What is Partner Reading?
Partner reading is a cooperative learning strategy that involves two students in reading a text. This is sometimes done by alternating pages and provides reading practice for both students. According to Jennings, Caldwell, and Lerner, partner reading can be an effective way to help students with reading problems develop fluency (2014). It is suggested that students read the text independently prior to reading it with a partner as a practice opportunity in sounding out new or unknown words. Having students read through a text before reading with a partner also ensures students do not become frustrated during reading. During partner reading, students can offer each other feedback as they read which helps to monitor comprehension and decoding skills (Reading Rockets, n.d.). Students begin to feel more confident about reading as they give and receive feedback. Students can be partnered in a variety of ways or students can choose their partners, depending on the learning task. With proper support, students who are struggling readers with similar abilities work well as partners. This helps each student realize he or she is not the only one who has problems identifying words (Jennings, Caldwell, Lerner, 2014). While students are partner reading, teachers can easily monitor each student and provide any necessary feedback.
Steps in Partner Reading:
1. Choose assigned reading and introduce the text to students.
2. Create pairs within the classroom based on students' ability levels of specific skills. Pair students who require additional help with a partner that can provide this help or allow students to choose their partners.
3. Model how to use partner reading.
4. Have students in each pair take turns being "Coach" and "Player." Ensure all students have opportunities to be "coaches" and "players" by monitoring.
5. Have one reader in each pair begin reading as the "Player" and have the "Coach" follow along and correct errors and provide feedback.
6. Have students switch roles with their partner and the "Player" rereads the same passage or continues on to the next page and the "Coach" provides corrective feedback.
Steps in Partner Reading:
1. Choose assigned reading and introduce the text to students.
2. Create pairs within the classroom based on students' ability levels of specific skills. Pair students who require additional help with a partner that can provide this help or allow students to choose their partners.
3. Model how to use partner reading.
4. Have students in each pair take turns being "Coach" and "Player." Ensure all students have opportunities to be "coaches" and "players" by monitoring.
5. Have one reader in each pair begin reading as the "Player" and have the "Coach" follow along and correct errors and provide feedback.
6. Have students switch roles with their partner and the "Player" rereads the same passage or continues on to the next page and the "Coach" provides corrective feedback.
Visual Representations
In this video, two students participate in partner reading using what is called "I read, you read." This involves alternating pages while reading.
|
The anchor chart below is an example of what might be displayed in a classroom as a visual reminder for students that describes partner reading expectations using words and visuals.
|
This video shows a paired reading demonstration in which a more fluent reader is paired with a student who is a struggling reader. The student who is at a higher reading level models fluent reading and assists their partner as they read the same passage by providing corrective feedback.
|
Content Area Examples
Reading- Partner reading is used often in reading. Students can work together in pairs while reading a variety of texts including poems, tradebooks, narratives, folktales, and more. These texts should be at students' instructional reading level. A story that would work especially well for partner reading is You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman and Michael Emberley, because it is written to have two voices. Students can easily alternate reading parts using this text.
Social Studies- Partner reading can be adapted in social studies as students read historical fiction or nonfiction texts, biographies, famous speeches, or cultural folktales. Students can begin to build understanding of other cultures while working together with their partner. As students read about a historical figure or famous speech for example, they may come across new or unknown words and in partner reading they have opportunities to discuss these words with a classmate. This feedback improves students' overall understanding on the text they are reading.
Science- Students can partner read during science by taking turns reading the given directions for a variety of experiments. If students are going to be conducting an experiment on sound discrimination for example, student pairs can alternate reading each given step that describes how to create a sound chamber and ways to test different sound sources. Partner reading can be used in this way as students conduct any simple experiment. This is helpful in ensuring all students are understanding and completing each step correctly.
Math- Partner reading can be adapted in math by having students alternate reading word problems or reading the directions given in order to solve a problem. Because partner reading improves comprehension, students gain a better understanding of what the math problem is asking or required steps needed in order to solve the problem. Teachers can gain insight as to what concepts students are struggling with as they monitor each pair during reading, which also provides an opportunity to offer feedback. Students can also partner read math related stories such as The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang.
Social Studies- Partner reading can be adapted in social studies as students read historical fiction or nonfiction texts, biographies, famous speeches, or cultural folktales. Students can begin to build understanding of other cultures while working together with their partner. As students read about a historical figure or famous speech for example, they may come across new or unknown words and in partner reading they have opportunities to discuss these words with a classmate. This feedback improves students' overall understanding on the text they are reading.
Science- Students can partner read during science by taking turns reading the given directions for a variety of experiments. If students are going to be conducting an experiment on sound discrimination for example, student pairs can alternate reading each given step that describes how to create a sound chamber and ways to test different sound sources. Partner reading can be used in this way as students conduct any simple experiment. This is helpful in ensuring all students are understanding and completing each step correctly.
Math- Partner reading can be adapted in math by having students alternate reading word problems or reading the directions given in order to solve a problem. Because partner reading improves comprehension, students gain a better understanding of what the math problem is asking or required steps needed in order to solve the problem. Teachers can gain insight as to what concepts students are struggling with as they monitor each pair during reading, which also provides an opportunity to offer feedback. Students can also partner read math related stories such as The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang.