Teaching Fluency
Fluent Readers
|
Non-Fluent Readers
|
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/3/7/38374455/3165549.jpg?482)
Speed or Rate of Reading
Most often determined by the rate of words per minute (WPM).
Accuracy
Recognizing words with automaticity, with little attention. Most often determined by counting the number of MISCUES (mistakes) the student makes.
Prosody or Tone of Voice
The skill most often neglected and most important, expression in your voice, determined by listening to students' phrasing intonation, stress, and pitch.
above and beyond the contributionmade by
automatic word recognition.”
Most often determined by the rate of words per minute (WPM).
Accuracy
Recognizing words with automaticity, with little attention. Most often determined by counting the number of MISCUES (mistakes) the student makes.
Prosody or Tone of Voice
The skill most often neglected and most important, expression in your voice, determined by listening to students' phrasing intonation, stress, and pitch.
- Practice till they almost memorize, this allows them to attend to punctuation and they start to understand the expression that is necessary.
above and beyond the contributionmade by
automatic word recognition.”
Findings for Teaching Fluency
Fluency is important because it frees students to understand what they read without the effort of decoding!
What Should Students Read?
What Should be Provided?
Fluency is important because it frees students to understand what they read without the effort of decoding!
What Should Students Read?
- Independent Text: Relatively easy text and develops skills in speed and expression, 1 in 20 words difficult for the reader. The one you want to use as a teacher!
- Instructional Level Text: Challenging by manageable text, 1 in 10 words difficult for the reader.
- Frustration Level Text: Difficult text, more than 1 in 10 words difficult for the reader.
What Should be Provided?
- Oral Reading of passages of 50-200 words depending on age of student.
- Materials that are across different content areas.
- Should include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, print and web media material.
Strategies for Teaching Fluency
|
Activities for Teaching Fluency
Student-Adult Reading This is one-on-one reading with a teacher, parent or a tutor where the adult models fluent reading. The student then reads the same passage while the adult provides assistance until they become fluent. This could take at least three or four readings! Choral Reading The student reads along in a group setting with an adult, the student must be able to see the text and follow along. Students should be encouraged to read in unison if they are able! Tape- Assisted Reading Students read along in their books as they hear a fluent reader on audiotape. The book should be read at 80-100 words per minute. The students can read aloud silently or aloud. Partner Reading Paired students take turns reading aloud to each other, you can pair more fluent readers with less fluent readers for guidance and peer support. Then allow students to provide feedback and encouragement towards one another. Reader's Theatre Students rehearse and perform a play for peers or others. The script is derived from books and this provides a fun way to re-read texts and practice expression! |
Activities for Fluency in the Classroom
The Tic-Tac-Toe game allows students to practice their prosody which is a huge part of fluency. The students get to act out the story or passage they are reading in a fun way!
Fluency strips are a wonderful way for students to build confidence and fluency at the same time. It can be beneficial for beginners or struggling readers. Fluency strips can also be used throughout all grades and it is important to practice fluency in all grades!
How to Assess Fluency
Quantitive data is the best data!
Quantitive data is the best data!
- Use grade-level curriculum based passages allowing one copy for the teacher and one for the student.
- Use "cold reads," this is material that is new to the student.
- Use material written at the student's instructional level.
- Time the student reading the passage for one minute. There are also apps that can help with this and they are discussed below!
Resources
DIBELS
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. These are well known and used frequently. Below there is a link for the DIBELS website that will go into detail how to conduct the test and what is necessary. Also there is an app that can be used that allows students to play engaging games that practice the skills assessed by DIBELS.
DIBELS
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. These are well known and used frequently. Below there is a link for the DIBELS website that will go into detail how to conduct the test and what is necessary. Also there is an app that can be used that allows students to play engaging games that practice the skills assessed by DIBELS.
Below is a link that takes you to Reading Rockets. Reading Rockets is a great source for all Language Arts, but this directly takes you to the fluency section where they give you insight on what is fluency, instructional guidelines, and student activities.
Improving Fluency in Young Readers: Busy Teachers Cafe
This website goes in depth about what fluency is, why it is important, three components are addressed and discussed as well as fluency instruction. This link will bring more information into your classroom or home and help your student progress.
This website goes in depth about what fluency is, why it is important, three components are addressed and discussed as well as fluency instruction. This link will bring more information into your classroom or home and help your student progress.