Many of my students qualify for my reading intervention class because they have difficulty with reading fluency. When we read, it isn't necessarily a passage from a book; we read song lyrics, poetry, news snippets and more.
0 Comments
What does a fluent reader look like? There are many parts to being a fluent reader. It isn't just all about the speed. Because many students are progress monitored using oral reading fluency passages, they misunderstand the idea of fluency. Oral reading fluency passages are meant to be used as a temperature check; one way to check in and see if we need to take a deeper look at a student's reading skills. Research-based progress monitoring passages have standardized scores for each grade level to determine fluency rates. The research shows that students who do not score within the normal range on oral reading fluency passages may have reading skills that need intervention. It is at this point educators need to use more detailed reading assessments to determine if the student is missing reading skills in fluency, phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and/or vocabulary. Fluency isn't just about speed- it has many other components.
When looking at reading fluency, one characteristic is that the student pays close attention to accuracy. Are they reading what is written in the passage? Or are the students substituting words, leaving words out, or changing word endings? I use the prompt "Are you the author?". This reminds them that they are not the person who can edit the passage. Only the author can make changes. Next, we look at reading with appropriate expression. As the student reads it should sound like they are having a conversation. Sometimes we emphasize certain words as we read, sometimes read words quietly to make a point. Students who are reading word for word or using the "robot" voice are not using expression. If a student is having difficulty using expression as they read, I might record them reading and then have them read along as we play back the recording. This can help them hear their tone of voice and volume. Punctuation is another important part of reading fluently. As a student reads, they should be reading smoothly. If they come to a comma in the reading, they should pause. If they come to a period in the passage, they should stop. If they come to an exclamation point, their voice should rise with excitement. When I first start working with students, they will often ignore punctuation and the entire passage will sound like a run on sentence! Reading a passage with a natural pace is also the sign of a fluent reader. The reader should sound like they are having a conversation. The pace shouldn't be too quick or the reader may make mistakes in their accuracy. My reminder to students is "Remember Goldilocks". Goldilocks didn't like things too hot, too cold, too hard, or too soft. She liked things just right. A natural reading pace should be "just right". Finally, a fluent reader should comprehend what they read. If a student reads with accuracy, expression, punctuation, and a natural pace then they should be able to understand the content of the passage they are reading. This is the time I might ask questions about the passage like "What just happened to the character" or "Why did the character take that action". If the student can give me key and supporting details, they have comprehended the passage. Being a fluent reader is a complex job. Many people mistake speed of reading for fluency. But when you include accuracy, expression, punctuation, pace, and comprehension then you truly have a fluent reader. I would like to welcome you to our little reading nook at Christiana Elementary. I have some exciting news to share: we have reading strategy videos! If you click on the link at the top "Reading Videos", you will find several videos of me briefly reviewing reading strategies that we use in our intervention classes. You can also find the playlist by clicking the YouTube icon in the top right corner of the website. Here is the direct link to the playlist: Dena Oneal Reading Strategies. Some of the topics include re-reading, chunking a word, sounding words out, and what a fluent reader looks like in the classroom. I hope you can take a few minutes to view these videos with your child. These videos are also helpful reminders when they are practicing their reading at home. Enjoy!
|
AuthorI am a certified reading specialist with a background in speech pathology. I love reading and sharing this passion for learning with students. Archives
September 2016
Categories
All
|