fluency
Fluency is basically the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and expression. In order for students to understand what they are reading, they must be able to read fluently. This pertains to whether or not students read aloud or silently to themselves. Fluency is measured in students from Kindergarten to 6th grade.
The three components of Fluency are speed, accuracy, and expression.
Rate/Speed: words correct per minute
Accuracy: words read correct
Prosody/Expression: phrasing, pausing, etc.
***The teacher in the video below is showing her students how to display expression
when they read. ****
The three components of Fluency are speed, accuracy, and expression.
Rate/Speed: words correct per minute
Accuracy: words read correct
Prosody/Expression: phrasing, pausing, etc.
***The teacher in the video below is showing her students how to display expression
when they read. ****
Assessment
Students are tested up to 6th grade using the following tests: DIBELS, AIMSweb, FAIR, and TPRI. The students are usually asked to read 3 separate passages for 1 minute each. When students are being assessed, the difficulty of the reading material should be on the student’s instructional reading level. A student’s instructional reading level is where they read with a range of 90% to 95% accuracy. The fluency scores are measured by calculating the number of words read correctly in 1 minute.
The formula to determine the number of Words Correct Per Minute is as follows:
Total # of words read: - errors: = words read correctly
Total # of words read correctly= X [multiply by] 60,
[Divide by] # of seconds to read passage: =WCPM (Words Counted per Minute
The formula to determine the number of Words Correct Per Minute is as follows:
Total # of words read: - errors: = words read correctly
Total # of words read correctly= X [multiply by] 60,
[Divide by] # of seconds to read passage: =WCPM (Words Counted per Minute
research
According to the book Steps to Reading Success, some recent research has pointed out significant facts about Fluency. First of all, it appears fluency has proven to distinguish good readers from poor readers. Reading fluency is a strong indicator of reading comprehension. Decoding and recognizing words automatically, background knowledge, and vocabulary all play huge rules in fluency. The best way for students to develop these skills is to read and reread stories.
The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) provided data where 4th grade students’ oral reading fluency scores were significantly related to silent reading comprehension. It showed that the students who read with good accuracy, rate, and expression tend to be the best comprehenders while reading silently.
Another source, the National Reading Panel, identified fluency as the main component of school reading programs, schools, and teachers have struggled with how to fit reading fluency into the curriculum.
The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) provided data where 4th grade students’ oral reading fluency scores were significantly related to silent reading comprehension. It showed that the students who read with good accuracy, rate, and expression tend to be the best comprehenders while reading silently.
Another source, the National Reading Panel, identified fluency as the main component of school reading programs, schools, and teachers have struggled with how to fit reading fluency into the curriculum.
tips
There are numerous techniques and tips offered by proven research to help improve fluency. One of the contributors to the world of fluency is Steven Stahl and his college Kathleeen Heubach, who contributed the Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction (FORI) to the National Reading Research Center. The FORI was an instructional model for Fluency. The steps are as follows:
1. The story is read to the students by the teacher.
2. Teacher and students discuss the content of story.
3. Optional: Students echo read the story with the teacher.
4. The students read the story at home
5. Optional: Students practice a segment of the story.
6. Optional: Students continue to practice the story at home two or three times.
7. At school, students read the story again with a partner.
8. The kids engage independently in further work with the story through journals and worksheets.
This instructional model was developed to help children with their issues with fluency. It is one of many models of instruction that we can use to help children with fluency.
!!Tips to get students to read!!!
· Model fluent oral reading using teacher read-alouds as a part of repeated reading interventions.
· Let students chart their own progress.
· Use passages that are on the students’ instructional level, but are a little challenging.
· Keep books available to your student, and make regular trips to the public library.
Automaticity
Automaticity is the ability to read words accurately, effortlessly. This allows students to focus on word decoding and comprehension. Automaticity is an enormous part of fluency. Usually, instruction often addresses the child’s automaticity. When young readers are able to recognize words automatically, more energy and focus is able to be directed towards comprehension.
There are two types of words that are involved in automaticity. Children will be more eager to read if they are able to understand and recognize what they are reading. The two types of words are as follows:
· High frequency words- are words they see often in print.
Examples: the, she, he, was, to
· Sight words- are words that are phonetically irregular and must be memorized. (Cannot sound them out.)
Examples: said, what, one
Guidelines for Word Walls
Word Walls are the key to allow students to become familiar and comfortable with new words. Word Walls are a great resource for students in the classroom. They are a part of the process of students obtaining automaticity. Below are some useful guidelines for setting up word walls.
· Word size should be appropriate.
· Color code word families. Ex: red=sight words
· Use new words frequently.
· Consider visibility when putting up your word wall.
· Play Word Wall games. Ex: tic-tac-toe, jeopardy
· Make it portable.
· Involve parents.
1. The story is read to the students by the teacher.
2. Teacher and students discuss the content of story.
3. Optional: Students echo read the story with the teacher.
4. The students read the story at home
5. Optional: Students practice a segment of the story.
6. Optional: Students continue to practice the story at home two or three times.
7. At school, students read the story again with a partner.
8. The kids engage independently in further work with the story through journals and worksheets.
This instructional model was developed to help children with their issues with fluency. It is one of many models of instruction that we can use to help children with fluency.
!!Tips to get students to read!!!
· Model fluent oral reading using teacher read-alouds as a part of repeated reading interventions.
· Let students chart their own progress.
· Use passages that are on the students’ instructional level, but are a little challenging.
· Keep books available to your student, and make regular trips to the public library.
Automaticity
Automaticity is the ability to read words accurately, effortlessly. This allows students to focus on word decoding and comprehension. Automaticity is an enormous part of fluency. Usually, instruction often addresses the child’s automaticity. When young readers are able to recognize words automatically, more energy and focus is able to be directed towards comprehension.
There are two types of words that are involved in automaticity. Children will be more eager to read if they are able to understand and recognize what they are reading. The two types of words are as follows:
· High frequency words- are words they see often in print.
Examples: the, she, he, was, to
· Sight words- are words that are phonetically irregular and must be memorized. (Cannot sound them out.)
Examples: said, what, one
Guidelines for Word Walls
Word Walls are the key to allow students to become familiar and comfortable with new words. Word Walls are a great resource for students in the classroom. They are a part of the process of students obtaining automaticity. Below are some useful guidelines for setting up word walls.
· Word size should be appropriate.
· Color code word families. Ex: red=sight words
· Use new words frequently.
· Consider visibility when putting up your word wall.
· Play Word Wall games. Ex: tic-tac-toe, jeopardy
· Make it portable.
· Involve parents.
games
Rainbow Writing example
I have some games listed that can help students with their fluency skills.
Paired Repeated Reading
This game requires two readers to pair up, but one has to be stronger in reading than the other. The first student will read a short passage three times and gets feedback. The students switch roles.
Echo Reading
The teacher will read a brief section of material aloud. The other students follow along and then immediately reread the same material. The material is phrased into a page, a paragraph, or even a sentence. The leader reads first and the students read the same material in an echo fashion. What is critical to this game is that the students need to follow along using their fingers to point to the phrase or line of text to make sure they are not just mimicking the leader. Usually this method is recommended when the reading material is new to the reader and at a challenging level.
Rainbow Writing
Each student will need folded paper and crayons. If the students are at the appropriate age, then have them write the word on the paper with a dark crayon, which provides them a dark visual. If the students are too young to do this, then write the sight word for them. Fold the paper over the word so it will be seen through the paper. Have the student trace while saying the latters, then the entire word. Repeat this several times. Have the students use a different color to achieve the rainbow effect.
Touch Arm and Spell
Have the students begin at the shoulder, moving down to their wrist and hand, then tapping with the other hand as words are spelled and blended.
Raised Letters
Students will write sight words on index cards. They will also write a sentence using that word on the back of the card. The students will keep their collection in an index box. Create categories for the words depending on how quickly students read the words (e.g., turtle words, bird words, car words).
Wikki Stix
The children will greatly enjoy using waxy pipe cleaners to form letters, trace raised shapes, and say sounds or letter names to learn sight words.
Paired Repeated Reading
This game requires two readers to pair up, but one has to be stronger in reading than the other. The first student will read a short passage three times and gets feedback. The students switch roles.
Echo Reading
The teacher will read a brief section of material aloud. The other students follow along and then immediately reread the same material. The material is phrased into a page, a paragraph, or even a sentence. The leader reads first and the students read the same material in an echo fashion. What is critical to this game is that the students need to follow along using their fingers to point to the phrase or line of text to make sure they are not just mimicking the leader. Usually this method is recommended when the reading material is new to the reader and at a challenging level.
Rainbow Writing
Each student will need folded paper and crayons. If the students are at the appropriate age, then have them write the word on the paper with a dark crayon, which provides them a dark visual. If the students are too young to do this, then write the sight word for them. Fold the paper over the word so it will be seen through the paper. Have the student trace while saying the latters, then the entire word. Repeat this several times. Have the students use a different color to achieve the rainbow effect.
Touch Arm and Spell
Have the students begin at the shoulder, moving down to their wrist and hand, then tapping with the other hand as words are spelled and blended.
Raised Letters
Students will write sight words on index cards. They will also write a sentence using that word on the back of the card. The students will keep their collection in an index box. Create categories for the words depending on how quickly students read the words (e.g., turtle words, bird words, car words).
Wikki Stix
The children will greatly enjoy using waxy pipe cleaners to form letters, trace raised shapes, and say sounds or letter names to learn sight words.