round robin reading

STOP Round Robin or Popcorn Reading

Research doesn’t support the use of round-robin or “popcorn” reading. Students tend to read less with the round-robin or “popcorn” format. Poor readers are stigmatized; this method lacks differentiation and slows reading rates. It’s an outdated practice. Pulling names on popsicle sticks for students to read aloud must also come to an end.

The following methods are flexible. You can use different strategies within a single lesson.

Shared Reading: The teacher reads aloud, modeling fluency and expression, while students follow along in their text copy. The teacher stops and models comprehension strategies.
Choral Reading: More than one student reads at a time. The teacher may or may not choose to read with the readers. You can split into ‘this half’ and ‘that half’ of the reading group (or the class) to read at once. Fluent readers can pull along slower readers. This also has a musical quality that is very attractive to students. Students can also repeat sections as needed to build fluency and intonation.
Echo Reading: This form of instruction is terrific for building fluency and expression. The teacher reads part of the text with enthusiasm, expression, and fluency. Students are then asked to read that part of the text in the same way.
Independent Silent Reading: Students read to a precise stopping point. They read for a purpose. Follow this up with a discussion to assess comprehension. Students who finish their work early may write in response journals. To prevent distractions from others, beginning readers can read into their whisper phones.
Whisper Reading: Beginning readers whisper read so the teacher can listen in and intervene when necessary.
Reader’s Theater: Individuals practice their parts to “perform.” The Reading A-Z website offers a variety of reader’s theater selections across multiple guided reading levels. Consider becoming a member! Here are free Reader’s Theater Scripts.
Teacher Cloze Reading: The teacher begins reading aloud while the students follow along. The students read aloud when the teacher pauses on essential words that they need to emphasize. This may include a word or two in every sentence. This method is often used in the intermediate grades with informational text.
Partner Reading: This is when two students read using reciprocal teaching. The teacher establishes a clear purpose, defines a specific starting and stopping point, and explains the actions to take once reading is completed. Students “Check for Understanding” after each page by identifying who or what the page was about. To pair students, research suggests listing the students in descending order of reading ability. For example, in a class of 24, the most proficient reader is #1, and the one who needs the most support is #24. Divide the class list in half, with numbers 1–12 on one list and 13–24 on the other. Align the two lists so that #1 is lined up with #13, #2 with #14, #3 with #15, and so on until #12 matches #24. There will not be such a significant difference between each pair’s proficiencies.
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: These strategies are a form of partner reading. Teachers assign partners to match students with higher and lower needs. The partners engage in a series of turns reading, rereading, and retelling. PALS focuses on three activities to support fluency and comprehension. The three activities are partner reading, paragraph shrinking, and prediction relay. In pairs, each partner takes the lead as coach, alternating with the role of reader. The reader reads aloud, and the coach listens, providing positive feedback. The students work together to ask questions as they read, shrink paragraphs, or summarize, and relay their predictions (following the steps of predict, read, check, and summarize). Watch this YouTube video of it: Peer Assisted Learning Strategies.

Instead of Round Robin Reading, Focus on Individual Fluency

Timed Repeated Readings: Pairs of students read an instructional-level text. Students usually read passages of 50–100 words. Each pair should have a copy of a repeated readings chart and a pencil; they should share a stopwatch. First, students read the texts silently. One student reads the passage aloud, while the other reads it and marks errors. The student should maintain appropriate expression. After six readings, the student records the information on a chart, and the other reads. Weekly charts can track students’ growth. Teachers can meet with each student to confirm the measurements.
Peer Repeated Reading: In peer-repeated readings, students do not use stopwatches. Students read a familiar text. Again, the student pairs read the text silently using a short passage (50–100 words). Then, taking turns, the students read the text orally 3 times. After the first reading, the student who is reading assesses their reading. After the second reading, the student self-assesses, and the student who is listening comments on how the reading is improving. Then the student reads a final time, self-assessing and listening to their partner’s positive comments. The partners switch.
Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction: FORI is for content area instruction in the primary grades. It involves students rereading a selected text multiple times over a week. The teacher first reads aloud, with the students following along in their copies. Comprehension is emphasized. Over the next few days, the students echo-, choral-, and partner-read the text. Extension activities occur as part of the literacy curriculum.
Radio Reading: In radio reading, students are assigned parts of the text to practice reading aloud. After they have practiced reading their section, they develop questions to ask their peers. The following day, the students read their sections aloud, much like radio announcers. Once their section is finished, they may ask their peers the questions they developed. If necessary, they may reread sections of their selection to help their classmates answer the questions. This is not round-robin reading because students practice their reading before they read aloud.

Instead of Round Robin Reading, Have the Whole Class Read at Once

Reciprocal Teaching: Break students into groups of 4. The purpose is to make reading techniques that good readers use visible to all students, to show and model what good readers do. Students must internalize the idea that they should mentally process everything they read. Good readers use these steps, although they are not always visible:

Predictor (makes and revises predictions)

Clarifier (clarifies difficult points and vocabulary)

Questioner (clarifies points of uncertainty)

Summarizer (tells main points, in order)

Students rotate roles.

The best reading specialist website. How to teach reading and writing. Stop round robin reading.

Reciprocal Teaching Plus: Students read, infer, and critically analyze. This method is based on reciprocal teaching (Palincsar & Brown, 1984). First, the teacher models the four parts of reciprocal teaching. Next, the teacher moves the students to use the four strategies in pairs. Students read passages of text silently, taking turns to question, summarize, clarify, and make predictions. Finally, Reciprocal Teaching Plus asks students to critically evaluate the text, identify the author’s perspective, and analyze the points of view that are omitted from the text. Prompts to use:

Whose story is being told? What is the author’s point of view or perspective?

Is the author taking one side or another? Does the author tell the reader that they are doing this? Whose story is not told? Why might that be? What might another point of view or perspective be?

Crazy Professor Reading Game: Check it out here: Crazy Professor Reading Game. This is a 4-step method.

Step 1: The students read independently with dramatic expressions. This helps them emphasize keywords and increase comprehension.

Step 2: Students use hand gestures to add a critical motor element, further deepening comprehension.

Step 3: The students teach their neighbor. Partners dramatically ask questions about what they’ve read (using hand gestures), and the other student answers dramatically, using hand gestures as well. While completing this step, both students develop their summarizing and paraphrasing skills.

Step 4: The pairs take on roles. One is the crazy professor, who summarizes everything in a dramatic manner. The other is the student who eagerly repeats what the crazy professor says.

Jigsaw for Content Area Reading: Assign reading sections, and split students into different groups. Have the whole class count off by 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then all the 1’s form a group, all the 2’s form a group, and so on. Assign each group a text section to read and become an expert on. Cooperatively, the students will read and comprehend. Each group member becomes the expert on their section of text to teach the other groups. The teacher selects the most appropriate graphic organizer for each group to use in synthesizing information that they will teach to different groups. Then, students form mixed groups. Each group consists of a member from groups 1, 2, 3, and 4. These individuals teach their section.

01/18/2015

Edited on 07/10/2025

References

Edutopia