Developing Fluency

Reading fluency is the ability to read aloud as quickly and accurately as possible. Writing fluency is the ability to focus attention on meaning rather than on writing words. Both are important to developing cognitive and higher order thinking skills. Writing instruction should be used as a tool by teachers to enhance the reading comprehension of their students. Technology and other digital tools can also be used to enhance fluency and facilitate learning.

Through this research, I learned that increasing student writing about self-selected topics, topics chosen with peers, sustained writing, writing to pen pals online, and writing in journals improved reading comprehension for language arts students in grades 1-6. Extended writing, summary writing, note taking, and creating or answering questions were the four types of writing activities that were found to be most effective. As a teacher, it is important to apply these techniques in order for students to develop comprehension and fluency.

Activities that support fluency such as answering questions about the plot or characters in a story, summarizing, taking notes, and writing to continue the story can be completed in a school library setting either with grade level appropriate worksheets that accompany the book, on a computer, or using another device. It is helpful to collaborate with teachers to discuss what students are studying and projects they are working on. This way, fluency activities can be created to support what they are already learning.