As a teacher of English Language Learners, I have found the use of chants or songs that use and define academic vocabulary to be the best means of teaching language and content. Perhaps because so often, especially among K-3 students, the kids LOVE to sing the songs again and again.
Last year, I had a favorite writing chant, which I used every day, and now thanks to my bilingual coach I have a great reading chant to share with you all! (She gave me permission to post it.) She even typed up a great series of lessons to teach the chant, vocabulary and content. I'll post these soon too under lesson plans!
Thanks to the Reading Chant, I can talk to my students about their accuracy, expression, fluency and phrasing. I have found this especially useful during guided reading, which is just starting, as I get to know the students better as readers. I have now taught multiple guided reading lessons focused around noticing, using and fixing up fluency, accuracy, expression and phrasing. Without the chant, my students wouldn't have been ready for these lessons in guided reading.
Reading Chant
to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"
When reading a book on my own
I must find one just right for me
My reading will always be growing
I just need to practice these
Fluency, Fluency
Reading with ease, grace, and speed
Fluency, Fluency
Reading with ease and speed
Accuracy, Accuracy
Reading the words with no mistakes
Accuracy, Accuracy
Reading each word correctly
Expression, Expression
Changing your voice to show feeling
Expression, Expression
Reading the words with feeling
Phrasing, Phrasing
Stopping or pausing in the right place
Phrasing, Phrasing
Stopping or pausing right now!
By: Bonnie English, 2009
