How to use a cloze procedure with oral reading

The cloze procedure can be used to help learners improve oral reading skills. It is especially helpful for those who make contextually inappropriate mistakes during oral reading.

Using a cloze procedure appropriately with learners who are reading out loud can

• help them learn to use context clues to predict words, and
• give them oral reading practice.

Here are some guidelines to follow when you use a cloze procedure to improve oral reading skills:

• See: How to prepare texts for a cloze procedure
• Do not be concerned if learners supply words different from the ones you would choose, if they are grammatically and contextually appropriate.

• Help learners supply the appropriate words for a cloze text by giving them

  • word cards or word lists from which to choose the appropriate word, or
  • the first letter of each missing word.

1. Instruct the learner(s) to read the prepared text out loud until they come to a missing word they cannot supply.
2. Discuss the context of the missing word and possible word choices without supplying the correct word.
3. Instruct them to try again to supply the correct word.
4. To provide more help, do the following:
   1. Instruct them to reread the sentence, saying "blank" (or an appropriate equivalent) for the missing word.
   2. Ask them to suggest a word that fits the text to take the place of "blank".
   3. Have them reread the sentence using their suggested word.

5. Repeat the above until they can supply all the missing words.

• Barr, Sadow, and Blachowicz 1990

• Task module: How to use a cloze procedure with oral reading
• In task module: Using a cloze procedure
• In task module: Developing literacy skills, by Martha A. Lane (contributor), Delle P. Matthews (contributor), Leah B. Walter (contributor), Glenys Waters (contributor), Anne Klaassens (editor), and Trudy K. Stewart (editor, contributor)
• In task module: Teaching people to read and write, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In task module: Implementing a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 16 March 1999

© 1999 SIL International