Key Information
Focus
Comprehension
Fluency
When To Use This Strategy
During reading
Appropriate Group Size
With small groups
Partner reading is a cooperative learning strategy in which two students work together to read an assigned text. This strategy is often used as part of the Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS). PALS is a class-wide peer tutoring program in which teachers carefully partner a student with a classmate. The partner reading strategy allows students to take turns reading and provide each other with feedback as a way to monitor comprehension.
Why use partner reading?
- Students take turns reading and provide each other with corrective feedback, ensuring accurate reading practice.
- Reading with a partner provides a model of fluent reading and helps students practice reading with expression.
- Partners reading the same text can help each other monitor comprehension.
- Partner Reading provides direct opportunities for a teacher to circulate in the class, listen to students read, and offer individualized instruction.
How to use partner reading
Begin by creating mixed-ability partner pairs with an instructional focus in mind. For example, you might match a more accurate reader with one who is less accurate, a more fluent reader with a less fluent one, or a student with strong comprehension and a one who needs to practice self-monitoring.
Choose the assigned reading and introduce the text to the students.
When introducing student-partnerships, ensure Partner A is the stronger reader and Partner B is the one more in need of the practice, but do not tell students this logic behind the pairings. Students need only to know whether they are Partner A or B.
Model the procedure to ensure that students understand the routines.
- Partner A will read aloud for five minutes as Partner B follows along.
- Then, Partner B will read aloud from that same section of text, as Partner A follows along.
- If either partner makes an error while reading, the other will say, “The word is ___. What’s the word?” The reader will repeat back the correct word. Then, the partner will say, “Now reread.” and the reader will go back to the beginning of the sentence, this time reading without error.
Watch a lesson (whole class)
PAL or “pair” reading (a method based on Lynn and Douglas Fuchs’ Peer Assisted Learning Strategies) helps promote speed, accuracy, and proper expression in reading as well as practice comprehension skills to improve students’ understanding of what they read. (From theBalanced Literacy Diet: Putting Research into Practice in the Classroom)
Watch a lesson (whole class, 2nd grade)
Watch a second grade class engaging in a partner reading activity, using instructional-level text. (REL Southeast)
Watch a demonstration
This video describes a procedure for students to read with a partner. It explains to students how they can help their partner when they miss a word. From Anita Archer’s book, Explicit Instruction. (Lindsay Kemeny)
Watch a demonstration: “Ask, Then Tell” error correction strategy
Teach students how to help each other when partner reading. From Anita Archer’s book, Explicit Instruction. (Lindsay Kemeny)
Watch a demonstration
Two teachers model partner reading with a comprehension check after each partner reads.
Collect resources
5 Partner Reading Activities for K-1 Students › (opens in a new window)
Consider watching the webinar “Tier 1 Classwide Intervention for Reading” to learn how oral reading fluency data can be used to make partner reading a success.
Differentiate instruction
For second language learners, students of varying reading skill, and younger learners
Teachers may wish to include the following additional activities for varying skill levels:
Story retelling: students work together to retell the story by cooperatively providing input and correcting mistakes
Summarization: students support each other in developing a summary of the passage in 10 words or less
Writing: students write down the summary they developed and/or responses to the following:
- the who or what of the paragraph
- the most important thing about who or what
- the main idea
You might intentionally pair an English Learner with a fully-fluent student to support language development (see the following resource for more information: Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners (opens in a new window).
Partner reading can even be done with cross age/grade partners.
Extend the learning
Social Studies
This comprehensive teacher’s guide to partner reading includes examples of using the strategy in the study of the American Revolution (see page 9 of the guide)
Partner Reading: An Evidence-Based Practice (Teacher’s Guide) › (opens in a new window)
See the research that supports this strategy
Armbruster, B., Lehr, F., & Osborn, J. (2001). Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read. Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. National Institute for Literacy. http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1fluency.html.
Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L., & Burish, P. (2000). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: An Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Reading Achievement. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 15(2), 85-91.
Saenz, L., Fuchs, L., & Fuchs, D. (2005) Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities. Exceptional Children, (71).
Texas Education Agency. (2002). Fluency: Instructional Guidelines and Student Activities.
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development. (n.d.). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies. Retrieved 2008, January 21, from http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/pals/.
Children’s books to use with this strategy
Rhyming tales written for two voices makes an ideal — and humorous — introduction to readers’ theater. Well known fairy tales have been adapted, reorganized and reinvigorated with lively language and sprightly illustrations, worthy of many dramatizations.
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together
Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrator:
Michael Emberley
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Poetry
As a child gets ready for bed, she implores, “Tell me a story, Mama,” then proceeds to tell it herself. Mama adds only to punctuate the girl’s story with maternal wisdom. This warm story, told in two voices, reflects how children make family stories their own.
Tell Me a Story, Mama
Angela Johnson
Illustrator:
David Soman
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Fiction
When their mother bakes a dozen cookies, Sam and Victoria plan to have six each. Then the doorbell rings — again and again! Just when it seems that there aren’t enough cookies, grandma saves the day!
The Doorbell Rang
Pat Hutchins
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Fiction
These poems introduce various insects and their lives; ideal for sharing aloud and for relating to informational books on insects.
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Paul Fleischman
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Poetry
Two boys meet and develop a friendship. Readers will gain meaning and be able to read expressively from the animated presentation (in typeface and color as well as placement) of simple words which are ideal to read aloud in tandem. (Children can describe not only plot but attributes — characteristics and characterization — of the 2 boys. A discussion of language and how we greet our friends as well could take this into a social skills direction.)
Yo! Yes?
Chris Raschka
Age Level:
6-9
Two boys meet and develop a friendship. Readers will gain meaning and be able to read expressively from the animated presentation (in typeface and color as well as placement) of simple words which are ideal to read aloud in tandem. (Children can describe not only plot but attributes - characteristics and characterization - of the 2 boys. A discussion of language and how we greet our friends as well could take this into a social skills direction.)
Grapes of Math
Greg Tang
Illustrator:
Harry Briggs
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction
Topics this strategy is especially helpful for
Comprehension, Curriculum and Instruction, English Language Learners, Fluency
