Sentence Reading Drill

Practice word reading within connected text.

Sentence reading drills are very useful for learners to apply their decoding skills in more authentic scenarios.

This exercise is conducted orally, you will need a list of sentences to read aloud.

"I am going to show you some sentences to read."

Issue: Learner decodes a word incorrectly

Do this: Bring the learner’s attention back to the incorrect word. Ask the learner to read it again. Alternatively, you can ask them to re-read the sentence and draw your finger along the top of it as they go. If they make an error gently bring their attention to it so they can try again.
Example: The learner reads ‘sprint’ as ‘spint’. Say “let’s blend that word together, sssppprrrriiiinnnt, sprint”. Alternatively, “Let’s try that again.” [draw your finger along the top of the sentence as they go, indicating any errors they make with your finger].
Then: Ask the learner to reread the sentence correctly.

Issue: Learner substitutes small words (like "and" or "the") within the sentence

Do this: Ask the learner to reread the sentence carefully. If they read the word incorrectly again, support them to decode the word before reading the complete sentence again.
Example: The sentence is “The cat sat on the hat”. The learner reads “The cat sat in a hat”. Say “let’s read the sentence again”, if appropriate ask the learner to run their finger below the sentence to help them focus on each word.
Then: Ask the learner to reread the sentence fluently.

Struggling readers often have low confidence when reading aloud due to previous struggles with reading. A discrete way to provide feedback or bring attention back to a word that was read incorrectly is to run your finger above the line when reading and double tap above the error to draw the learner's attention back to the word and encourage them to reread it.
Often learners will guess the small words within sentences which will change the meaning of the sentence. It is important to correct this so the learner gets the full meaning of the sentence.