Duet Reading
A Repeated Reading Fluency Strategy for Struggling Readers
What 's the big deal with fluency?
According to McKenna and Dougherty Stahl, fluency is not longer considered the "neglected reading goal." Instead, there has become a greater interest to develop fluency due to research and findings of the National Reading Panel on the effectiveness of guided oral reading approaches to comprehension. (McKenna & Dougherty Stahl 2009).
Being a fluent reader, defined by McKenna and Dougherty Stahl, means the student uses accurate and automatic word recognition with appropriate prosody. If a student is able to use these skills when reading, the student most likely will be able to comprehend what they have read. Depending on the difficulty of the text, successful readers typically read orally 120-170 correct words per minute when they get older (Roberts 2008). They are able to read words automatically which help them with higher order thinking skills such as inferring, interpreting, and predicting (Roberts 2008).
Students who are not fluent readers and/or have reading disabilities are unable to read words automatically. They tend to read at a slower pace, struggling with new or unfamiliar words (Roberts 2008). These students may spend less time reading and understand less of what they read (Roberts 2008).
There are many fluency strategies available for special educators to use to help support students with reading fluency goals. One of these strategies I was recently introduced to is called "Duet Reading." Duet Reading can be used as an intervention instructed by the teacher, along with a peer-paired activity. Duet Reading is an example of a repeated reading practice. Within Duet Reading, the student is reading a selected passage 4 times.
Being a fluent reader, defined by McKenna and Dougherty Stahl, means the student uses accurate and automatic word recognition with appropriate prosody. If a student is able to use these skills when reading, the student most likely will be able to comprehend what they have read. Depending on the difficulty of the text, successful readers typically read orally 120-170 correct words per minute when they get older (Roberts 2008). They are able to read words automatically which help them with higher order thinking skills such as inferring, interpreting, and predicting (Roberts 2008).
Students who are not fluent readers and/or have reading disabilities are unable to read words automatically. They tend to read at a slower pace, struggling with new or unfamiliar words (Roberts 2008). These students may spend less time reading and understand less of what they read (Roberts 2008).
There are many fluency strategies available for special educators to use to help support students with reading fluency goals. One of these strategies I was recently introduced to is called "Duet Reading." Duet Reading can be used as an intervention instructed by the teacher, along with a peer-paired activity. Duet Reading is an example of a repeated reading practice. Within Duet Reading, the student is reading a selected passage 4 times.
Duet Reading Lesson
Objective: To increase fluent reading particularly for students
- who often lose their spot while reading
- who just don't get to the next word quickly enough
- who benefit from a delayed model for correct word reading
Materials: Short texts that the student can read with at least 95% accuracy
Sequence:
- First Reading--student reads the passage aloud. Teacher provides immediate standard error corrections. ("That word is _________. What word?" The student repeats the word. Teacher says, "Yes. That word is _________." Student goes back to the beginning of the sentence to begin again.)
- Second Reading--Teacher and student takes turns reading EVERY OTHER WORD. Teacher first this time. Teacher should read with excellent expression to avoid typewriter style output. Teacher should push the pace forward by reading each next word as soon as the student read the last word. Teacher provides standard error corrections immediately following any error. ("That word is _________. What word?" The student repeats the word. Teacher says, "Yes. That word is _________." Student goes back to the beginning of the sentence to begin again.)
- Third Reading--Teacher and student take turns reading EVERY OTHER WORD. Student first this time. Teacher continues to model excellent expression and to press the pace forward. Teacher provides standard error corrections immediately following any error. ("That word is _________. What word?" The student repeats the word. Teacher says, "Yes. That word is _________." Student goes back to the beginning of the sentence to begin again.)
- Fourth Reading--Student reads the entire passage out loud alone.
http://www.swsc.org/cms/lib04/MN01000693/Centricity/Domain/91/Duet_Reading_Intervention.pdf
Practice
The passages I have been using with my students are the Read Naturally leveled passages. Below are three audio videos of my student and I practicing Duet Reading with his passage of the week. The first audio video is of him reading it through independently. The second is the first round of Duet Reading. The third is his final read, after having reading through it twice using Duet Reading with me. I have seen an increase in this student's fluency over the last few weeks of using this strategy with him. He seems very motivated by the Duet Reading portion and is more fluent on the last read of the passage most of the time.
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"The more you read, the more you'll know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." --Dr. Seuss
References
McKenna, Michael C., and Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl. "Fluency." Assessment for Reading Instruction. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford, 2009. 148-149. Print.
Roberts, Greg, et al. "Evidence-Based Strategies For Reading Instruction Of Older Students With Learning Disabilities." Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (Wiley-Blackwell) 23.2 (2008): 63-69. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
Swanson, Elizabeth A., and Sharon Vaughn. "An Observation Study Of Reading Instruction Provided To Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities In The Resource Room." Psychology In The Schools 47.5 (2010): 481-492. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
Roberts, Greg, et al. "Evidence-Based Strategies For Reading Instruction Of Older Students With Learning Disabilities." Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (Wiley-Blackwell) 23.2 (2008): 63-69. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
Swanson, Elizabeth A., and Sharon Vaughn. "An Observation Study Of Reading Instruction Provided To Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities In The Resource Room." Psychology In The Schools 47.5 (2010): 481-492. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
About The Author
Email: kayla.fee@southeastpolk.org
Website: www.southeastpolk.org
Location: Altoona Elementary School, Altoona, IA, United States
Phone: 515-967-3771