What is Repeated Reading?
Repeated reading is an academic intervention for reading fluency. Repeated reading is when students read a selected passage repeatedly, aloud or silently. Once they are done reading, they will receive help with reading scores. A teacher, parent, adult tutor, or peer may be trained in advanced to work with the student on repeated reading. The only thing you will need for repeated reading is a selected passage, and a timer if necessary. Stated by Intervention Central, the following is a list of steps for implementing this intervention:
- Go to a quiet area where there are little to no distractions. Place the book in front of both you and the students so both of you can see the passage. It may be easier to have two passages; one for you and one for the student.
- The selected passage should be about 100-200 words in length, depending on the students reading level.
- The student will then read the passage through for the first time. The student may read the passage aloud or silently.
- If the student is reading the passage aloud and misreads a word or hesitates for longer than 5 seconds, read the word aloud and have the student read the word correctly before continuing. If the student asks for clarification of a word or asks for a definition, tell them the word or give them the definition.
- When the student is finished reading the passage for the first time, have them read the passage again. They can read the passage repeatedly, until they have read it at least 4 times. Otherwise, they may read for one minute and shoot for a score of however many words per minute, depending on their reading level.
Student Profile
This academic intervention can be done with students who are struggling readers. In one of my college courses we are asked to iTutor with 3rd grade students who struggle with reading. It is very similar to repeated reading. The students FaceTime us and they read a selected passage to us about 4-8 times. The first time they read to us for one minute, and we ask them to just read their best, and to ask us if they have any questions on any of the words. Then, they read the same passage for a second time for one minute, and we ask them to tell us who the story is about. On the third read, they read for one minute again, and we ask them what is the story about (main idea). Finally, the students read the same passage for a fourth time for one minute, and we ask them to make a prediction. The students read the same passage again for reads 5-8 and follow the same procedure, only they start the first read where they left off after the fourth read. I find this intervention to work very well. This intervention is very effective and you can see their words per minute increase. It is important to share the students scores with them, so they can see their progress.
Visual representations
This graph above could be something to give the students to show them their progress with reading fluency. Showing them their progress will motivate them to keep reading and work even harder the next time.
Content Areas
This strategy is mainly used for a reading intervention depending on the school. Some schools implement this intervention and others don't. This strategy could be used for reading regular grade leveled book, but also science or history books.
