How Does Teacher Modeling of Fluent Reading Strategies Impact Students' Fluency?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discover how teacher modeling of fluent reading strategies impacted students' fluency. This research was conducted because in my class in which I am interning I noticed that students were excelling in oral reading when specific strategies were modeled first. I used the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) as well as observational notes to determine whether or not modeling is an effective teaching strategy. Five third grade students, three males and two females, provided usable data for this study. Students were assessed prior to data collection using the DRA. The DRA was used to determine the instructional reading level for each student as well as their oral reading fluency score. Although the DRA focuses on comprehension, fluency, prediction, and summarizing, only the oral reading fluency portion and overall instructional levels were used. Students' were assessed three times throughout the school year; once in September 2006, March 2007, and May 2007. In addition to assessing students oral reading with the DRA and modeling during guided reading, each of the five students were interviewed. The students were asked six questions about modeling and their attitudes and thoughts about teacher modeling. Interviews were analyzed and used to compliment the observations and anecdotal notes that were taken throughout the study. The results of this study revealed that each of the five students showed an increase in their overall reading scores and their oral reading fluency scores. The three specific strategies that were modeled to the students throughout the year continued to be implemented during guided reading and the students use each of the strategies on a daily basis with little or no teacher support. The results also showed that students confidence as readers had improved from the beginning of the year.