Fluency
How can I read with rate, expression, and intonation?
Goal:
Goal:
Let’s practice our fluency today
and focus on rate, expression, and intonation.
Our rate is the speed we read, expression is reading with feeling, and intonation is the raising and lowering of our voice as we read.
Let’s listen to the passage below being read aloud. Listen for the reader’s rate, expression, and intonation.
Last month, when Mr. Schultz
announced, "Today, we are beginning a new science unit," my entire class let out a
collective moan. With his usual cheerful nature, Mr. Schultz directed our attention to a
lump, covered by a blanket, on the back table. He snatched the blanket off the lump to
reveal a strange-looking box. "This," he said, "is an incubator. It is going to allow us
to hatch baby chicks!" Our moan turned into an excited gasp.
What do you notice about the reader’s
intonation? What happens at punctuation marks? What happens during dialogue? Could you hear
expression and intonation?
Try reading along with the recording now.
When you are ready, record yourself reading the passage on your
own using the audio recording software of your choice.
