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Abstract
Round robin reading is an oral reading strategy frequently used in elementary classrooms. Originating hundreds of years ago, round robin oral reading traditionally involved students being asked to take turns reading aloud, an unfamiliar text, for an audience (Hill, 1983; Kelly, 1995). Today, numerous modifications have been made to this long-standing instructional method. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of using various contemporary round robin oral reading approaches at the junior level. In one grade 4 class, students of various reading abilities were asked to read aloud in front of their classmates passages selected from their regular Language Arts textbook on four different occasions. The trial conditions included: a) no pre-reading discussion without rehearsal time; b) pre-reading discussion without rehearsal time; c) no pre-reading discussion with rehearsal time; and d) pre-reading discussion with rehearsal time. A running record was recorded during oral reading sessions and upon the completion of each trial, participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Findings from the study suggest that oral reading can be both educationally valuable and enjoyable for the students. The trial consisting of both a pre-reading discussion and rehearsal time proved to be most beneficial in enhancing comprehension, fluency, and attitude of students during oral reading. Variables such as a safe, inclusive environment may also play a role in the results obtained in the study.
Introduction
Oral reading is an essential aspect of any literacy program, as it develops reading skills and improves overall reading success (Rasinski & Huffman, 2003). This form of reading instruction has been shown to enhance fluency, word recognition, and comprehension (Beach, 1993; Rasinski et al, 2003) - all of which are important components of effective and meaningful reading. Various strategies can be employed by classroom teachers to develop the students' oral reading skills; however, the most frequently used instructional tool at the elementary level seems to be round robin (Eldredge, Reutzel, & Hollingsworth, 1996; Hill, 1983; Kelly, 1995; Lynch, 1988). The round robin reading strategy - where students take turns orally reading one at a time while others silently follow along - has received significant negative criticism from the educational community. This practice, which dates back hundreds of years, is claimed to be pedagogically unfavorable...