Signs a student is struggling What is reading fluency?

with fluency
“Fluency is defined as the ability to read with
speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order
-when reading aloud, sounds choppy and
to understand what they read, children must be
awkward able to read fluently whether they are reading
-easily frustrated when reading aloud, due to aloud or silently. When reading aloud, fluent
either speed or accuracy readers read in phrases and add intonation
-does not read with expression/change tone appropriately. Their reading is smooth and has
-does not chunk sentences into meaningful expression.”
phrases
-does not pause at appropriate breaks within Source:
https://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/fluency#do
sentences or paragraphs _teachers
Source:
https://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/fluency#do
_teachers

Classroom strategies for

improving fluency
-model fluent reading: read aloud to students,
often and with great expression. The more they
hear fluent reading, the more likely they are to
transfer the same skills into their own reading.

-do repeated readings in class: this enables

students to recognize high-frequency words more
easily, therefore making reading easier for them.
Image source: https://minds-in-bloom.com/fluency-fun-in-
Have students practice by re-reading short the-classroom/
passages aloud.

-echo reading: read a line or a short passage, and

IMPROVING
have students practice repeating it back to you,
copying your tone/expression. READING
FLUENCY
in the classroom
 Classroom strategies for
improving fluency
-choral reading: have students read an entire
poem/passage together as a class. This actively
Fluency: the ability to read
engages all students and may help them feel less
apprehensive about making a mistake.
with speed, accuracy, and
-promote phrased reading: show students how
proper expression.
good readers cluster portions of text together, rather
than reading each word separately. Example: select a
poem and divide phrases onto separate strips of
paper, and have students read the phrases together
aloud.

-reader’s theatre: an oral performance of a script

will help students focus on the meaning of it, rather Helpful resources for school
than memorizing the words, through expression and
intonation.
and home
Fl u e n t r e a d e r s Source:https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teachi
P a y At t e n t io n t o … How to do a reader’s theatre:
ng-content/5-surefire-strategies-developing-reading-
fluency/ https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching
 Re a d t h e w o r d s c o r r e c t l y ! -content/5-surefire-strategies-developing-reading-
fluency/
Ex p r e s s io n
 Re a d s m o o t h l y , n o t l ik e a r o b o t !
 Ch a n g e y o u r v o ic e t o m a t c h t h e p u n c t u a t i o n .
 Re a d l i k e a n a c t o r s h a r i n g a s t o r y w it h t h e
a u d ie n c e .
Free reader’s theatre scripts:
http://www.thebestclass.org/rtscripts.html
Pa ce
 Re a d a t a n a t u r a l s p e e d .
 No t t o o f a s t o r t o o s l o w ! Video selfies to improve fluency:
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-
P u n c t u a t io n posts/genia-connell/video-selfies-improve-fluency/
 Ch a n g e y o u r v o i c e t o m a t c h t h e p u n c t u a t i o n .
 Ch a n g e y o u r v o i c e t o m a t c h t h e p u n c t u a t i o n !!!
 Ch a n g e y o u r v o i c e t o m a t c h t h e p u n c t u a t i o n ? 10 ways to improve reading fluency:
https://www.themeasuredmom.com/10-ways-to-
Co m p r e h e n s io n improve-reading-fluency/
 aCh
Ch n eg cek y foourr uvnodi ce er st to a m
n ad ti ncgh w
t hheil pe u n c t u a t i o n !!!
yo u r ea d.
Ch a n g e y o u r v o i c e t o m a t c h t h e p u n c t u a t i o n !!!

Practice reading fluency with scooping phrases:

Genia Connell for Scholastic©
https://thisreadingmama.com/reading-fluency-
Image source: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog- phrasing/?ap_id=annageig
posts/genia-connell/video-selfies-improve-fluency/