What is fluency?What is fluency? Speed + Accuracy = Fluency Reading quickly and in a

meaningful way (prosody) Decoding and comprehending

simultaneously Freedom from word identification

problems Fluency is derived from the Latin

word fluens which means “to flow”

Smooth and effortless reading

Fluent readers….Fluent readers…. Recognize words automatically

Read aloud effortlessly and with expression

Do not have to concentrate on decoding

Can focus on comprehension

The fluent reader sounds good, is easy to listen to, and reads with enough expression to help the listener understand and enjoy

the material

Indicators of FluencyIndicators of Fluency Words per minute

Reading with expression

Recall/Retelling

Factors that limit Factors that limit fluency…fluency… Unfamiliarity with text

Limited vocabulary

Difficulty with syntax

Decoding breakdown

Assessing FluencyAssessing FluencySelect a grade-level passage

Student reads for one minute

Compute the number of words read in one minute

Count the number of errors

Subtract the number of errors from the number of words read

How to Build Reading How to Build Reading FluencyFluency Daily practice

Timed repeated readings

Set goals

Graph fluency progress

Bridge to ComprehensionBridge to Comprehension

Fluency forms the bridge between word

recognition and comprehension

Identifying

Words

Constructing

Meaning

FLUENCY

Fluency Instructional Fluency Instructional StrategiesStrategies1. Explicit Explanation2. Demonstration Modeling3. Guided Practice4. Supported and/or Recorded

Practice5. Performance

Explicit ExplanationExplicit Explanation

Fluent Readers:Read what is on the page accurately most of

the time.Vary the speed of their reading according to

their purpose and the difficulty of the text.Make oral reading interesting by reading

with expression, phrasing, and smoothness.Retell what they read remembering

important ideas.

Define explicitly the “characteristics” of fluent reading for students.

Demonstration/ModelingDemonstration/ModelingThrough read-alouds teachers should

show the differences between:

Accurate Reading vs. Inaccurate Reading

Appropriate Speed vs. Inappropriate Speeds

Smoothness vs. Hesitating, Halting

Expressive vs. MonotoneAppropriate Phrasing vs. Word-

by-Word

Guided PracticeGuided Practice

Choral Reading Unison Echo Line-by-line

Repeated Readings

Have children read from the same text.

Have them start reading orally. After 3 minutes, say “Stop.” Have them mark last word they

read. Repeat Children should read further

down the pagewith each repeated reading.

Supported and/or Recorded Supported and/or Recorded PracticePracticePaired Reading

Cassette Recording

Read along with the CD

PerformancePerformance

Reader’s Theater

Radio Reading

Read Arounds