies to ESL students to help them develop the skills necessary to become independent language learners who effectively direct their language learning through planning, monitoring, and evaluating their progress. Strategic language learners are empowered because they are life-long learners; they continue to learn long after they leave the formal classroom. They develop autonomy in such a way that their learning is not dependent on having a teacher in front of them.
Strategy instruction should be explicit for our students so they can learn to develop an awareness of their strategy use. A critical component of strategy instruction is how we introduce the concept of strategy use to our students so that they buy into it. So how do we introduce strategies so that they become "conscious actions" for our students?
Strategies should be introduced early on to the students--even as early as the first day of class. In the ESL reading classes I've taught, I introduce the concept of reading strategies to my students on the first day of class by engaging them in an interactive group-work activity. This is how it works:
First, I pose the question, "What makes a good reader?" After discussing a few ideas as a class, I have the students get into small groups of three or four and list their responses to this question on an overhead transparency. After each group composes their list of what makes a good reader, I put the transparencies up on the overhead projector to review each list as a class. As we begin our discussion of each item, I introduce the concept of "strategies"--things they can do to improve their language learning, specifically to improve their reading. I tell the ESL students that the things they listed are strategies they could use to be good readers. I then have students reflect on what kind of readers they want to be, and I invite them to set some specific goals that they want to accomplish by the end of the semester (long-term goals) and what they need to do to achieve these goals (short-term goals). They write their goals down to serve as a constant reminder of what they want to accomplish, and they begin writing each goal with "I will..." to show commitment. I then collect the goals, make a copy of them for my file so I can follow-up with them throughout the semester, and hand back the original to the student so they can review them often during the semester to remind them of what they committed to do to be a good reader. I also compile the list of reading strategies that the students generated into one list and distribute this list to the students the next day so they can keep the list of strategies as a handy reference as they are striving to be better readers.
I'm continuously impressed with how well the students do at generating lists of strategies. I included a couple examples of lists that my low-intermediate reading students have created collectively as a class:

What Makes a Good Reader?

(Please note: The following lists were generated by students as part of a reading strategy awareness-raising activity. The lists are not based on scientific research.)

A good reader...

• reads every day.
• reads in their free time.
• reads many books, magazines, and newspapers.
• studies all the time.
• sets good goals.
• prepares the reading environment to learn.
• finds a good place and time to read.
• writes questions about the text (what, where, when, why).
• is interested in what they're reading.
• has a critical sense.
• looks at pictures and titles before reading.
• learns about the author.
• learns about the context.
• talks about what they read.
• learns the meaning of new vocabulary.
• uses a dictionary to learn unknown words.
• has patience.
• underlines texts as they read.
• enjoys reading
• makes personal conclusions about the book.
• learns prefixes, suffixes, and word roots.
• analyzes what they read.
• feels the author's feelings and writes about them.

A good reader...

• doesn't use a dictionary. First, they guess the meaning of words from context.
• finds the main idea.
• reads everyday.
• learns new words when reading.
• reads many kinds of books.
• reads interesting books.
• is motivated.
• practices reading faster.
• doesn't translate into their native language while reading.
• likes to read.

Having students generate strategies lists does three things: 1) It provides an engaging way to introduce strategies; 2) It reduces the risk of overwhelming students with a teacher-generated list of example strategies; and 3) It gives students an opportunity to reflect on why they are there, to decide early on what kinds of students they want to be, and gives them an opportunity to determine independently what they are willing to do to accomplish their goals. This provides a customized approach to teaching strategies that leads students on the path to becoming not just good readers, but better readers.
Work Cited:

Anderson, N. J. (2005). L2 strategy research. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 757-772). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.