Fluency Check

During our literacy block we use the Daily 5 from the sisters. This allows the kids to choose between 5 things for the block - read to self, read to a partner, listen to reading, work on writing, and word work. During read to self, I like to have a camera set up on a comfy chair. The kids have since been given time to learn teh camera. If they choose read to self, they select a book, go over and record themselves reading it. They can then play it back on the camera to see if the book was a good fit for them and if they read it fluently. We also push the better readers to practice expression and dialogue in the book as well. Then at the end of the week, we play back some of the recordings for the whole class. During this time we give feedback to the reader - I liked it when you... you did really well with... we try to keep it to 3 compliments and one thing that they could work on for next time.

The kids really like the instant feedback and feeling like they have an audience. I also find that my shy kids really bloom when the audience is not "live".