What is Fluency?

Fluency is the ability to read with accuracy, automaticity (quickly), and prosody (expression and phrasing).

Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.

Students who scored lower on measures of fluency also tended to score lower on measures of comprehension. This suggests that fluency is a neglected reading skill in many American classrooms, affecting many students’ reading comprehension.

~Rasinski

Word Recognition ComprehensionWord Recognition Comprehension

According to Rasinski:

“Accurate decoding of words in a text, along with expressive interpretation of the text, achieves optimal comprehension.” (2004)

Automaticity

Fluency

ProsodyAccuracy

Sight Word Recognition

Using Context Clues

Decoding Phrasing

Stress Pitch

Accuracy: reading words correctly in meaningful context

Reading accuracy may be indicative of good comprehension, but reading fast does not make a good reader.

According to Betts and Clay: 95-100% is considered adequate for

instructional level reading (See FPA chart for specifics)

Automaticity:You can do a task and think about something else ~LaBurge

Reading requires multiple tasks to be done simultaneously. Decode Recognize sight words Read the words Pay attention to grammar Pay attention to details Apply comprehension strategies Comprehend

Automaticity

Good readers are accurate in word recognition. They are also automatic (i.e., effortless) in recognizing the words they encounter.

The significance of achieving automaticity is that readers can devote their mental energy to the important task of comprehending the text.

Automaticity is most often assessed by determining a reader’s reading rate on a grade level passage in words correct per minute.

Reading Rate:The words read correct per minute

When we administer Aims-Web, we are solely looking at words correct per minute. We are

not addressing prosody or comprehension.

Knowing the students’ reading rate is a useful tool that usually indicates successful comprehension.

Rate is a measure of automaticity.

We do not want students to think that reading fast makes them a good reader. We need to be careful that students do not see their reading rate as equivalent to what reading is all about.

Runny Babbit 

Runny bought a wurly cigAnd tuck it on with starRunny said now I look likeA handsome stovie marBut the tair it got all hangledIn the twicket and the thigsRunny said I guess some folksJust don’t look wood in gigs

~By Shel Silverstein

Prosody: the appropriate use of phrasing and expression to convey meaning

Prosody is reading words in meaningful phrases.

It is reading as if you are in a conversation and the meaning is delivered through voice!

The surface structure stays the same, while deep comprehension changes.

Dude

How would you say it?

DisappointedHappy greeting

SurprisedDisgusted

Prosody

The old man the boat.

The old…man the boat.

Woman without her man is nothing.

Woman…without her…man is nothing.

Woman…without her man is nothing.

Woman without her man…is nothing.

Classroom ApplicationHow can you improve prosody, accuracy, and automaticity with your students?

Songs Songs are great resources for developing

word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—four key competencies when it comes to learning to read.

Builds background knowledgeDevelops cultural literacy Develops vocabulary Natural repeated reading Improves comprehension

Statistics using Songs

After a 9 week intervention (interactive singing software program), students made seven months growth in their reading.

Doesn’t have to be done with whole group. Songs can be used during target time or guided reading groups.

-30 minutes for three days-5 minutes for five days

“Using an Interactive Singing Software Program: A Comparative Study of Struggling Middle School Readers” ~Reading Psychology

You’re a Grand Old Flagby George M. Cohan

You're a grand old flag,You're a high flying flagAnd forever in peace may you wave.You're the emblem ofThe land I love.The home of the free and the brave.Every heart beats truebeneath the Red, White and Blue,Where there's never a boast or brag.Should old acquaintance be forgot,Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

PoemsBooks on a Rainy Day

by Marilyn Yager

I read some books on a rainy day.

The books took me far away.

I was taken to England and to Spain.

How happy I was that it had rained.

I saw so many people I could have never known.

I saw a king upon his throne.

I saw some little princesses too.

I saw a wicked stepmother who was rather cruel.

I also traveled to The Great Wall.

I listened while the Emperor delivered the law.

I found my self on the Oregon Trail.

I rode on the Pony Express delivering mail.

Adventures had happened on this rainy day.

Good books, imagination had paved the way.

No longer did I wish the rain would go away.

For this had been a splendid day.

Take Advantage of the read aloud!

Harvest words Have students listen for words and write

them down Post on the wall encouraging students to

use words in writing/conversation Read the room

Recipe for Fluency

Accuracy Model fluent reading for students Assisted reading Practice/repeated reading Phrasing Synergy/Putting it all together

Each of these target fluency alone, but when combined (the synergy) makes something greater than the parts.

Repeated Reading

10-15 minutes/day of paired reading, has shown students’ can make up to one year’s growth

Consider the following examples to incorporate during guided reading: Radio reading Mumble reading Cooperative repeated reading Partner repeated reading

Repeated Reading Materials

Repeated reading materials should be carefully selected. Speeches Songs/Lyrics Cheers Chants Monologues/Dialogues Journal entries/Letters Poetry Reader’s Theatre

What does word study look like? Word ladders Vocabulary timeline Concept maps Idioms Latin/Greek derivatives Semantic Feature Analysis Word sorts Cloze

Word LaddersTarget Word Letter Changes

RequiredClue

Front -2 Opposite of back

Ron Change 1 letter A man’s name, short for Ronald

Run + 1 To move or walk quickly

Runt Change 1 letter Small; “Our puppy was the smallest in the litter, she was the ________.”

Punt Change 1 letter To kick a football

Punk Change 1 letter Type of music, A young person

Sunk Change 1 letter To sink in the past. “Our boat _____ when it sprung a leak.”

Bunk Change 1 letter Beds stacked on top of each other; “My brother and I share _______ beds.”

Bank Change 1 letter Place where people keep their money. “My dad had to go to the ______ to take out money.”

Back Change 1 letter Opposite of front

Vocabulary Timeline

Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN)

Concept Map

Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN)

Semantic Map

Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN)

Semantic Feature Analysis

Cold Temperatures

Repeat Bloomers

Thorns

Tulips+ - -

Roses- + +

Pansies+ + -

Carnations - + -

Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN)

Word Sorts

Word sorts allow students to build on their prior knowledge to develop a more complete understanding of words.

Word SortsStudents are given

only the words to be categorized and they determine the ways in which the words can be grouped.

Students are given words to sort AND

categories for sorting the words are

predetermined by the teacher.

Open Sort Closed Sort

Literacy Essentials and Reading Network (LEaRN)

Prescription for Word Study:

Monday -Vocabulary Timeline/Synonyms & Antonyms

Tuesday -Latin/Greek derivatives

Wednesday – Idioms

Thursday - Word Building

Friday - Word ladders

These activities can take place during whole group, guided reading, or independent work.

Resource Links

www.americanrhetoric.com www.idiomconnection.com www.wordsmith.org/anagram/ www.timrasinski.com www.teachingheart.net www.songsforteaching.com www.gigglepoetry.com

AssessmentNot quantitative, but qualitative

It is best measured with a qualitative rubric.

Fluency Rubric.pdf