Alejandra Guadarrama

EDU 443

Dr. Prince

October 8, 2023

Dear Parents or Guardians,

Our school is currently in the process of assessing each student’s oral reading fluency for

a more individualized instructional plan. Our hope with these assessments is that each student

will receive instruction on the specific skills they need more support with. On September 27,

your student was asked to read a short passage aloud as part of this reading fluency

assessment. This reading fluency assessment focused on 4 areas of fluency. The student scored

as followed:

Expression and volume: 1 (Below Grade Level)

Phrasing within sentences: 2 (Approaching Grade Level)

Smoothness of the whole text: 2 (Approaching Grade Level)

Pace: 2 (Approaching Grade Level)

Overall score: 2 (Approaching Grade Level)

A student’s expression and volume are about the tone of voice the student uses when reading.

The expression and volume are usually changed as a result of what is happening in the text. For

example, if a character is worried, the reader’s expression and volume would reflect that. In
this specific case, the student’s expression and volume are an area where further support is

needed. As the student was reading, I noticed that their expression and volume did not really

change to reflect the meaning of the text. One instance in the text where this was noticed was

in the following: “It is one of the first computers ever created!” Ms Funes cried. This is also likely

due to the student struggling with phrasing, the way they pay attention to punctuation to group

words within sentences.

Smoothness within the whole text refers to being able to read a text with almost no

breaks and when a word is unknown, the difficulty is resolved fairly quickly. Pacing is about the

consistent rate at which the student reads, almost as if they were having a conversation. In

terms of smoothness and pacing, while the student was reading at a slower rate, they were

able to read at a more consistent pace, with hesitations or pauses at unknown words. Within

the first paragraph, the student was able to read through the text fairly smoothly. When they

came across words they didn’t know, they paused and made an educated guess based on the

beginning and ending letters, or they used the context to fill in the blank with a word that made

sense. One example that was evident throughout the text was the name of one of the

characters. Instead of reading Ms. Funes, the student read Mrs. Fonso throughout the text.

Other examples include when they replaced century with country, solid with sold, and

unearthing with undoing. While the student is approaching grade-level with smoothness and

pacing, they would also benefit from more practice with decoding skills.

The two major instructional goals for the student are phrasing and expression. The first

goal we will focus on is phrasing, as this will also help with expression. Spending more time

learning about and practicing phrasing will include an emphasis on punctuation within
sentences. To achieve this goal, we will spend time identifying where we should pause as we

read different passages or pieces of poetry. One strategy to try at home to continue practicing

the use of punctuation is to try removing all of the punctuation from a song and try to sing it

without the correct phrasing. It could also be fun to add new punctuation to the song and to

new areas. The second goal we will be focusing on in the classroom is expression. As a whole

class, one way we do this every day is through read aloud. When children are able to hear an

adult read aloud, they hear the way the book should be read. Another way I work on this is

through individualized lessons where we will spend time learning to read like a storyteller. Since

expression is about the tone of voice we use when we read a text for meaning, we will be

spending time practicing using a character voice, a narrator voice, and matching our voice to

the character’s tone and feeling. A great way to do this is to do it with books or topic s that the

student is excited about. This same strategy can be done at home with any book. Another

strategy to try at home is to create small plays or to recreate favorite movie or tv show scenes

as a family. This will give the student practice with tone of voice without the pressure of

reading accurately.

I hope that this information has been helpful. We aim to provide the high-quality

instruction all of our students deserve, and we hope to do that with more targeted reading

instruction. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

Ms. Guadarrama
 Fluency Intervention Lesson Plan Template
Name: Alejandra Guadarrama Grade Level: 6th
Target Content/Lesson Topic: Reading/Phrasing Date: October 8, 2023

Planning
State Learning Standards L.6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of how language functions in different cultures, contexts, and disciplines;
Identify relevant grade level standards apply this knowledge to comprehend more fully when reading and listening, and make effective choices when
and Learning Outcomes from the State composing, creating, and speaking.
Content Learning Standards, Common a. Recognize that standardized English is only one dialect of many and has a specific history that is implicated in
Core Standards, and school learning
power relationships.
outcomes.
b. Determine the language demands of a writing or speaking situation, respond in appropriate ways (e.g., precise
and concise language, extended and descriptive language, incorporation of code-meshing, etc.).
c. Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader or listener interest, and style.
d. Maintain consistency in style and tone.
Learning Targets/Objectives I can use punctuation to group words together as I read.
What should the students know or be The student will be able to use punctuation to correctly phrase words in a sentence as they read aloud.
able to do after the instruction? Use a
common format with a measurable verb I can switch my voice when I read something in quotation marks.
that matches the cognitive domain The student will be able to change their tone when they read a text with quotation marks.
standard. This should be a small piece of
the standard stated in measurable
terms.
Grouping This will be an individual intervention lesson for the student based on their fluency assessment.
Describe how and why students will be
divided into groups, if applicable
(homogeneous, heterogenous, random /
based on ability, interest, social
purposes, etc.)
Differentiation The lessons are intended for individualized intervention lessons for the focal student.
If either or both lessons are whole class,
how is the lesson(s) differentiated for
the focal student?
Assessment

1
Assessment The student will demonstrate that they are making progress when they are more consistent with their pauses
How will students demonstrate that the as they come across punctuation in a text. The student will also demonstrate that they are making progress
focal student is making progress in with their expression when they are able to change their tone of voice as they come across a text in quotation
toward their fluency goals? marks. The teacher will assess this by observing the student as they read aloud.

Instruction
Minilesson One Introduction:
1. Introduction (including setting Today, we are going to be reading some poetry and we’re going to see how the use of punctuation changes the
expectations and establishing way we read the text. As we get older and we read harder texts, the sentences get longer. Sometimes they get
procedures and instructions) so long that we think we can’t take a break to breath, but if we look closely, we see that there are punctuations
2. Activate/Connect To Prior within the sentences. When the punctuation is a good reminder that this is a good spot to pause.
Knowledge
Activate/Connect to Prior Knowledge:
3. Fluency Activity (including
modeled, guided, and independent
We’re going to read a short poem to review what a period does. A lot of times we think it’s just the end of a
practice, as needed) sentence, and while that is true, it can also do a lot more. This poem also has some commas that we will make
sure to look at. (Have student highlight the periods and commas) (Do a choral reading of the poem The Full
Stop).
Fluency Activity:
Commas and periods are in every book we read. (Have the student grab one book from their book bin) Open
your book to where you’re currently reading and find all the punctuation marks. Have student read their book
aloud, making sure to pause at the indicated spots.

Minilesson Two Introduction:

1. Introduction (including setting Today we’re going to be looking at more punctuation, but we’ll be paying more attention to quotation marks.
expectations and establishing We are still going to pay attention to the periods and commas to make sure we are pausing at the correct
procedures and instructions) spots. (Have the student highlight any periods and commas) We’re going to be reading a new poem. This is
2. Activate/Connect To Prior Sick by Shel Silverstein. We’re going to read it twice. The first time, we’ll read it to get an idea of what it’s
Knowledge
about, and the second time we’ll change how we read it. (Have the student read the poem once)
3. Fluency Activity (including
modeled, guided, and independent
Activate/Connect to Prior Knowledge:
practice, as needed) Sometimes when we’re sick, our voice changes. How do you sound when you’re sick? How would you talk if
you were trying to convince your mom to let you stay home because you’re too sick? That’s what the character
Peggy Ann Mckay is trying to do. She’s trying to tell her mom this story of how sick she is, so she has to sound
convincing.
Fluency Activity:
(Model)So if we reread the first part of the poem, we would read it as if we were sick. I’m going to read the
first 4 lines and then you’re going to read the same thing. (Give a brief explanation of the vocabulary) (Do a
teacher reading, followed by a student reading for about a third of the poem) Have the student read the poem
a few lines at a time, making sure to focus on the tone of voice as Peggy is talking about a problem with each

2
 part of her body. Should be read as if she is sick and has everything she is describing. Then discuss the ending
and how her tone of voice would change.
Instructional Materials, The Full Stop by Emilie (a copy for each student)
Equipment and Technology Sick by Shel Silverstein (a copy for each student)
List equipment or technology that needs Highlighters
to be available. Attach a copy of ALL
materials the teacher and students will
use during the lesson; e.g., handouts,
questions to answer, overheads,
PowerPoint slides, worksheets.

3
The Full Stop

Try writing a poem about the humble full stop.

It doesn’t make noise, it’s just silence you’ve got.

Sometimes he creates suspense, dot, dot, dot.

Sometimes he stops to let you take a breath,

Otherwise the sentence would go on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
cause great death.

I wish we could take a breath like the humble full stop.

Try writing a poem about the humble full stop.

Emilie T, Year 7, aged 11, Balmoral School, Auckland

The Full Stop

Try writing a poem about the humble full stop.

It doesn’t make noise, it’s just silence you’ve got.

Sometimes he creates suspense, dot, dot, dot.

Sometimes he stops to let you take a breath,

Otherwise the sentence would go on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
cause great death.

I wish we could take a breath like the humble full stop.

Try writing a poem about the humble full stop.

Emilie T, Year 7, aged 11, Balmoral School, Auckland

Sick by Shel Silverstein

"I cannot go to school today,"

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more—that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut—my eyes are blue—
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke—
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is—what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
Alejandra Guadarrama

EDU 443

Dr. Prince

October 8, 2023

Reflection

For this assignment, I assessed one of the students at my 6 th grade science placement

that my mentor teacher recommended as a good candidate. The process was fairly quick and

wasn’t that bad, but looking bad I would have recorded the student reading the passage

because I wasn’t able to capture everything the student was saying. Although the student was

reading at a slower pace, it was sometimes difficult for me to keep up because I would try to

make a quick note of what mistakes he was making, and how to note some of them down.

Since the student was also reading at a lower volume, it was sometimes difficult to hear exactly

what he was saying. Besides that though, the process of assessing the student’s oral reading

fluency was not too bad. I know that it is something I will get better at the more I do it.

I believe that the purpose of assessing a student’s oral reading fluency is to really note

what strategies the student is using when they come across unknown words. I noticed that the

student I was working with would sometimes fill in the blank with a work that looked similar to

the printed word, or one that grammatically made sense. These are things I likely would not

have noticed had I never assessed his oral reading fluency. Another reason why I think we

assess students oral reading fluency is because as they get older, we focus more on
comprehension, but if students aren’t reading fluently (even though we might think they are),

then they will have a harder time comprehending the text.

To create the mini-lessons for the student, I focused on what I noticed the student

needed the most help with (in this case, phrasing and expression). I tried to create lessons that

are both brief, effective, and engaging for the student. I know many students are intimidated by

poetry, but I think that if we expose them to more of it, then they will become more

comfortable with it. In the future, I could see myself using the oral reading fluency assessment

results for the entire class to pull small groups for a focused skill intervention. This way, as

students are working with their peers, they are heterogeneously grouped. But then when they

are working with me, they would get instruction on the exact skills they need, and these groups

would likely change regularly.