Fluency Strategies
Fluency is the rate (speed and accuracy) and prosody (expression and phrasing) used when reading. It is important to teach fluency for many reasons. Students who read with good fluency are motivated to read, because reading is enjoyable. Students who are motivated to read, read more, which leads to greater vocabulary. Also, when students read with good fluency, they can focus more on understanding the text, which increases comprehension.
Which Texts to Use
When reading texts for fluency practice, be sure to use texts on the student's independent level. That means the student does not make more than 4 mistakes per page or couple pages. It is okay to start reading with a text at the student's instructional level, when the student makes between 5 and 10 mistakes per page or couple pages, but help the student learn new words and practice reading tricky parts before doing fluency practice.
Repeated Reading
Research suggests that one of the best way to increase fluency in through repeated reading. Have multiple opportunities for students to read the same text. Use a variety of reading strategies so students don't get bored reading the same text in the same way over and over again. Although reading word cards can increase word recognition and therefore fluency, try to practice fluency with connected text as much as possible. Remember, you want students to have authentic experiences being good readers. Good readers reread when they don't understand or don't read with fluency. Good readers reread books they really like.
Students often think they should only read a text one time. Point out to students that good readers reread texts. Model for them how rereading a book helps you understand more, remember more, and read even better. Relate this idea to watching a movie. The second time you see a movie, you notice things you missed the first time, and you remember more about what happened. Also, by modeling rereading for the students, you can show them how much better you can read the text the second time. Struggling readers are especially motivated by seeing that they can almost instantly improve their reading skills just by reading a text again. And since everyone rereads, even good readers, struggling readers don't need to feel embarrassed about rereading.
Students often think they should only read a text one time. Point out to students that good readers reread texts. Model for them how rereading a book helps you understand more, remember more, and read even better. Relate this idea to watching a movie. The second time you see a movie, you notice things you missed the first time, and you remember more about what happened. Also, by modeling rereading for the students, you can show them how much better you can read the text the second time. Struggling readers are especially motivated by seeing that they can almost instantly improve their reading skills just by reading a text again. And since everyone rereads, even good readers, struggling readers don't need to feel embarrassed about rereading.
Partner Reading
Just reading a text over and over does not, in itself, result in improved fluency. When left unassisted, many students, especially struggling readers, simply make mistakes over and over, or become very unmotivated to reread a text. Students can learn a lot just by reading with someone else. However, many teachers and parents do not have the time to read individually with every child who wants to read. Older siblings or older students in the school make great reading partners. Even other students in a class can be effective reading partners. When you match up students as reading partners, be sure to match the best readers with middle readers, and other middle readers with low readers. Matching the best readers with low readers can be demotivating for both types of students.
When reading with a partner, there are several ways you can read.
- Echo Reading: The better reader reads a page (or a paragraph, depending on the text) aloud. The lower reader reads the same page aloud.
- Choral Reading: Both students read all the text aloud together.
- Error Correction: Students take turns reading pages. Students stop each other when a mistake is read and correct the mistake. The student begins reading again at the beginning of the sentence. Teach students to use the card in the template below to know what to say when a partner makes a mistake.
When reading with a partner, there are several ways you can read.
- Echo Reading: The better reader reads a page (or a paragraph, depending on the text) aloud. The lower reader reads the same page aloud.
- Choral Reading: Both students read all the text aloud together.
- Error Correction: Students take turns reading pages. Students stop each other when a mistake is read and correct the mistake. The student begins reading again at the beginning of the sentence. Teach students to use the card in the template below to know what to say when a partner makes a mistake.
| reader_correction_card.pdf |
- Retell: Students stop after every page or two to discuss what they learned or what has happened.
- Paired Reading: Students read a section of a text silently, the discuss it together. One student is a
"recaller" who summarizes the text. The other student is a "listener" who listens to the summary, listening for things that were left out or incorrect. Students discuss additional information as needed. Then, students read the next section, switching roles after. See the PDF file below for a more detailed
description of this strategy. It is a fantastic strategy! Use it often, especially with nonfiction texts!
- Paired Reading: Students read a section of a text silently, the discuss it together. One student is a
"recaller" who summarizes the text. The other student is a "listener" who listens to the summary, listening for things that were left out or incorrect. Students discuss additional information as needed. Then, students read the next section, switching roles after. See the PDF file below for a more detailed
description of this strategy. It is a fantastic strategy! Use it often, especially with nonfiction texts!
| paired_reading.pdf |
Choral Reading
Choral reading is when all readers have a copy of the text and read aloud together at the same time. This is a great strategy. Use it often with a whole class, in small groups, and with partners. Read along with the students, too, when reading more difficult texts, or when reading a text for the first time.
This strategy is great for all types of readers. Great readers can read with a strong, confident voice. Low readers can read more quietly if they prefer, and can even drop out for a word or two if needed. Low readers still hear the words being modeled correctly. With this strategy, all students are engaged all of the time. It can replace "popcorn" or "round robin" reading in classrooms, where students take turns reading aloud - a strategy that is not engaging and is fun only for good readers.
This strategy is great for all types of readers. Great readers can read with a strong, confident voice. Low readers can read more quietly if they prefer, and can even drop out for a word or two if needed. Low readers still hear the words being modeled correctly. With this strategy, all students are engaged all of the time. It can replace "popcorn" or "round robin" reading in classrooms, where students take turns reading aloud - a strategy that is not engaging and is fun only for good readers.
Echo Reading
Echo reading is when the text is read aloud by a good reader first, and then read aloud by other readers. The better readers reads small sections at a time, such as a page or a paragraph (depending on the type of text), and then the lower readers reads the same text. This can be used with a teacher reading and a class, small group, or student echoing, or with students reading together. Use this strategy when the text is a little more difficult, or the vocabulary is challenging. This way, students hear fluent reading modeled first before trying to read it themselves, which results in better reading.
Reader's Theater
With readers' theater, students perform skits or plays while reading their parts. No parts are memorized. Many readers' theater plays are available in books and websites, but it can also be fun to have students write their own plays based on a book recently read. Students decide the necessary characters and write scripts and stage directions for them, making sure to include all the major events in the story they are depicting. Regardless of if the script is already made or student-made, students practice their parts, and then perform them.
Readers' Theater is a great strategy to do in groups. This provides enough enough students to be able to have several characters, but few enough students so that everyone can have a part or two, students can practice together, and special class time is not needed for the whole class to practice together. This is great for all types of readers. When students write the scripts themselves, they will be able to read the words well, because they chose those words. Even when scripts are already made, when they relate to a book recently read, students have lots of prior knowledge which will increase fluency and comprehension. Additionally, students who are self-conscious or shy can choose short parts. Since everyone is reading the text after having many opportunities to practice reading it, everyone can be confident and successful.
Groups can read their plays to the rest of the class, other classes, other teachers or parents. But remember, this is not a big production. This is an opportunity for students to practice fluent reading in a fun, motivating way. Don't spend too much instructional time making it into a huge show. Big productions also can increase anxiety in lower readers and become less engaging for some students.
Readers' Theater is a great strategy to do in groups. This provides enough enough students to be able to have several characters, but few enough students so that everyone can have a part or two, students can practice together, and special class time is not needed for the whole class to practice together. This is great for all types of readers. When students write the scripts themselves, they will be able to read the words well, because they chose those words. Even when scripts are already made, when they relate to a book recently read, students have lots of prior knowledge which will increase fluency and comprehension. Additionally, students who are self-conscious or shy can choose short parts. Since everyone is reading the text after having many opportunities to practice reading it, everyone can be confident and successful.
Groups can read their plays to the rest of the class, other classes, other teachers or parents. But remember, this is not a big production. This is an opportunity for students to practice fluent reading in a fun, motivating way. Don't spend too much instructional time making it into a huge show. Big productions also can increase anxiety in lower readers and become less engaging for some students.
Whom I Read To
Give each students a Whom I Read To chart (see file below). Across the top, students write the names of people to whom they can read a book. Students can include family members, kids at school, teachers, and other people who are important to the students. Next, students write the title of the book they are practicing in the Title column. Students read the book to themselves. Then students read the book one time to each person on the chart. They check off each person after reading the book to him or her. If desired, you can have the listener initial the box as confirmation that the book was read. When a student has read the book to all the people on the charts, the student can read the book to the class or the principal, or receive some other predetermined reward.
| whom_i_read_to.pdf |