Reading and Roles

Works4Me presents weekly practical classroom tips from real experts -- your colleagues!

1. Reading Aloud

From Evelyn Wray, a teacher in Tennessee::

"Fluency and comprehension definitely go hand in hand; it is hard to master one without mastery of the other. My students really enjoy the following activity:

1. As you read your library book, make note of particular paragraphs that you find interesting, funny, or unusual. (This is done with the use of post-it notes, notepads, or journals).
2. Upon completion of the book, go back and pick out one paragraph you made note of that you think would pique the interest for others to want to read your book.
3. Practice reading the paragraph out loud (at home) several times with the correct intonation and inflection.
4. Read the paragraph aloud to the class.

It has been my experience that this activity works well with third and fourth grade students. Reading aloud increases fluency, builds confidence, and sparks an interest and desire for students to want to read the book themselves."
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2. Group Roles

From Polly Slappey, a behavior specialist at Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan, Wisconsin:

"Need to work in groups? To avoid the popularity game, randomly choose student names from a hat. Determine group roles such as notetaker, facilitator, researcher, editor, etc. based on the kind of project you are having the students complete. Each group determines their own roles based on their individual strengths at the first session. You, as the teacher, assign roles when conflicts occur, but usually the groups are able to perform this task easily. Having specific roles eliminates power struggles and leads to a cohesive project finished in a timely manner."
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3. Question of the Week: Autumn Activities

From the Works4Me Worker Bees:

"Autumn is in full color. What are some activities you recommend to teach about the season?"
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4. Running in the Halls

Heard Last Week in the Works4Me Lounge:

"We are having an issue at our school with an excessive amount of running in the halls and breezeway, especially after school. Please share your ideas or experiences with this problem."
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