12 Alternatives to Popcorn Reading to Assess Fluency
The research is clear: popcorn reading shames weak readers and causes strong readers to lose focus. How else can you assess fluency? Read on for twelve alternatives.
What Is Popcorn Reading?
Popcorn reading is a form of communal reading where one student reads aloud from a passage while others follow along silently.
When the student gets to the end of a sentence or paragraph, he calls out, “Popcorn!” and says another student’s name.
The new student must begin reading aloud where the other left off.
The goal of popcorn reading is to keep all students focused on the text while providing opportunities for solo reading.
This allows you, as the teacher, to assess fluency.
There are several variations of popcorn reading, like round-robin reading (where the teacher sets the order) or using a bowl to draw names for who reads next.
While both are slight improvements over popcorn reading, they don’t mitigate the downsides.
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Problems with Popcorn Reading
Popcorn reading has some advantages, but its drawbacks outweigh them.
Embarrasses Struggling Readers
It is hard enough to make your way in school as a struggling reader without having to advertise your struggles to the class.
Kids are cruel, and they will laugh at misread words.
Even if kids try to help the struggling reader by correcting a word, the struggling reader may feel embarrassed and shut down.
It also robs the reader of the chance to decode the word on their own.
Decreases Comprehension in Struggling Readers
Struggling readers put so much of their focus into decoding that they have none left for comprehension.
If they know their turn is approaching, they will pre-read their particular passage to practice and thus ignore whatever portion of the text someone else is reading.
Decreases Focus in All Students
Strong readers become bored listening to a fellow student read slowly.
They will quickly scan the passage independently, and then they will have time on their hands. How can they occupy themselves?
This can lead to behavior issues.
12 Ways to Assess Fluency
You need to assess the fluency of your students. Instead of using popcorn reading, try one of these twelve alternatives.
Some of these activities practice fluency, while others are for assessment only.
Choral Reading
Just as a choir sings in unison, choral reading involves reading aloud together. (To be clear, this is speaking, not singing the words.)
In choral reading, the teacher reads the loudest. This provides examples of proper inflection and pausing.
Struggling readers will naturally lower their voice when unsure of a word, but this opens their ears to hear correct pronunciation and expression.
Echo Reading
Each reading is exactly what it sounds like.
The teacher reads a sentence, and the students read the exact sentence back to her.
This is not an exercise in memory. The students must follow the text as they listen to the teacher and then reread the sentence.
Guided Reading
Guided reading is a way to assess fluency either one-on-one or in a small group of students at the same reading level.
It involves pre-reading, reading aloud, and follow-up questions to assess reading comprehension.
Learn more about the steps of guided reading here.
Whisper Reading
Whisper reading is a strategy teachers can use to assess fluency in a small group.
Group together students of a similar reading level.
They can all read silently from their books.
While the others read independently (at their own pace), one student can read aloud to you in a whisper from wherever they are in their book.
This whisper reading allows the others to continue their independent reading without distraction while still allowing you to assess fluency.
One-on-One Reading
The best way to assess fluency is to read one-on-one, teacher and student.
It is hard to find the time to assess fluency this way, but if you have the opportunity, this is the gold standard.
Ear Reading
Ear reading is a technique to promote fluency. (It’s a game changer for students with dyslexia.)
The students listen to an audio version of the text while they read along silently.
The audio version can be a live person reading aloud, an audiobook, or text-to-speech technology.
Partner or Paired Reading
Also called Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS method), paired reading involves one student in the role of “Coach” and the other as “Player.”
Typically, one student is at a higher reading level than the other. Each takes turns being the Coach and the Player.
Step 1: The Coach reads aloud the passage while the Player follows along.
Step 2: The roles reverse, and the new Coach reads to the new Player.
Step 3: The students “shrink the paragraph.” This means they identify the main idea.
Step 4: One partner tries to predict what happens next (this is called inferencing). The other reads the subsequent passage to reveal what happens.
Shared Reading
Shared reading differs from partner reading in that there are no post-reading activities.
This is a basic approach in which two students take turns reading from the same text. One student helps the other as needed.
Typically, you would pair one student with a higher reading level with one with a lower reading level.
However, shared reading works very well with students who are friends. They gently help each other and love to work together.
Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction (FORI)
Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction is a combination of tasks to assess fluency.
First, you use echo reading. You (the teacher) read a passage one sentence at a time, and the students follow along and repeat the sentences after you.
Second, you read the same passage together (this is choral reading).
Lastly, you put students in groups of two to practice paired reading with that same passage.
Reader’s Theater
Create scripts for students to read aloud in a reader’s theater.
This fluency assessment tool gives students the time and space to practice their part before reading aloud.
Poetry easily lends itself to this format. You can also adapt the stories you read in class.
If you are looking for ready-made scripts, you will find hundreds online. Search “scripts for reader’s theater.”
Talking Hippo App
Students can use an iPad app like Talking Hippo to record their reading.
They read a sentence to the Hippo, and the Hippo will repeat it with a funny voice. Kids love it!
Voice Memo
Older students can record themselves reading aloud on the Voice Memo app on their phones.
They can send you the file so you can assess their fluency when time permits.
Assessing Fluency Without Popcorn Reading
Skip shame-based Popcorn Reading, and instead try one of these twelve alternatives that still allow you to assess fluency.
