Instructional Strategies and Curriculum Materials

by Chuck Branch

Children who read more read better, and repeated readings build fluency and improve comprehension.

Repeated readings give students the practice needed to improve automaticity, and studies have shown substantially fewer errors in second readings (IRA, 2002).

Teachers can provide modeling for less fluent readers through the following activities:Echo reading,Choral reading, and Reading with talking books.

Choral ReadingThe link below gives classroom

strategies and examples of choral reading. Several books are also suggested for choral reading activities. http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/choral_reading

Plays, fiction and nonfiction, comics, folktales, Greek myths, Chinese fables http://www.starfall.com/n/level-c/index/load.htm?f

LibriVox Audio Books http://librivox.org/newcatalog

Online Talking Stories http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/onlinestory.htm#

talk

Online Talking Books http://my-ecoach.com/online/webresourcelist.php?rlid=

4984

Preparing a reading for an audience is a powerful incentive for reading practice (IRA, 2002, p. 104).

The following instructional activities are authentic ways in which students practice poetry

or scripts for a later performance:

Poetry PartyReaders’ Theatre

Poetry PartyStudents select a poem from a poetry book, or they may compose their own poem.

Students practice reading their poems from various viewpoints as they prepare several days in advance.

Poetry PartyThe teacher may serve snacks

such as hot apple cider or popcorn for the Poetry Party.

Students share their poetry interpretations with their classmates and guests.

Students show their support for each other through applause or other positive gestures.

Readers’ theatre is an effective and motivating approach for students

with reading difficulties (IRA, 2002).

Teachers should select texts that are

within readers’ reach (IRA, 2002).

Series books are beneficial as students

grow more familiar with the

personalities of the respective characters

(IRA, 2002).

Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park

Abby Hayes series by Ann Mazer

Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton

Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne

Magic Treehouse Research Guides by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne

Matt Christopher Sports Biographies

High Five Reading series from Capstone Press

Disasters in History graphic series from Capstone Press

The Bluford series from Townsend Press

Orca Currents series from Orca Book Publishers

Orca Sports series from Orca Book Publishers

High-Performance series from Capstone Press

High Five Reading series from Capstone Press

Graphic Library from Capstone Press

Can Science Solve? series from Heinemann Library

Carter High series from Saddleback Educational Publishers

Walker High Mysteries from Saddleback Educational Publishers

A Bear for Miguel by Elaine Marie Alphin

Interest Level: K – 2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

The Golly Sisters Ride Again by Betsy Byars

Interest Level: K – 2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.5

My Brother, Ant by Betsy ByarsInterest Level: K – 2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.2

Ant Plays Bearby Betsy ByarsInterest Level: K – 2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.7

Are You My Motherby P.D. EastmanInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.5

Hattie and the Foxby Mem FoxInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.4

Whose Mouse Are You?by Robert KrausInterest Level: K-3Grade Level Equivalent: 1.5

Three by the Seaby Edward MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.9

Three Up A Treeby James MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.8

Fox In Loveby Edward MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.5

Fox On Stageby James MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.1

Little Bearby Else Holmelund MinarikInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.8

Morris the Mooseby Bernard WisemanInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 1.5

Arthur Meets the Presidentby Marc BrownInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2

Arthur Babysitsby Marc BrownInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.7

Emily and Alice Againby Joyce ChampionInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.6

I Am the Dog, I Am the Catby Donald HallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.9

Tell Me a Story, Mamaby Angela JohnsonInterest Level: K-3Grade Level Equivalent: 3.9

Wings: A Tale of Two Chickensby James MarshallInterest Level: K-3Grade Level Equivalent: 2.6

The Salamander Roomby Anne MazerInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.9

King of the Playgroundby Phyllis NaylorInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.8

Tops and Bottomsby Janet StevensInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.8

Moon Ropeby Lois EhlertInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.9

Cinderellaby Barbara KarlinInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.3

Anansi Goes Fishingby Eric KimmelInterest Level: 3.5Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1

Anansi and the Talking Melonby Eric KimmelInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.9

George and Martha Round and Roundby James MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.9

Hansel and Gretelby James MarshallInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.9

The Ghost-Eye Treeby Bill MartinInterest Level: K-3Grade Level Equivalent: 2.9

Pablo’s Treeby Pat MoraInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.1

The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Washby Trinka NobleInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.7

Jimmy’s Boa Bounces Backby Trinka NobleInterest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Tiger Soupby Frances Temple Interest Level: K-2Grade Level Equivalent: 2.7

Break a Leg! The Kids' Guide to

Acting and Stagecraft

by Lise Friedman (Workman, 2001)

15 Easy-to-Read Mini-Book Plays

(K-2)

by Sheryl Ann Crawford &

Nancy I. Sanders (Scholastic, 2001)

Folk Tale Plays From Around the World

That Kids Will Love!

by Marci Appelbaum and

Jeff Catanese (Scholastic, 2001)

25 Just-Right Plays for

Emergent Readers (K-1)

by Carol Pugliano-Martin (Scholastic, 1998)

Frantic Frogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales

for Readers Theatre

by Anthony D. Fredericks (Teacher Ideas Press, 1993)

Allison, N. (2009). Middle school readers: Helping them read widely, helping them read well.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

International Reading Association. (2002). Evidence-based reading instruction: Putting the National Reading Panel report into practice. Newark, DE: Newark, DE: International Reading Association.