Adjust and Apply Different Reading Rates to Match Text
Often times, readers use a constant rate of fluency for most materials they read but learn to use different speeds based on the types of tasks and their purpose for reading. Students need to become aware that they need to adjust their rate of reading to match the purpose of their reading.
A helpful tool that students can use is the "Adjust and Apply different reading rates to match text" strategy from The Cafe Book.(p. 182) Teachers begin with this strategy by informing students about the different rates of reading and introduce Carver's (1990) analogy by comparing reading rate to shifting gears on a car. It helps to explain that the low ears are slow and powerful, whereas the higher gears are really fast but are the lest powerful. Similar to going fast in a car, our reading rate changes depending on the purpose for our reading and what we are reading. For example: -our first gear, or slowest, most powerful gear, to memorize material; -second gear to learn material; -third gear for most of our reading; and -fourth gear, our quickest speed, for skimming and scanning. Boushey, G. & Moser, J. (2009). Ready reference form: Strategy - Summarize text; Include sequence of main events. In The CAFE book: Engaging all students in daily literacy assessment instruction (p.182). Portland, ME. Stenhouse Publishers.
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Adjust Reading for Different Genres and Different Purposes
To adjust reading simply means to adapt it as needed to fit the circumstances and readings. Therefore, it is beneficial for students to read in different ways as appropriate to purpose and type of text. One strategy that is useful is adjusting reading for different genres and different purposes. You may begin this strategy by having your students ask themselves: Why are you reading something? You may then have them read slowly, searching for and remembering important information; scan for information you need, ignoring everything else; reread parts of a text to be sure you understand it; and/ or practice reading, trying out different emphases, for later performance.
It is significant for students to be able to adjust their reading rate because this helps improve their fluency which ultimately leads to better comprehension skills. Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G. (2001). Strategic actions for Sustaining Reading chart. Guided readers and writers; Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. (p. 313-316). Portmouth, NH. Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell.
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