Why it’s time to let round robin reading go the way of the dodo
Most literacy experts agree that strategies like round robin reading and its variations are no longer effective teaching strategies. English teachers have known for years that these activities don't work, so why are they so difficult to shake?
“Only one graduate research paper has claimed a benefit to round robin reading or its variations," explains Todd Finley, a professor of English education. "It simply doesn’t benefit students to have poor fluency and pronunciation modeled, and asking students to take turns reading aloud in front of the whole class can stigmatize struggling readers.”
Round Robin in a Nutshell
Here’s a quick rundown of why it’s time to replace round robin reading with something better.
Round robin reading:
Causes struggling readers anxiety and embarrassment. We’ve all seen students shake, stammer, or sweat when they have to read aloud in front of the class. Why impose this stress on them?
Often models poor fluency and pronunciation. It doesn’t make sense to provide a classroom full of emergent readers with examples of how not to read well.
Impairs comprehension. Round robin reading teaches students that saying words correctly is more important than understanding them. Teachers and peers focus on correcting pronunciation but don't always make sure students understand the meaning.
Does not account for different reading speeds. Fast readers will be frustrated by the pace, and slower readers will not have time to decipher meaning.
Encourages inattention. Some students will only tune in when it’s their turn to read. Others won’t pay attention because they’ll be busy rehearsing the passage they have to read.
Stunts independence and confidence. Students can’t correct their mistakes once they see the flow of a sentence or paragraph. This mean they aren’t teaching themselves to read better. Also, when teachers or peers jump in to make corrections, students don’t get the confidence boost from figuring it out themselves.
Makes reading a chore. Ideally, a class coming together to read and discuss a text should be a joyous event. Round robin reading turns what could be a celebration into drudgery.
To be clear, reading aloud in some forms can improve students’ fluency, comprehension, and confidence. So, try these research-backed read-aloud activities to strengthen literacy and SEL skills as you phase out round robin reading.
Partner reading is a low-stakes, research-backed activity that works at almost every grade level. One student reads aloud while the other listens. The process then reverses with the same passage read again.
After each reading, the listener asks questions to ensure the reader understands the text. You can provide questions if there are particular ideas you would like explored. During partner reading, have the stronger reader go first. This allows the weaker reader to hear difficult words before reading them aloud themselves.
Choral reading is a technique that describes reading a text aloud in unison. This can take the pressure off struggling readers while encouraging them to participate.
Another variation is echo reading, where the teacher reads a line aloud, and students then read the same line aloud. This strategy is great because you model ideal fluency, pace, and pronunciation. Research suggests that choral and echo reading improves fluency, expands vocabulary, and boosts confidence.
Pairing students from different grades to read together has educational and SEL benefits that help both students. Younger kids see greater fluency modeled and enjoy the one-on-one attention of an older student.
Older kids learn by answering questions, explaining concepts, and practicing skills like patience and empathy. For older kids not reading at grade level, having a younger reading partner allows them to read simpler texts without stigma. This increases their confidence as they take on a mentoring role.
Ear reading is listening to an audiobook while silently reading along. This is a fruitful activity for all students, but especially for struggling readers and students with dyslexia. In a 2010 study, students with dyslexia who listened to audiobooks showed significant gains in reading accuracy, improved behavior, and better general school performance.
As you listen, pause to pose questions, such as, “What did I just read? Who can recap it?”
Students can benefit from quiet reading even if they initially resist it. You should explain the importance of silent reading to them and emphasize that it’s a skill they will need throughout their lives.
Initially, keep the passages brief—maybe just a paragraph. Question students about the content so you can gauge comprehension. If they have trouble, have them reread it. You’re not only teaching them to read better; you're also teaching them to persevere.
Students learn best from each other. Facilitating a discussion based on something they have just read silently is an authentic way to test for comprehension. It also allows students to strengthen reasoning skills, practice oral fluency, and increase their listening capacities.
Discussions also build classroom community and boost confidence. This is because students see that you trust them enough to hand over the reins.
Reading Theater is a dramatic student performance of whatever text they are reading. This strategy can be so fun that students may not even notice how many skills they’re acquiring! Acting choices, like how to stand or what sort of emotion to use, can only happen after a student has deeply comprehended a text.
Reading theater works best, unsurprisingly, with excerpts from plays. To start, have students read a monologue together three times as a warm-up activity. The first time, they should all act like they’ve had way too much coffee. The second time, they should pretend they’ve just received some bad news.Let them choose their own mood/emotion for the third reading.
After this warm-up eases jitters and familiarizes students with the text, split them into mixed-skill groups. Then ask them to start preparing their performances.
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Letting students read aloud to themselves can help reluctant or struggling readers feel less pressure to perform. Students can read aloud at their own speed, fix errors, and answer questions when reading individually. This helps with comprehension. The downside is that students won’t receive immediate feedback and might not pause to think about what they’ve just read.
Technology can help overcome these pitfalls. ClearFluencyTM, an online guided reading tool, listens as students read each word aloud and delivers immediate support with fluency issues.
If you need a friendly reminder of these new items in your toolbox, download and print out this handy “cheat sheet” of alternatives.
Change for the Better
Change is hard, but getting rid of ineffective practices, such as round robin reading, can help students improve their reading skills. Replacing outdated practices with innovative, effective activities and programs is critical if we want to achieve literacy for all. Let's make our classrooms places where students feel safe and ready to learn!
Before joining Carnegie Learning’s marketing team in 2021, Emily Anderson spent 16 years teaching middle school, high school, and college English in classrooms throughout Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, and Minnesota. During these years, Emily developed a passion for designing exciting, relatable curricula and developing transformative teaching strategies. She holds master's degrees in English and Women’s Studies and a doctorate in American literature and lives for those classroom moments when students learn something that will forever change them. She loves helping amazing teachers achieve more of these moments in their classrooms.
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