Reading Side by Side: A Second‐Grade Teacher's Inquiry Into Dyad Partner Reading

ABSTRACT

Fluency is a key component of recent literacy legislation in most US states, and these mandates often require regular assessments to identify at‐risk students and monitor growth, including measures of reading fluency. This classroom inquiry examined how dyad partner reading was implemented and its impact on 19 second‐grade students' words per minute during 9 weeks of daily 10‐min sessions. The partner reading routine produced overall gains in reading rate and revealed patterns in the types of support learners needed to progress. Implementation insights also emerged, including the importance of explicit routine teaching, thoughtful partner formation, responsive adjustments, and attention to partner dynamics. These findings suggest that brief, daily dyad partner reading can be a practical fluency intervention within instructional frameworks and highlight implementation lessons that may help teachers apply the routine effectively.