Transcript Fluency Instruction - Hoover City Schools

FLUENCY INSTRUCTION
Fluency Instruction
What is fluency?
The ability to read a text quickly and
accurately with expression and
sound natural, as if speaking.
Why is fluency important?
• Bridges the gap between word recognition and
comprehension
• Reading focus is on what the text means rather
than decoding
• The reader is able to make connections among
the ideas in the text
• The reader is able to make connections between
the text and background knowledge
• Allows for simultaneous word recognition and
comprehension
Recent Research by National
Assessment for Educational
Progress (NAEP)
• 44% of a representative sample of fourth
graders were low in fluency
• students scoring lower in fluency also
scored lower in comprehension.
Fluent readers are able to focus
attention on comprehension by:
• making connections among text ideas
• assimilating the text ideas with their
background knowledge
• Recognizing words automatically
• Grouping words quickly to help understand
the text
Less Fluent Readers:
• Read slowly, word by word
• Are choppy and plodding oral readers
• Must focus attention on decoding
individual words
• After decoding, have little attention left for
comprehension of text
Fluency Development Continued
• Oral reading may still be expressionless, not
fluent, due to automaticity emphasis only
• Fluent readers must know how to pause
appropriately and when to change emphasis
and tone by breaking the text into meaningful
chunks of phrases and clauses.
• It is important to provide students with fluency
instruction and practice while reading
connected text.
• The important component of reading with
expression is essential to fluency.
Degree of Fluency Depends on:
• What is being read
• Familiarity with vocabulary
• Amount of practice with the text
Even skilled readers may not read fluently
when faced with unfamiliar technical words
or topics
What does research say about
fluency?
Two major instructional approaches
investigated……
• Repeated and Monitored Oral Reading
(Repeated Reading)
• Independent Silent Reading
Repeated and Monitored Oral Reading
(Repeated Reading)
• Substantially improves word recognition, speed,
and accuracy, as well as fluency.
• Improves reading comprehension to a lesser but
still considerable extent
• Improves overall reading ability of all elementary
school students
• Effective techniques related to this approach
include:
– Students read and reread text until a certain level of
fluency is attained (usually four times is enough)
– Use of audiotapes with books, tutors, peer guidance,
etc.
How does fluency develop?
• Early readers have slow, labored, oral reading
because they are just learning to decode.
• Fluency develops gradually over time with
ample opportunity for practice.
• Automaticity is fast, effortless word recognition
and is necessary, but not sufficient for fluency.
• Automaticity of word recognition in isolation
does not necessarily transfer to reading
connected text.
Independent Silent Reading
• One major difference between good and
poor readers is the amount of time spent
reading—independent silent reading
increases the time spent reading.
• Independent silent reading requires
guidance and feedback.
• Research has not confirmed or disproved
the benefits of independent silent reading
without guidance and feedback.
How can we encourage students’
fluency?
Model fluent reading
– Students learn how oral reading can help
make sense of written text
– Read aloud effortlessly and with expression
daily for your students so they know how a
fluent reader sounds.
– In primary grades read aloud from a big book
– Point to each word as you read to show how
and where to pause and when to raise and
lower your voice.
Have adults or other family members
read aloud to students.
• The more models of fluent reading the
children hear, the better.
• Also increases children’s knowledge of the
world, vocabulary, familiarity with written
language, and reading interest.
Have students repeatedly reread
passages aloud with guidance
• Have students practice the text you modeled
first
• Know various repeated reading approaches
• Rereading the text four times is usually
sufficient to improve fluency
• Know your students’ reading levels
Know what your students should be
reading (Continued)
• Students should practice rereading independent
level text – a text they can read with 95%
accuracy or misread only 1 out of 20 words.
• Students should not be reading frustration level
texts independently, because the focus is on
decoding and not comprehension.
• Students should be reading relatively short texts
between 50-200 words depending on the
student’s age.
• Students should have access to a variety of
reading materials-stories, nonfiction, and poetry.
Some Types of Repeated Reading
•
•
•
•
•
•
Student-Adult Reading
Choral Reading
Tape-Assisted Reading
Partner Reading
Reader’s Theatre
Echo Reading
Student-Adult Reading
One-on-one student/adult reading with a
teacher, parent, classroom aide, or tutor
• Adult models text first, then student
reads with adult providing help and
encouragement
• Student rereads until fluent,
approximately three to four rereadings
Choral Reading
Students read along as a group with teacher or
other fluent adult reader
• Students have a copy of the same text or a big book
can be used
• Text should be relatively short and at student
independent reading level
• Patterned or predictable books are useful because
repetition invites participation
• Model fluent reading first then reread it and invite
students to join in
• Continue rereading and encourage students to
participate
• Should be read three to five times (not necessarily on
the same day)
Tape-Assisted Reading
Students read along in books as they
hear a fluent reader read the tape
• a book at child’s independent reading level is
needed
• a tape recording of the book read at about 80100 words per minute (with no music or sound
effects) is needed
• Student reads along with the tape until able to
read independently without the tape
Partner Reading
• Paired students take turns reading to each
other
• More fluent paired with less fluent reader similar to student/adult reading
• Same level readers paired to reread a
story already introduced and taught by
teacher
Reader’s Theatre
Students rehearse and perform a play for peers or
others
• They read scripts adapted from books rich in
dialogue
• Students play characters or narrator
• Provides readers with a legitimate reason to
reread text and practice fluency
• Promotes cooperative interaction with peers
• Makes the reading task appealing
Echo Reading
The teacher reads a portion of a text and the
students immediately repeat the portion that
the teacher read.
• Material can be read in phrases or sentences,
and finger pointing can be used.
• Especially effective with content area text
• Should be performed frequently, but should last
no more than 20 minutes
• Each learner’s goal should be to replicate the
teacher’s performance with precision while
reading.
Pros and Cons of Independent Silent Reading
• The greatest increase in reading fluency
progress happens in direct instruction with
the teacher.
• Most instructional reading time should be
used for direct teaching of reading skills
and strategies.
• Struggling readers need direct instruction.
• Struggling readers are not likely to make
efficient and effective use of silent
independent reading.
• Encourage students to read at home.
Reggie Routman states…
• “Independent silent reading is an indispensable
part of a balanced reading program.”
• Students take responsibility for their own
reading.
• The importance of silent reading can not be
overstated. In a study of fifth graders’ activities
outside school, it was found that “time spent
reading books was the best predictor of a child’s
growth as a reader from the second to the fifth
grade.”
Reggie Routman “Independent Reading.”
Invitations, [Portsmith, NH: Heineman, 1988, pp.
41-42]
Sharen Taberski states…
• Providing independent reading sessions gives
the children opportunity to practice reading and
use strategies that the teacher has
demonstrated.
• Independent reading opportunities should
include “just right” books – books that support
their growth
• Students need to know it is their responsibility to
make sense of what the author has written
Sharon Taberski “From Where You Are Thinking,”
On Solid Ground [Portsmith, NH: Heineman,
2000, Chapter 1, pp. 7]
Do we need fluency Instruction?
Students need fluency instruction when they
are not automatic in word recognition while
reading their texts
Automaticity has not been achieved when
• Students read an unpracticed text with more than 10%
word recognition errors
• Students do not read orally with expression
• Students’ oral reading comprehension is poor
Should fluency be assessed?
• Formal and informal measures ensure your students are
making appropriate progress
• Helps determine effectiveness of instruction and set
instructional goals
• Student motivation is increased when fluency growth is
graphed and shown to students
• Formal measures include taking timed samples of
student’s reading rate and comparing it to published
fluency norms
• Informal measures include listening to children’s oral
reading and making a judgment about fluency progress
Fluency Summary
 Fluency is quick and accurate reading of
text with expression.
 Fluency frees students to understand what
they read.
 Fluency progress is achieved by modeling
fluent reading and having students engage
in repeated oral reading.
 Assessing student progress in fluency helps
you to evaluate your instruction, plan
instructional goals, and motivate students.