Punctuation is a great guide for using expression when reading aloud!
This is on our focus board. It reminds students when to sound excited, when to ask a question, and when to make a statement as they read.
Reader's Theatre has been an AMAZING way to develop my students' fluency and expression in their reading.
We used these fantastic books to practice reading aloud.
Since there were no robots in the stories, they should not sound like robots as they read :)
I started by dividing the class into groups. I gave the groups their scripts, and had my students look them over.
I didn't assign the speaking parts. I let them see what would be a 'good fit' for them {too many words/not enough reading/words are too difficult/etc}.
After they chose their parts, it was time to rehearse!
They sounded fantastic! I was so excited to hear the fluency and expression develop over such a short time!
They were great at helping each other figure out words and giving each other 'advice'. :)
They sounded SO good, we just had to perform for the younger students!
I highly recommend these books as well as incorporating Reader's Theatre into your reading program. It makes a HUGE difference in their oral reading abilities!
No more robots!
I love reader's theater as well. I have been getting a play or two each month from http://monthbymonth.scholastic.com/ This month there are plays about butterflies and earth day. Usually I don't need to do anything to the plays to make them RT ready.
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