Reading FluencyReading Fluency

What is it?What is it?Fluency is the ability to read rapidly, Fluency is the ability to read rapidly, smoothly, without many errors, and with smoothly, without many errors, and with appropriate expression.appropriate expression.

Why is it important?Why is it important?First and foremost, a reader will eventually First and foremost, a reader will eventually be expected to learn from reading texts, be expected to learn from reading texts, which makes comprehension important. Also, which makes comprehension important. Also, it is because of the limited processing it is because of the limited processing capacity of our brains and the consequent capacity of our brains and the consequent learning to automatically process words.  learning to automatically process words. 

Individual Approaches to Individual Approaches to Building Fluency Building Fluency

Teachers model fluent reading when they read aloud to their Teachers model fluent reading when they read aloud to their studentsstudents

Students need a specific and concrete goal. At times they might Students need a specific and concrete goal. At times they might read to increase their reading rate, and other times they might read to increase their reading rate, and other times they might read to learn their part for readers theater. Teachers chart read to learn their part for readers theater. Teachers chart progress and frequently show students (privately) this concrete progress and frequently show students (privately) this concrete evidence of their progress.evidence of their progress.

Students do substantial amount of reading. In order to become Students do substantial amount of reading. In order to become more fluent, students need to actually read; they can't just pretend more fluent, students need to actually read; they can't just pretend to read. This means you need to build some accountability into to read. This means you need to build some accountability into whatever approach you use.whatever approach you use.

Students read in comfortable and non-taxing situations. This means Students read in comfortable and non-taxing situations. This means avoid round-robin reading.avoid round-robin reading.

There is evidence that students are generally capable of picking There is evidence that students are generally capable of picking appropriate texts for repeated reading, neither too easy or too appropriate texts for repeated reading, neither too easy or too hard. Still, ensuring that students have appropriate texts is crucial hard. Still, ensuring that students have appropriate texts is crucial to successful fluency.to successful fluency.

When monitoring oral reading, teachers should correct fewer When monitoring oral reading, teachers should correct fewer miscues and allow students to read without too many interruptions, miscues and allow students to read without too many interruptions, seeking smooth and fairly rapid reading rather than perfection.seeking smooth and fairly rapid reading rather than perfection.

Types of ReadingTypes of Reading Repeated ReadingRepeated Reading

Students continuously read a passage until they can Students continuously read a passage until they can read it rapidly and without errors. This requires the read it rapidly and without errors. This requires the student to maintain one-on-one instruction with student to maintain one-on-one instruction with teacher so they can be monitored for success/failure. teacher so they can be monitored for success/failure. Having this as a requirement makes it difficult to Having this as a requirement makes it difficult to maintain, but when there is enough resources this is a maintain, but when there is enough resources this is a very successful exercise.very successful exercise.

Simultaneous Repeated Reading/Echo ReadingSimultaneous Repeated Reading/Echo ReadingIt is also a one-on-one approach, but the main It is also a one-on-one approach, but the main difference from repeated reading is the reader and difference from repeated reading is the reader and the teacher/helper read the passages together. The the teacher/helper read the passages together. The teacher should begin reading strongly and gradually teacher should begin reading strongly and gradually more and more softly so the student can take over. more and more softly so the student can take over.

Group and Whole-Class Group and Whole-Class Approaches Approaches

ape-Assisted Readingape-Assisted ReadingThis approach has the teacher record the reader while they read texts. The reader should This approach has the teacher record the reader while they read texts. The reader should still continue to do repeated reading and use previous recordings to grow. This approach still continue to do repeated reading and use previous recordings to grow. This approach requires less time from the teacher so it can be more applicable for larger classrooms.requires less time from the teacher so it can be more applicable for larger classrooms.

Partner ReadingPartner ReadingA strong reader should be paired up with a weaker reader. They should take turns reading, A strong reader should be paired up with a weaker reader. They should take turns reading, starting with the strong leader and then following with the weaker one. This method should starting with the strong leader and then following with the weaker one. This method should help with cutting back on teacher time. This should also be done on a regular basis, like help with cutting back on teacher time. This should also be done on a regular basis, like several times a week.several times a week.

Choral ReadingChoral ReadingThe teacher chooses a selection (it's helpful if it is something fun that has lots of The teacher chooses a selection (it's helpful if it is something fun that has lots of expression). The teacher should model what the passage should sound like, and then the expression). The teacher should model what the passage should sound like, and then the class should read it together in unison several times. This helps the students that are less class should read it together in unison several times. This helps the students that are less fluent scaffold off the students who are more fluent.fluent scaffold off the students who are more fluent.

Reader's TheaterReader's TheaterThis refers to the well rehearsed reading of scripts, with feeling and expression. This does This refers to the well rehearsed reading of scripts, with feeling and expression. This does not mean students need to memorize scripts, dress up, or any other time-consuming not mean students need to memorize scripts, dress up, or any other time-consuming features of a play. Readers theater is highly motivating because the repeated reading that features of a play. Readers theater is highly motivating because the repeated reading that students do is in preparation of something fun like a play/presentation.students do is in preparation of something fun like a play/presentation.

Radio ReadingRadio ReadingThis is just a variation of reader's theater. Students read a practiced piece into a This is just a variation of reader's theater. Students read a practiced piece into a microphone, pretending to be an announcer. While this method allows for a variety of types microphone, pretending to be an announcer. While this method allows for a variety of types of texts, it also requires that students prepare a factual question and an inferential question of texts, it also requires that students prepare a factual question and an inferential question so the are tested on comprehension.so the are tested on comprehension.

Assessing Reader's Fluency:Assessing Reader's Fluency:rate, accuracy, expression, and rate, accuracy, expression, and

comprehensioncomprehension For assessing rate and accuracy:For assessing rate and accuracy:

Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM) - Select a grade-Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM) - Select a grade-appropriate text. Have the student read for one minute; appropriate text. Have the student read for one minute; record the errors. Calculate the words correct per record the errors. Calculate the words correct per minute (WCPM) by subtracting the errors from the total minute (WCPM) by subtracting the errors from the total number of words.number of words.              

For expression:For expression:To asses expression, choose  a text and listen to students To asses expression, choose  a text and listen to students read orally and make a subjective judgement on their read orally and make a subjective judgement on their performance. The U.S. Department of Education has performance. The U.S. Department of Education has produced a fluency scale that can be a helpful base for produced a fluency scale that can be a helpful base for your assessment.your assessment.

For comprehension:For comprehension:Have the students return to the chosen passage for their Have the students return to the chosen passage for their rate/accuracy test and have them finish reading the rate/accuracy test and have them finish reading the passage. Once they have finished, have the student retell passage. Once they have finished, have the student retell the text. A story map offers a simple system for scoring a the text. A story map offers a simple system for scoring a retelling of a narrative passage.retelling of a narrative passage.

Matching Students with Matching Students with Texts Texts

part 1 of 3part 1 of 3Assessing Student's Reading Proficiency and MotivationAssessing Student's Reading Proficiency and Motivation

There are formal and informal ways to assess students. There are formal and informal ways to assess students. The informal ways are more in depth and personalized, The informal ways are more in depth and personalized, but require more time. Whereas the formal tests, can but require more time. Whereas the formal tests, can be administered to a whole class, but are less be administered to a whole class, but are less personalized. The informal tests can be anywhere from personalized. The informal tests can be anywhere from asking questions like does the student like to read? Do asking questions like does the student like to read? Do they read when they are asked to and have you seen they read when they are asked to and have you seen them do it voluntarily? Do they talk about books or them do it voluntarily? Do they talk about books or bring them in from home? There are also what's called bring them in from home? There are also what's called an informal reading inventory (IRI) which you can find an informal reading inventory (IRI) which you can find already constructed or make up yourself.  For formal already constructed or make up yourself.  For formal assessment, there are already designed standardized assessment, there are already designed standardized tests that you can administer like the Stanford tests that you can administer like the Stanford Achievement Test Series, and the TerraNova. Achievement Test Series, and the TerraNova.

Matching Students with Matching Students with TextsTexts

part 2 of 3part 2 of 3Assessing Text Difficulty and AccessibilityAssessing Text Difficulty and Accessibility

There are three approaches to assess text difficulty and There are three approaches to assess text difficulty and accessibility. The first approach is readability formulas, accessibility. The first approach is readability formulas, which are based on objective measures that take into which are based on objective measures that take into account certain characteristics of a text and yield a grade-account certain characteristics of a text and yield a grade-level equivalent for it. This method evaluates both level equivalent for it. This method evaluates both vocabulary and syntactic complexity. The second approach vocabulary and syntactic complexity. The second approach is the Lexile Framework for Reading. The Lexile website is the Lexile Framework for Reading. The Lexile website (www.lexile.com) has a database of already calculated (www.lexile.com) has a database of already calculated books' scores and an input method for new texts. It gives a books' scores and an input method for new texts. It gives a score based on word difficulty and sentence complexity score based on word difficulty and sentence complexity that can be converted into a grade-level. The last approach that can be converted into a grade-level. The last approach is the leveled books approach. This method actually ranks is the leveled books approach. This method actually ranks books on more sophisticated factors than the readability books on more sophisticated factors than the readability formulas or Lexile method. It has levels from A to Z and formulas or Lexile method. It has levels from A to Z and considers things like number of ideas in the book, size of considers things like number of ideas in the book, size of print, layout, correspondence between text and pictures, print, layout, correspondence between text and pictures, and sophistication and familiarity of the topics. and sophistication and familiarity of the topics.

Matching Students with Matching Students with TextsTexts

part 3 of 3part 3 of 3Personal and Professional KnowledgePersonal and Professional Knowledge

It is important to look beyond the tests for text It is important to look beyond the tests for text difficulty or the student's reading level and difficulty or the student's reading level and evaluate the text as whether this will be a evaluate the text as whether this will be a book that is enjoyable and allow you to assess book that is enjoyable and allow you to assess what you need to. So if you want to assess what you need to. So if you want to assess fluency, then because there will be repeated fluency, then because there will be repeated reading the text needs to be more challenging reading the text needs to be more challenging so there is room for improvement. Whereas, if so there is room for improvement. Whereas, if you want comprehension or just the student to you want comprehension or just the student to have time to read then maybe you should pick have time to read then maybe you should pick a book that they won't get frustrated with. a book that they won't get frustrated with.