Fluency

Reading Fluency

RESOURCE GUIDE

• What is fluency? Fluency is the ability to read a

text accurately and quickly with expression.

• Why is fluency important? Fluency is important

because it allows students to focus on making

meaning rather than sounding out words.

• How can fluency be developed and improved?

Model fluent reading and engage children in

repeated oral reading.

Fluency has important elements to focus on:

1. Expression & volume: The reader is reading the

passage with feeling, paying attention to

punctuation marks. The reader is also loud

enough for the audience to hear with correct

emotion.

2. Phrasing: Reader is using punctuation and

meaning to read complete thoughts. (Reader

stops at periods and pauses at commas.)

3. Smoothness/Accuracy: The reader can read

smoothly without having to sound out words as

they read.

4. Pace: The reader is reading at a normal pace.

Reading sounds like a conversation. It is not

slow or choppy. It’s also not too fast!

1. Read the poem/short story to your child to

demonstrate what a fluent reader sounds like.

They will get a kick out of this!

2. Read the poem/short story together with your

child. (Read at a normal pace. Do not slow

down to let your child “keep up” with you.

Reading should match our normal speech rate. It

should reflect the way we talk.

3. Listen as your child reads the poem/short story

to you 2-3 times. Remind your reader to

practice the “focus” for this week (expression &

volume, phrasing, pace or smoothness).

What to listen for:

EXPRESSION & VOLUME: Reader is reading

passage with feeling, paying attention to

punctuation marks. Reader is also reading loud

enough for the audience to hear and with correct

emotion.

1. No expression with a quiet voice.

2. Some expression with a quiet voice.

3. Some expression with an appropriate volume.

4. Appropriate expression and volume.

PACE: Reader is reading at an appropriate speed.

1. Slow and hard to follow.

2. Slow.

3. Mixture of slow and fast reading.

4. Consistent or appropriate speed for the text.

Changes in the speed are intentional and

deliberate. Easy to follow.

SMOOTHNESS: Reader is reading smoothly and

accurately with little hesitation.

1. Frequent pausing, sounding out words, or

repeating words.

2. Several pauses and hesitations causing the

passage to sound broken.

3. Occasional breaks in reading due to difficult

words.

4. Smooth reading with some breaks that are quickly

corrected.

5. PHRASING: Reader is using punctuation and

meaning to read complete thoughts. (Reader stops

at periods and pauses at commas.)

1. Monotone. No pauses. Reading word by word.

2. Choppy. Ignores commas, end punctuation and

other signals.

3. Some choppiness. Pauses for breath mid sentence.

4. Well-phrased in correct units with correct stress

and emphasis placed on phrases and sentences.

The following links can be printed for practice at home. Print 2 copies of each passage. Time your child for one minute. Count the number of words read. Determine how many words your child is able to read in one minute by subtracting any words that are read incorrectly or omitted. This will give you the fluency rate (words per minute) of your child.

Students who are reading above grade level should be reading approximately150 word per minute or above on grade level passages. To challenge yourself, begin working on 5th and 6th grade level passage.