1 minute read
One-Minute Reading
This activity helps students improve their reading rates. The gist of the activity is to read and reread the text a few times, trying to train students to read faster and further each time. The students are thereby rereading familiar material and extending beyond it with subsequent readings. The exercise does not really emphasize moving the eyes quickly; instead, the material should be processed and comprehended more efficiently. As students participate in this rate-building activity, they learn that indeed they can increase their reading rates.
When to Use It
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• To promote increased reading rates • To encourage reading in chunks • To help students focus on main ideas over details
Level
Depends on text chosen
Skills
Preparation
Identify a text that is at a suitable level for your students. The text should not include too many new words and grammar beyond their level. The text should also be at least 700 words in length.
Practice
Materials
Text
Procedure
1. Distribute the text and tell students you will give them one min- Preparation Time ute to read. They should read for general comprehension, but try 10 minutes 2. to read quickly. At the one-minute mark, instruct students to stop, mark the place where they stopped, and think about what they read. No Activity Time 10 minutes discussion is necessary; students can think about what they read individually. 3. Tell students they will have another 60 seconds to read the text again — from the beginning. They should try to read more material during the second 60-second period than the first. 4. Have students repeat this up to four times, instructing them to stop between each reading to reflect on the topic. 5. Have students reflect on their different stopping points to see the degree to which their reading rates increased.
Variations
1. Include comprehension questions. 2. Passages could be scaffolded so that the exercise starts with a simple text and the subsequent texts include additional details which might normally slow down the readers, but should help students distinguish between main ideas and details.
