Six Minute SolutionsErica Boykin and Emily Schussler

What does the research say?

There is a high correlation between comprehension and fluency. Comprehension suffers when students lack fluency.

If students are not fluent, cognitive energies are focused on decoding and word recognition and therefore are not available for comprehension.

44% of 4th grade readers are not fluent readers according to NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

What is fluency?

Reasonably accurate reading at an appropriate rate with suitable prosody that leads

to accurate and deep comprehension and motivation to read.

Hasbrouk & Glaser (2012)

Why Six Minute Solutions?

The 6 Minute Solution is a research-based, highly effective instructional procedure for grades k-8 that builds reading fluency in only 6 minutes of the instructional day

It is quick and easyBenefits good readers

as well as struggling readers

Why teach fluency?

Guided, repeated oral-reading procedures are appropriate and valuable avenues for increasing reading fluency and overall reading achievement

Fluency practice supports comprehension

As students build fluency through rereading, they accumulate a larger reading vocabulary

Minute 1 - Get Ready: Students organize their materials, records date on their graph, and prepare to get started

Minute 2 - Partner 1 Reads: The student has 1 minute to read the passage while partner two marks any errors partner 1 might have made and the stopping point on (P-2 marks P-1 errors and stopping point on his/her Practice Passage with marker)

Minute 3 - Partner 2 Provided Feedback: Partner 2 tells P-1 how many words read, number of errors and provided positive suggestions for next time (P-1 records number on his/her Fluency Graph and P-2 wipes off markings on his/her Practice Passage and gives marker to P-1)

Minute 4 - Partner 2 Reads: same procedure as minute 2

Minute 5 - Partner 1 Provided Feedback: Same Procedure as minute 3

Minute 6 – Students Put Away Materials

How do I know if they are making gains?

Materials Timer (1 per partner) or Smart Board

Presentation

One portfolio for each set of partners that contains:

- 2 copies of the same Practice Passages laminated or in a plastic sleeve (1 for each student)

- 2 copies of the Fluency Record or Fluency Graph (1 for each student)

- One dry erase marker and erasing cloth in a Ziploc plastic bag

Students read the same passage all week

Pre-Assess students before starting the program using the assessment to identify current level

Optional: your could have the students preview the entire passage (whisper read) on day 1 or have no time limit on day one

Optional: to incorporate comprehension strategies or summary writing you could extend the time on day 5 (ideas can be found in Chapter 8)

How do I determine where to start my students? Students may be placed at their

instructional or independent level for the purpose of reading fluency (Students should never practice fluency with passage in which their reading is less than 90% accuracy)

What is fluency?

Reasonably accurate reading at an appropriate rate with suitable prosody that leads

to accurate and deep comprehension and motivation to read.

Hasbrouk & Glaser (2012)