Flu

en

cy

Decoding

Comprehension

Fluency

The Bridge from Decoding to Comprehension

What is Fluency?

Fluency is the ability to read a text quickly, accurately, and with proper expression. (p. 3-5, National Reading Panel, 2000).

Why Does Fluency Matter?

Reading with good phrasing and expression helps readers construct

meaning from printed words.

3 Dimensions of Fluency

* Speed

* Accuracy

* Expression

Automaticity

Automaticity is the fast, effortless word recognition that comes with a great deal of reading practice.

Automaticity refers only to accurate, speedy word recognition, not to reading with expression. Therefore, automaticity (or automatic word recognition) is necessary, but not sufficient, for fluency.

Prosody

Prosody is the use of stress or emphasis, pitch or intonation, tempo or rate, the rhythmic or regularly re-occurring patterns of language, and appropriate phrasing.

(Kuhn, 2003).

“Reading with expression” (prosody) dramatically increases both enjoyment and comprehension of text.

Fluency includes...

•Word recognition

•High frequency words-words most often used in texts

•Sight words-words that do not lend themselves to decoding strategies

•Decoding

•Determining the pronunciation of unknown words “on the run”

•Instructional zone (90-94% accuracy) for success

Instruction: How to Improve Reading

• 1. Repeated Reading

• 2. Phrased-Cue passages or - Scooping Phrases/Sentences (Wilson)

• 3. Poetry Pals

• 4. Read-With Centers (rather than “Listening centers”) – Students listen to audio CDs or tapes (i.e. from the textbook anthology). The key to the success of this strategy is that students listen to the proficient reading of a text WHILE WHISPER-READING THE SAME TEXT

Approaches to Teaching Fluency

•Modeled reading

•Repeated reading of familiar text

•Wide independent reading

•Coached reading of appropriately selected materials

•Chunking of text

•Word reading practice

•Modeled reading

Read Alouds and Shared Reading

Teachers model fluency by showing students how a proficient reader deals with text. Readers often return to a sentence to adjust expression and repair comprehension. Making written language sound like oral language provides clues to the text’s real meaning.

Model how reading sounds like “talking” and helps us understand what’s really going on in the story.

•Repeated readings

http://www.playbooks.com/StoriesForGradesK-5.shtml

NOT chanting; modeling fluent & phrased reading

3 times seems to work well- back to back

http://www.mrsmcgowan.com/reading/readerstheater.htm

•Independent reading“If children are to become fluent readers, they need to read a lot. Our job as educators is to see to it that children want to read--that they seek new knowledge via the written word and derive satisfaction and joy from the reading process”

(p. 179, Nathan and Stanovich)

Reading easier text helps develop fluency, because not as much attention goes to decoding.

•Coached reading of appropriately selected materials (Guided Reading)

•Ehri’s research suggests that at least some students will need expert teacher guidance in order to progress efficiently through the stages of reading to fluency.

•Controlling the difficulty of texts and providing feedback for words missed during reading seem to be associated with improved rate and accuracy. (Leveled text & teaching points/prompts)

•Advancing students through progressively difficult text based on their performance seems to enhance overall fluency. (Leveled text + running record above 90%)

•Chunking of text/phrasingPhrased-Cue passages (examples) – Demonstrate on text, using cards or thumbs, to show natural language “chunks” (e.g., “said the boy”)

). Example: The principal / said the teacher / was very helpful. “It’s my happy birthday today!” / Pam shouted / to them.

Then try…. Reading it all Make it sound like talking Read it as if you are the character/narrator

Next steps… •!S l i d e a card (or pencil) left to right over (or underneath) a line, slightly

forcing the child’s pace so that s/he processes more fluently•!Emphasize: “Get your eyes reading faster than your mouth

(voice)”•!Remove props (cards, pencils, fingers)

Goal: To train the eyes to search for “chunks of meaningful language”

“Sliding” (Reading Recovery technique)

Use a sentence strip or sticky note (folded over) to slide over words, from left to right. The goal is to push the reader’s eyes ahead of the slide, speeding up the reading. The eyes will have seen the next few letters/words, so the student can finish reading even when the next word is covered up.

Take the finger out of the book at Level 5/6.(See coffee cup lid activity).

•Chunking of text, cont.

Words or phrases are signaled for the reader to improve fluency and comprehension (Cromer; Young and Bowers)

Text is chunked into phrase units:

“scooping”

Teacher reads while “scooping” the phrase with her finger or pencil, showing how to read the phrase while scooping it.

Student practices with the phrase, scooping under the phrase with the finger while reading.

“Scooping”

Technique can be taught during guided reading group.

•Word reading practice

Sight words

High Frequency words

Words with spelling/phonics patterns taught

Time students to promote acceleration, graph results, make a Keynote/slideshow, or make flashcards

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/ -this site allows you to make your own “digital” flashcards

their

were

Assessing Fluency-! ! ! ! -Essential Dimensions

•Oral reading accuracy

•Oral reading rate

•Quality of oral reading

•Reading comprehension

Pikulski & Chard, “Fluency: The Bridge from Decoding to Reading Comprehension”; Houghton Miffllin

K-2 Assessment NCDPI

Words Per Minute

National Reading

Panel

One-minute reading:

Total words read - errors = words correct per minute

Quantitative

listen to sample

Words Per Minute from DPI

Other Words Per Minute Suggestions

Grade Words Per Minute

1st Grade 60-90

2nd Grade 85-120

3rd Grade 115-140

Harris and Sipay 1990

Quantitative Rubric from K-2 Assessment

Factors that Influence Rate:

-Oral reading is slower than silent reading.

-Reading rates are typically established for younger students from oral reading activities while older students’ rates are established from silent reading.

-Younger students may demonstrate little difference in oral and silent reading rates, while for older students that gap should be substantial.

Qualitative Rubric from DPI

According to DPI

If a student scores a “1” or “2” on the Qualitative Rubric, he/she will read another passage on instructional level for one minute. Teacher will record the number of words read accurately (total words read minus number of errors) in one minute and attach to running record. Record on white folder at beginning of year for 1’s and 2’s in fluency and end of year for all 1st and 2nd graders (who read level 12 or higher).

If Level “G” (12) or above, state wants WPM count*necessary for end of year for 1st and 2nd grade (and kids over level 12 in Kind.)

Assessing Fluency at SHP!• All students will be assessed with Qualitative Rubric (1, 2, 3, 4).

Teachers will note rubric score on white folder in Fluency block if level 3 or 4. Note on Running Record if Level 1 or 2 in fluency.

• Students who are level 12 (G) or higher and receive a “1” or “2” on Qualitative Rubric need a Words Correct Per Minute count (quantitative) first nine weeks. Last nine weeks, ALL kids level 12 and up.

• When doing Running Record (if you know ahead of time that a student is not fluent), set timer for ONE minute as he reads. When timer goes off, draw slash/line to mark the one minute interval and continue with running record. (http://www.online-stopwatch.com/)

• After running record, go back and count total words read in the one minute time and subtract the number of words missed to get words per minute count.

Assessing Fluency at SHP, cont.!

• Record WCPM (words correct per minute) on white folder underneath title/level/retelling of book read at instructional level. (Rubric score 3 or 4, or WCPM in “Fluency” block. WCPM is only for

kids who scored a 1 or 2 in fluency 1st nine weeks, or for all kids at level 12+

for the last nine weeks. Record as ___ WCPM.)

-If you don’t record the one minute mark during the running record, and the student is NOT fluent at a level 3 (Qualitative Rubric), you’ll need to get another book at that same level (instructional level) and have the student read it for a minute and do WCPM.

Another option: Fluency assessment can be done during guided reading group on FIRST read of book (not after they’ve already read it). You could set the timer and listen to one student for a minute and use that for the WCPM.