Daily Departures: Speed Reading Passages for English Language Learners

3. Once a routine is established, the activity should take less than 15 minutes includ- ing reading, answering questions, checking answers, and recording progress on the graph. It is recommended to do three passages a week. 4. Readings should be collected as soon as students have finished the activity. Students maywish to keep the readings to understand them completely. This reduces the value of the activity by placing too much importance on skills other than speed. Moreover, these readings are not necessarily the best texts to use for developing other skills. 5. Recording the time and the score is a very important part of the exercise since see- ing progress is a very effective motivator for students. It is also a good way for the teacher to monitor progress and give feedback. Instructions 1. Print each reading passage and corresponding questions on different sides of a double-sided page. 2. Introduce the activity to students as follows: a. The focus of this activity is to increase reading speed. Accuracy in answering questions is not the main consideration. Aim for the fastest time with approximately 70 percent accuracy. b. While reading, don’t mouth the words because this will make you read more slowly. c. Don’t write on the paper because the readings will be collected and reused. d. When answering questions, don’t turn back and look at the passage . 3. Distribute the progress graph and the answer key for recording the reading time, the number of the reading passage, and for checking answers to comprehension questions. 4. Explain: When you finish reading the passage, look up, note the time, and write an X beside the corresponding time on the progress graph. When you finish answering the questions, check your answers, then record your score on the graph. 5. Write the times on the board and cross them off every 10 seconds so students can mark their time. vi  Preface