90 Minute Reading Block
Handouts
Carol Dissen
cdissen@uoregon.edu
December 2008
90 Minute Reading Block Planning
Instruction
Range of
Time
Class Configuration
Activity Ideas:
CORE Program Work:
Whole Group
TOTAL
TIME:
Initial
Reading
Block
____ min.
daily









Small Groups (Teacher-Led Instructional Focus Groups)
90+ minutes
TOTAL
(Include objectives, modeling, guided practice, feedback, pre-teaching, re-teaching, etc.)
minimum daily ROTATION
____ min.
M
TU
W
TH
F
TIME:
daily per
_____
group
scheduled
____ min.
Session 1:
minutes
daily
(30+ minutes)
Focus 3: Additional explicitness and
practice (pre-teaching and re-teaching) to
achieve mastery of Core materials.
Focus 4: Mastery of grade-level Core
with additional fluency practice.
Session 3:
Focus 5: Additional explicitness and
practice to achieve mastery of Core
materials and re-teaching of critical
deficient decoding skills.
Focus 6: Explicit small group
instruction to master basic phonemic
awareness and decoding skills,
vocabulary and comprehension
instruction and extra practice to become
fluent with the mastered skills.
Additional work with intervention (Tier
3) or supplemental (Tier 2) programs.
TIME:
____ min.
daily
Focus 2: Mastery of grade-level Core.
Session 2:
M
Additional
Intensive
Intervention
Phonemic Awareness:
 Segmenting sounds
 Blending sounds
Phonics and Fluency:
 Sound-letter relationships
 Blending & Decodables
 Dictation and Spelling
 Structural Analysis
Vocabulary and Comprehension:
 Robust Vocabulary Instruction
 Pre-reading Strategies
 During reading Strategies
 After reading Strategies
Focus 1: Mastery of grade-level Core
with extension activities.
Intervention
Session
TU
W
TH
F
Anita Archer Video: Active Participation
List Active Participation Procedures/Routines Observed:
List Other Good Instructional Practices Observed:
My Keepers!
Engagement:
Assessment/Differentiation:
Phonological Awareness:
Alphabetic Principle:
Vocabulary:
Comprehension:
Fluency:
Video #2, Anita Archer: Word and Sentence Dictation
List Instructional Routines:
List Good Instructional Practices (include active participation procedures):
ing
un
ture
ex
dis
com
un
im
ter
ment
er
der
ing
dis
un
ver
er
ble
tion
bout
ter
num
ment
ver
ing
bout
der
ex
er
ple
tion
ble
er
ple
re
ple
dis
num
er
est
re
ment
bout
re
ble
der
ing
com
un
ver
ver
ture
un
ble
er
em
bout
tion
ing
ture
ex
est
ter
im
num
ex
ter
re
fi
com
Syllable Types
Closed Syllable
A syllable that ends in a
consonant.
Usually has a short
vowel sound.
Open Syllable
A syllable that ends in a vowel
(not a vowel team or rcontrolled vowel).
r-Controlled
Syllable
Usually has a long vowel
sound.
The syllable will contain
the r-controlled vowel
sound.
A syllable that contains an rcontrolled vowel.
Vowel Team
Syllable
The syllable will contain
the vowel team sound.
A syllable that contains a vowel
team.
Vowel-Silent e
Syllable
Usually has a long vowel
sound.
A syllable that contains a VCe
pattern.
Consonant-le
Syllable
A syllable that contains
a consonant-le pattern.
Word:
Is it a compound word? If yes, write the two words.
Can you read the word?
Do you recognize any prefixes or suffixes in the word?
Prefixes:
Word Part Left:
Can you read the word?
If not, chunk the word.
Syllables:
Blend the parts.
Can you read the word?
Rewrite the Word:
Does it make sense in the sentence?
Suffixes:
Word:
Is it a compound word? If yes, write the two words.
Can you read the word?
Do you recognize any prefixes or suffixes in the word?
Prefixes:
Word Part Left:
Can you read the word?
If not, chunk the word.
Syllables:
Blend the parts.
Can you read the word?
Rewrite the Word:
Does it make sense in the sentence?
Suffixes:
Video #3, Anita Archer: Vocabulary Instruction
List the Instructional Routine used to introduce each word:
List any other Good Instructional Practices Observed:
B * (T)
D
A
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Instructional Routine for Teaching
Critical,
Unknown
Vocabulary
Words words.
Complete
Word Diagram
or Four Square
Page with 4 new vocabulary
Introduce the Word
a. Write the word on board.
b. Read word. Students repeat.
c. Repeat for unfamiliar words.
Present a Student-Friendly
Definition
a. Tell students explanation,
or,
b. Have students read
explanation with you.
Illustrate the Word with Examples
• Concrete examples
• Visual representations
• Verbal examples
Check Students’ Understanding
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Option 4:
Deep processing
questions
Examples/Nonexamples
Students generate
examples
Sentence starter
Western Regional Reading First Technical Assistance Center
V
Example
“This word is reluctant.”
“What word?”
“Reluctant means you are not sure you want
to do something.”
“When you are not sure you want to do
something, you are …”
“If your mother asked you to try a new
food, you might be reluctant.”
“You may be reluctant to watch a scary
movie.”
“Why would a student be reluctant to go to
a new school?”
“Would you be reluctant to go to recess on
a warm, sunny day?”
“Tell your partner something you would be
reluctant to do.”
“Tell your partner something a cat might be
reluctant to do.
Start your sentence by saying, ‘A cat might
be reluctant to . . .’ Then tell why.”
Write the meaning of your vocabulary words.
WORD
MEANING
Write a 7-up sentence using each of our
vocabulary words.
1._________________________________________
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________
4._________________________________________
5._________________________________________
6._________________________________________
7._________________________________________
8._________________________________________
Write your vocabulary words in ABC order.
1._________________________________________
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________
4._________________________________________
5._________________________________________
6._________________________________________
7._________________________________________
8._________________________________________
General Performance Pattern and Instructional Recommendations based on Nonsense Word Fluency Assessment
(list students in appropriate column -- only list students once!)
Sound by Sound
Sound by Sound
Sound by Sound
with Recoding
Sound by Sound
with Recoding
Whole Word
Reading
Whole Word
Reading
Not Accurate
Accurate
Not Accurate
Accurate
Not Accurate
Accurate
Description of
NWF
Performance
Student makes many
letter-sound errors (less
than 90% accuracy) or
is prompted by the
examiner to move on to
the next letter sound.
Student reads sound by
sound and has minimal
sound errors (over 90%
accuracy).
Instructional
Implications
 Focus on accuracy
instruction at the
letter-sound level.
 Identify known and
unknown lettersound
combinations.
 Continued Phonics
Instruction in
Reading Program
 Fluency with
known sounds:
*1-Minute Dash
*Rapid Read Sounds
 Focus on blending
fluency practice at
the word level.
 Instruction in
“reading words the
fast way”.
List Student
Names
Example
Activities
 Blending practice in
reading words
accurately “the fast
way”.
*No Peeps
 Fluency with
known words.
*5 x 5 Matrix
*Rapid Read Words
*Paired Peer Practice
Student reads lettersounds and then reads
nonsense words with
many letter-sound or
blending substitution
errors (less than 90%
accuracy).
 Focus on accuracy
instruction at the
letter-sound level
and then accuracy
instruction at the
blending level.
Student reads lettersounds and then reads
nonsense words with
over 90% accuracy.
May also have
hesitations, repetitions
and slow pace.
 Focus on blending
fluency practice at
the word level.
 Instruction in
“reading words the
fast way”.
Student reads whole
nonsense words with
good speed but makes
many letter-sound or
blending substitution
errors (less than 90%
accuracy).
 Focus on accuracy
instruction at the
letter-sound level
and then accuracy
instruction at the
blending level.
Student reads whole
nonsense words with
good speed and
accuracy (more than
90% accuracy).
 Continued Phonics
Instruction in
Reading Program
 First, Fluency with
known sounds:
*1-Minute Dash
*Rapid Read Sounds
 Then, blending
practice in reading
words accurately
“the fast way”.
*No Peeps
 Blending practice in
reading words
accurately “the fast
way”.
*No Peeps
 Fluency with
known words.
*5 x 5 Matrix
*Rapid Read Words
*Paired Peer Practice
 Continued Phonics
Instruction in
Reading Program
 First, Fluency with
known sounds:
*1-Minute Dash
*Rapid Read Sounds
 Then, Fluency in
reading words
accurately “the fast
way”.
*No Peeps
 Fluency building
activities in
connected text.
*Repeated Reading
Strategies
*Partner Reading
Strategies
 Focus instruction on
accuracy and
fluency in
connected text.
Example Activity: 1 Minute Letter/Sound Dash
1. Select a set of letter sounds students can accurately identify
Guidelines for selecting letter-sounds to practice:
o Select high-priority and high-utility sounds
o Select sounds students are able to identify accurately?
o Separate highly similar examples
 separate sounds with auditory similarity (i.e., b/d) and visual similarities (v and
w)
o begin with lower case letters and move to uppercase as students demonstrate fluency
Guidelines for the flash-card practice activity:
 Include multiple examples in the practice set
 Systematically decrease “think time” for answering (3-2-1 seconds)
 Remove letter-sounds that students have identified correctly for 2 consecutive weeks
 Review errors from previous lesson.
2. Make cards for each letter/sound:
 Include multiple cards of each letter in the set.
3. Set goal for progress monitoring
 Ultimately, students should be able to identify 1 letter/sound per second
 Set goal depending on previous fluency and number of sounds. For example
o 30 cards that students accurate but not fluent with: goal might be 30 sounds
in 1 minute
o if students have practiced the sounds and are building fluency, a goal might
be 30 sounds in 30 seconds
4. Do a 1-minute small-group practice. Position cards so all can see.
5. Start the stop watch and time for the selected goal time (ie., 30 seconds or 1 minute)
6. Present the first letter so that all students answer together.
7. Provide quick corrective feedback on errors.

If students do not answer correctly:
 “My turn, this sound is ____. What sound?____Yes, _____”. (You do not need to go
back because there are multiple examples of sounds in the set)
8. Continue presenting letters adjusting the pace of presentation systematically.
9. Letter-sounds correctly identified go in one pile. Place errors in a second pile.
10. At the end of 1 minute, tally the number correct.
11. Review errors and repeat activity for again.
No Peeps
Teaching
1. Model
“ You are going to learn how to sound out these words
without saying the sounds out loud.
Watch my mouth. I’ll say the sounds to myself. then
I’ll say the word out loud.”
Teacher mouths the sounds and then says the word out loud.
“ What word- man”
2. Instructions
“Your turn. When I point to the letters, sound out this word
without making a peep.”
3. Focus and think time
Point next to the word and check to see if students are looking.
4. Verbal cue
“ Get Ready “
5. Pause 2 seconds
6. Single
Loop under the first letter and hold for 1 1/2 sec., then loop under
the next letter and hold
for 1 1/2 sec.
7. What word?
8. Encourage
“All right, you sounded out, ----------“
5 X 5 Dash
12. Select a set 5 words students can accurately identify
Guidelines for selecting words to practice:
o Select high-priority and high-utility words
o Select words students are able to identify accurately
o Separate highly similar examples
 very/every
 there/where/here
13. Make page with 5 X 5 matrix:
Example matrix on 8.5 X11 paper:
our
what
were
the
what
were
the
our
what
were
the
our
there
were
the
our
there
what
the
our
there
what
were
there
there
14. Do a 1-minute small-group practice. Position paper so all can see.
Name the words
This word is “our”. What word? (pause, tap) ____Yes, “our”.
This word is “there”. What word? (pause, tap) Yes, “there”
Repeat for each word in the row.
Activity Directions
I am going to time us for one-minute. If we make a mistake, we will have to go
back to the beginning of the row. Answer together when I tap the word. If we
don’t answer together, we will go back to the beginning of the row.
Let’s see how far we can get!
Activity
Start timer. What word? pause, tap What word? pause, tap etc…eventually, you
can omit “what word” and simply tap. Stop at 1 minute.
Correction procedure:
“That word is ____. What word? ____yes, ____. Let’s go back.”
General Performance Pattern and Instructional Recommendations based on Oral Reading Fluency Assessment
(list students in appropriate column- only list students once)
Not Accurate
Accurate but Slow
Fast but Not Accurate
Fluent Reading
Description of
ORF
performance
Student makes many word
reading errors or is provided
words after the 3-second
wait.
Student reads words with
over 90% accuracy; however,
many hesitations and
repetitions.
Student is fast but makes many word
reading or word substitution errors.
Student reads with
good speed and
accuracy.
Instructional
Implications
Administer intervention
program placement
assessment to appropriately
place students in an
intervention program, OR
administer a phonics
screener to determine target
skills for small group
instruction.
Fluency building activities
that include practice in
material with at least 90%
accuracy.
Administer intervention program
placement assessment to appropriately
place students in an intervention
program, OR administer a phonics
screener to determine target skills for
small group instruction.
If students have mastered all phonics
skills, provide instruction (with
incentives) for accurate reading first and
then fluency (rate) instruction.
Continue to provide
practice opportunities
in fluency and
applying
comprehension
strategies to various
genres of text.
List student
names
Whole Group and Small Group Oral Reading Practice Strategies
 The following strategies are designed to engage as many students as possible while group
reading.
 Provide daily, multiple opportunities for all students to practice oral reading!!
 Mix it up! Use a variety of strategies—change by the page and day.
Popcorn Reading:
 Place 3 different colored sticky notes on the table (one for each student, or, one on
each table group in the classroom). Write the letters A and B on the different colored
sticky notes (see example below).
Call on different groups of students to read (Change by the sentence, in the middle of
sentences or at a page—be unpredictable!) Examples: “Popcorn! A group”, “Popcorn! B
group”, “Popcorn! Pink group”, “Popcorn! Girls”, “Popcorn! Boys”, “Popcorn! Table 1”,
etc.
 Note: This strategy could also be used without the colored sticky notes.
A
B
A
B
A
B
A
Jump In! Reading
 Follow directions for “Popcorn” reading.
 Call on different groups of students to “jump in” and read together
Examples: “Pink group begin reading” “blue group jump in” “yellow group jump in” etc…
Choral Reading
 Everyone reads together.
 “Everyone, finger under the first word, read…” or “Everyone, ready? Read…”
 If students begin reading “like robots”, say “Stop. I want you to read like this…”(model
pacing). “Your turn, everyone, ready? Read…”
Cloze Reading
 Teacher reads and stops intentionally at words that students should practice (ie., words
with the target phonic element or vocabulary words)
 “Today I went to the _____. I saw a big _____.”
Partner Reading
 When partner reading, make sure that both students have jobs (i.e., one student is pointing
while the other is reading).
Echo Reading
 Students repeat what the teacher reads. “My turn…..Your turn….”
 Note: the purpose of this activity is to practice fluency of expression
 Not appropriate for the first time the students are reading the text.
Silent Reading
 When asking students to silent read for a few sentences or pages, give them a purpose for
the reading. Example: Find out who this story is about, etc.
 Ask students to point to what they are reading with their finger and to point to the spot
where they find the answer.
Fluency
Fridays
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
1st read
2nd read
3rd read
Middle score
Did Middle
score improve?
Yes or No
Whole Class Fluency Practice Activity:
1. Prepare Motivational Chart (on large poster board, or tag board, write all of the students’
names down the left side of the board) and place on the classroom wall (clearly visible).
2. Explain to the students that the focus is on accuracy!! The student goal is to read their
selection (a re-read of familiar text that they have already read in their small reading group)
without making any errors.
3. The students whisper read independently, or with a partner, their familiar text (partners need
to be pre-determined by the teacher and stay the same for 4-6 weeks).
4. The teacher moves around the classroom listening to individual students read their selection
(one page if there is enough text or the entire book if there is minimal text).
5. If the student reads with 100% accuracy (or less than 3 errors per 100 words if the text is
large), the teacher puts a star, sticker, etc. next to their name on the motivational chart.
6. If the student reads with errors, the teacher immediately uses error correction (my turn...your
turn...), the student finishes the page/story, and the teacher encourages continued practice
and makes sure to come back to that student in the next day or two to check for accuracy
again.
7. Work on the accuracy goal until ALL students understand that this is the #1 expectation for
reading!
8. When students are ready, switch to expression and rate fluency practice (AND keep the goal
of 100% accurate reading). As the teacher moves around the classroom, they will time
individual students for 30 seconds to one minute (depending on the length of the text).
Count # of words read correctly. If the student read without making errors, record the
number of words read next to their name on the motivation chart (the motivation is to read
more words each time).