Fluency
Fluency is the Ability to Read Quickly and Effortlessly.
Why is reading fluency important?
Research shows reading fluency is strongly associated with reading comprehension.
Ways to Help your Child at Home:
Letters and sounds- Make sure your child knows all of their letters and sounds.
Model fluent reading- Read aloud to your child. Be sure to read with expression and change your voice with the characters.
Repeated Readings- Have your child reread favorite stories 3-4 times to help increase their fluency. It's best if the parent reads the story/passage first so your child hears how it should sound. See the youtube link below.
Paired Reading- A fluency strategy that involves a child reading to a parent, teacher, or peer.
Choral Reading- Complete a picture walk before reading. Discuss/predict what will happen. Read the story out loud together at the same time. Your child will use your guide if they are stuck on a word. Remember to read with expression at a fluent rate.
Echo Reading- Complete a picture walk before reading. Discuss/predict what will happen. Read a sentence or page. Have your child echo the sentence or page back to you using expression at a fluent rate.
Listen to books on tape/CD, or IPAD- Have your child listen to the book 3 times and then read along with the recording. Do this for at least 3 days using the same book.
Neurological Impress Method(NIM)- Nim is a form of paired reading in which a child and parent read the same text almost simultaneously. Sitting side-by-side (parent sits close to child's right ear), the parent reads a text slightly faster and louder than the child while both follow the text with their fingers. Please see the YouTube video below for more information.
Just Right Books- Make sure your child is reading a "Just Right" book. If a book is "too hard" it will not help your child develop fluency. You can click on the Link below to read about the Five Finger rule for choosing the right book.
Work with your child on sight words and phrases- Practicing sight words within common phrases, helps students attach meaning and context to abstract words that do not stimulate a visual image in the mind of the reader.
**Please work with your child on reading the sight word phrase list on the link below.
Fluency Matters http://www.readingrockets.org/article/fluency-matters
Repeated Reading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q2mvF_6K6M
Five Finger Rule http://www.readingrockets.org/article/selecting-books-your-child-finding-just-right-books
Neurological Impress Method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e92ehtjGasY