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The classroom is quiet. All the students have the same book open on their desks. One student is reading aloud. Other students are counting ahead or gazing out into space. The student who just finished reading sighs with relief when her turn is over.
We're describing Round Robin Reading (RRR) or one of its many variations. We've all done it or at least seen it. In fact, over half of K-8 teachers report using RRR or some variation of it in their instruction (Ash, Kuhn, & Walpole, 2009). In RRR, all students are expected to follow along while individual students take turns reading, usually moving in a predictable pattern (e.g., up and down rows or around tables). However, this ever-popular instructional practice enjoys little research support.
So what explains RRR's popularity? First, some variations of Round Robin Reading lead to a superficial level of engagement. Popcorn Reading (students read aloud in "random order"), Combat Reading (students call on one another to read, trying to catch each other "offtask"), and Popsicle Reading (teacher writes students' names on popsicle sticks and then randomly pulls the sticks to determine reading order) all involve oral reading without prior practice with the text. In these variations, students never know when they will be called on and are forced to follow along in the text. In fact, while many teachers seem to know that they should not be using Round Robin Reading, they report that these variation strategies are less damaging (Ash, et al., 2009).
This perception leads to the second perceived benefit-classroom management. In classrooms where RRR happen, it is usually quiet except for the one student reading. Thus, it is also an easy way to plan for a reading lesson as it is often applied to the whole class. Teachers also report using RRR to assess students' fluency levels (Ash, et. al., 2009). Finally, RRR can often be found in the content area instruction as an attempt to make sure that all students are reading the same material.
However, the drawbacks of RRR and its many variations far outweigh the benefits. First, we know of no research evidence that supports the claim that RRR actually contributes to students becoming better...