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What is fluency?
What is fluency?
Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately, quickly (relating to rate and speed), and with prosody, otherwise known as expression. Fluency is vital for students because it allows students to understand and comprehend what they are reading.
Fluency can be easy to remember as a topic involving 3 essential components: accuracy, rate, and prosody (expression). Each element is important in developing and assessing a student's fluency. Fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.
How do we assess fluency?
How do we assess fluency?
Fluency can be assessed in a variety of ways. These key components of fluency are a good representation of assessments/ways to assess given to track progress and find ways of guiding individualized instruction.
Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
This measurement highlights the combination of reading rate and accuracy. The measurement of oral reading fluency, or ORF, is a good indicator or predictor of future reading performance. This is why keeping track of this data is so important. Usually, ORF is assessed using curriculum-based measurements. These are measurements of student progress, compared to the curriculum requirements hoped for or expected for the students to have ascertained from their learning. CBM ORF assessments can be used to screen students who are at risk for reading failure, those not making desired progress, find student's instructional level, and identify which students need to be tested or assessed further. These CBM ORF assessments can be both a screening asset and a gauge of student progress.
The easiest way of assessing ORF is by using a running record. In other words, by having the teacher listen to a student reading aloud for one minute, using an unpracticed grade-appropriate passage. The teacher follows along on a separate sheet of paper with the passage and marks any errors made by the student. The teacher then subtracts the number of errors from the total number of words read at the end of the minute. This finds the WCPM (words correct per minute) and is the measurement of ORF. From there, the teacher can assess the data obtained and plan opportunities and strategies for growth within oral reading fluency.
This CBM ORF testing occurs at the beginning of the school year and repeats at least three times throughout the year to assess student progress.
Fluency Strategies
Fluency Strategies
Choral Reading: This strategy engages students and actively involves students by having them read in unison, whether as a whole class or in smaller groups. This strategy helps with self-confidence and motivation in developing fluency, as students participate in groups and do not face the nerves of being in the spotlight.
Choral Reading: This strategy engages students and actively involves students by having them read in unison, whether as a whole class or in smaller groups. This strategy helps with self-confidence and motivation in developing fluency, as students participate in groups and do not face the nerves of being in the spotlight.
Phrase-Cued Text: This strategy involves reading phrases, clauses, and sentences by dividing text in chunks. This helps students to be able to recognize the natural pauses in speaking and reading/conversation. Slashes are used to indicate short and long pauses that guide student reading and increases fluency.
Phrase-Cued Text: This strategy involves reading phrases, clauses, and sentences by dividing text in chunks. This helps students to be able to recognize the natural pauses in speaking and reading/conversation. Slashes are used to indicate short and long pauses that guide student reading and increases fluency.
D.E.A.R / S.S.R: This stands for "Drop Everything and Read" and "Sustained Silent Reading." This strategy allows students independent practice in reading and comprehending. Although present in many classrooms, it is not the most effective in benefiting the strengthening of a student's fluency.
D.E.A.R / S.S.R: This stands for "Drop Everything and Read" and "Sustained Silent Reading." This strategy allows students independent practice in reading and comprehending. Although present in many classrooms, it is not the most effective in benefiting the strengthening of a student's fluency.
Repeated Oral Reading: Repeated Reading is a way for students to practice reading familiar texts. In order for it to be repeated, the student must be the one reading the text at least twice. It is also important that as the student reads, they are monitored and provided with feedback. This is particularly effective in elementary school and can help struggling readers at higher grade levels.
Repeated Oral Reading: Repeated Reading is a way for students to practice reading familiar texts. In order for it to be repeated, the student must be the one reading the text at least twice. It is also important that as the student reads, they are monitored and provided with feedback. This is particularly effective in elementary school and can help struggling readers at higher grade levels.
Reader's Theater: This offers students the opportunity to enhance fluency by involving small groups of students as they rehearse and read a script. Students are not required to memorize their lines but instead have the opportunity to reread their lines many times. The students get to perform and be in character, making this fluency enhancing strategy effective.
Reader's Theater: This offers students the opportunity to enhance fluency by involving small groups of students as they rehearse and read a script. Students are not required to memorize their lines but instead have the opportunity to reread their lines many times. The students get to perform and be in character, making this fluency enhancing strategy effective.
Echo Reading: This strategy has the teacher reading the text first, modeling for the students fluency reading skills. The students then echo back the same line/sentence with the same expression and speed. This can help students to understand and connect how the words are read in their heads to how they are said out loud and in context.
Echo Reading: This strategy has the teacher reading the text first, modeling for the students fluency reading skills. The students then echo back the same line/sentence with the same expression and speed. This can help students to understand and connect how the words are read in their heads to how they are said out loud and in context.
Partner/Paired Reading: This strategy involves having students get into pairs or with a partner and practice reading texts. This allows for students to have more time to read, provides models of fluent reading, and provides feedback for the reader.
Partner/Paired Reading: This strategy involves having students get into pairs or with a partner and practice reading texts. This allows for students to have more time to read, provides models of fluent reading, and provides feedback for the reader.
Story-Telling Festival: This is an incredibly fun strategy that gets students engaged in practicing fluent reading. Students can pick their favorite book or story, or even write one and read it for the class. They want to read it accurately, at an appropriate speed, and with appropriate expression. This is a great way for students to practice their fluency.
Story-Telling Festival: This is an incredibly fun strategy that gets students engaged in practicing fluent reading. Students can pick their favorite book or story, or even write one and read it for the class. They want to read it accurately, at an appropriate speed, and with appropriate expression. This is a great way for students to practice their fluency.
Poetry Party: Similar to the story-telling festival, a poetry party is a fun and interactive way for students to practice fluency. Students can pick their favorite poem or write one to read to the class and share their work. They read it in the same manner as above and practice their reading fluency.
Poetry Party: Similar to the story-telling festival, a poetry party is a fun and interactive way for students to practice fluency. Students can pick their favorite poem or write one to read to the class and share their work. They read it in the same manner as above and practice their reading fluency.
Additional Videos to Clarify Understanding of Fluency Strategies
Additional Videos to Clarify Understanding of Fluency Strategies
Here is a demonstration of some of the strategies mentioned above.
This video describes more about the fluency strategies.
This video shows a teacher performing an ORF assessment of fluency; demonstrates a running record.
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