Building Fluent, Confident Readers Using Frameworks for Text Rehearsal
In the fight against the U.S. literacy crisis, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is dedicated to fostering a love of reading and developing proficient, confident readers. Through this blog, Dr. Chase Young, a distinguished author and literacy professor, highlights the essential role of structured text rehearsal in this mission. Read on to hear Dr. Young draw from his experience as an elementary educator and literacy coach to present frameworks that align with RIF’s goals of enhancing reading frequency, motivation, and engagement.
There are numerous legitimate justifications for reading a document more than once. The list is endless and includes people in roles such as actors, musicians, YouTubers, newscasters, contact center representatives, public speakers, reciting poetry, giving well-known speeches, and more. This also extends to the classroom and literacy learning. Engaging your students and improving their fluency so they can comprehend what they read more readily can be achieved by methodically using text rehearsal in the classroom. Below, I’ve detailed two frameworks that educators can use to apply this methodology with their own students grades K – 8th: a General Framework as well as a Reader’s Theater Framework.
General Framework for Text Rehearsing
A five-day text-rehearsal program can greatly improve students' word recognition, comprehension, and reading fluency. Students can strengthen their reading abilities, while gaining confidence and a deeper grasp of the text by being exposed to it in a systematic and repeated manner. This is how the framework might work, with each day planned to gradually acquire mastery and layer skills.
Day 1 begins with introducing the text. The purpose here is to set up the week's reading by getting students familiar with the material, genre, and context. After giving some background on the author or topic, guide students through a first read, ideally a teacher-led or choral reading. This initial exposure allows students to experience the text’s flow and rhythm while building a preliminary understanding. Brief discussions of challenging words or new vocabulary prepare them for future encounters with the text and set a strong foundation for comprehension.
On Day 2, the focus shifts to word recognition. This day emphasizes decoding and understanding the language itself. Students dive back into the text, this time working through tricky words, sight words, and phrases that may initially seem challenging. Through repeated reading they gain confidence in recognizing and pronouncing new words, which strengthens their fluency.
Day 3 focuses on prosody, helping students bring expressive quality to their reading. Having become familiar with the words, students now work on the nuances of intonation, rhythm, and emphasis. With guidance, they practice adding expression and varying pitch to better reflect the text’s tone, character emotions, or informational structure. Echo reading, choral reading, and reading with the teacher can support students as they learn to convey meaning through their voices. This day encourages them to bring the text to life, developing their ability to read naturally and with expression.
On Day 4, students are ready for a final practice. During this last session, they focus on accuracy and fluency, working toward a smooth and confident performance. The goal is to achieve a reading that is not only accurate and expressive, but also captures the text’s meaning and tone.
Day 5 is performance day. Students showcase their progress through a grand performance. This performance aspect allows them to show off their reading skills, reinforcing their growth in a supportive environment.
Reader’s Theater Five-Day Framework
Here’s another fun approach you might try: For students grades K – 8th, Reader’s Theater is a popular and effective option for developing fluency through rehearsal of text. A five-day “Readers Theater” framework can be an engaging and effective way to improve students' fluency, expression, and confidence in reading. This approach guides students from introduction to performance, helping them understand the text, build expression, and prepare for a final performance.
Day 1 (Monday): Teacher Read-Aloud and Group Selection
The week begins with the teacher reading the script aloud to the class. This initial reading helps students get acquainted with the story, characters, and overall tone of the text. The teacher can model expressive reading, giving students a sense of how to bring the characters and dialogue to life. Afterward, discuss the story, setting, and characters to build understanding. Next, allow students to select groups and assign roles based on interest and comfort level with the text. This day is about setting the stage, sparking enthusiasm, and helping students visualize their parts.
Day 2 (Tuesday): Focus on Decoding and Word Recognition
On the second day, students work with their groups to focus on decoding and recognizing challenging words in the script. By reading through their lines individually and in groups, students practice pronunciation, break down unfamiliar vocabulary, and clarify any confusing phrases. Teachers can circulate to provide support, helping with tricky words and emphasizing the importance of accuracy.
Day 3 (Wednesday): Developing Expression and Prosody
Wednesday shifts the focus to expression and prosody. In their groups, students practice reading their lines with emotion, adjusting their tone, pace, and volume to match their character’s personality and the story’s mood. The teacher can model expressive reading techniques, encouraging students to experiment with voice inflection, phrasing, and pauses to convey meaning and engage listeners. Practicing with expression helps students develop a sense of connection to the text and brings their characters to life, preparing them for a more dynamic performance.
Day 4 (Thursday): Practice Performance
On Thursday, students engage in a full practice performance within their groups or in front of the class. This run-through is an opportunity for students to bring together their work on word recognition and expression while gaining confidence in presenting the text aloud. The teacher can provide constructive feedback on specific areas like clarity, volume, and timing, helping students refine their reading before the final performance. This rehearsal also gives students a chance to coordinate as a group, ensuring they’re ready for the performance.
Day 5 (Friday): Final Performance for an Audience
Friday is performance day! Students present their Readers Theater for an audience, which could include classmates, another class, or family members and caregivers. The performance allows them to showcase their hard work, demonstrating their fluent oral reading and understanding of the text. This real audience experience gives students an authentic reason for rehearsing, and seeing the audience’s reaction helps boost their confidence and motivation.
Conclusion
With so many engaging options for students to develop fluency through repeated reading, there is never a reason to simply have students repeatedly read without an authentic purpose. Implementing a structured rehearsal framework, whether for general text practice or Readers Theater, provides students with authentic opportunities to develop their reading fluency and confidence. By working through decoding, expression, and group coordination in a supportive and collaborative setting, students become more fluent and expressive readers. Each day builds on the previous one, leading to a final performance that fosters both a sense of accomplishment and deeper comprehension. Through these structured, purposeful reading activities, students not only improve their literacy skills but also gain confidence in their ability to read with clarity and emotion, setting them up for continued success in literacy.
Dr. Chase Young, a former elementary school teacher and literacy coach, is a professor of literacy, and current editor of Literacy Research and Instruction. Last year he received several awards, including the A.B. Herr Award for his service, scholarly activities, and overall contribution to the profession throughout the years. He and his colleague, Tim Rasinski, received the Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award from the International Literacy Association. His book, Artfully Teaching the Science of Reading, was selected for the Jack Cassidy Award for Scholarly Contributions by the Specialized Literacy Professionals. Another book, Build Reading Fluency, was a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards in Education.