Fluency can be viewed as the bridge that links word recognition to comprehension. When working on fluency, one goal is to improve accuracy in reading the words in the text. Another important fluency goal is to increase the rate of reading so words are recognized automatically and the text that is read sounds like a person is talking in typical conversation. Appropriate phrasing is also important. This means your child groups words in meaningful chunks as he or she reads, pausing at commas and stopping at periods. Finally, when reading orally, our goal is to read with good expression. This means your child "brings a character to life" by the way he or she reads dialogue, for example.
Words Correct Per Minute (Rate) Goals: |
| Grade2: |
Quarter 1 - Minimum 44 wcpm
Quarter 2 - Minimum 60 wcpm
Quarter 3 - Minimum 74 wcpm
Quarter 4 - Minimum 90 wcpm
|
| Grade 3: |
Quarter 1 - 50-110 wcpm
Quarter 2 - 70-120 wcpm
Quarter 3 - 80-130 wcpm
Quarter 4 - 100-140 wcpm |
| Grade 4: |
Quarter 1 - 70-120 wcpm
Quarter 2 - 80-130 wcpm
Quarter 3 - 90-140 wcpm
Quarter 4 - 110-140 wcpm |
| Grade 5: |
Quarter 1 - 80-130 wcpm
Quarter 2 - 90-140 wcpm
Quarter 3 - 100-150 wcpm
Quarter 4 - 110-150 wcpm |
Repeated Readings
One of the best ways research has shown to improve fluency is through repeated readings, where a student reads the same text three to four times. This is a great way to improve accuracy and rate. Choose a short piece of text with your child. For a young reader, this could be a "little book" or a picture book. Older students can use any type of text that they are able to read with little difficulty that is approximately 100-150 words in length. Have your child read the short text out loud to you and discuss any words they are having difficulty with. Then have your child practice reading the text several more times to become more automatic in reading the words quickly and accurately. Listen in as a student practices his fluency with repeated readings. Give your child feedback on their accuracy, rate, phrasing, and expression. Most importantly, focus on how they are improving!
Timed Readings
Another motivating way your child can work on improving fluency that uses repeated readings involves timing the readings. Students are often motivated to read the same small section of text again when they see their rate improving. You can time them for 1 minute while your child reads and then graphs the number of words read correctly in this "cold timing". Your child then practices, timing themselves as they improve their accuracy and rate. When they are ready, you can time their ‘hot reading’, which is then graphed and compared to the first timing. Students can often improve by 30 words read. Any timer will work and regular graph paper can be used with blue & red markers to graph the results.
Partner Reading
We know that fluency increases when children get lots of practice at it, just like practicing basketball skills through drills improves ones game. You can be a model for your child and provide support as you read together. Let your child choose a book, magazine, or some other text, and start by reading aloud to your child as they follow along. After you’ve read a page or two, let them take over reading. If they struggle with the text, you can join in and read together. By tag-teaming, your child shares an enjoyable time with you reading books. Listen in as I partner read with a student. Don’t forget to stop and talk about what is happening in the book as you read!
Reading To Perform
Students can practice short pieces of text and then perform them for an audience. Reader’s theatre and short poems were designed to be read aloud and work well for this. Reader’s theatre is like a play, but without the movement, costumes, and props. Students read from scripts, bringing their character alive through their expressive reading. Stories that have a lot of character dialogue can easily be turned into reader’s theatre scripts. As they work to read a character’s lines to get the expression "just right", they also will improve their phrasing, rate, and accuracy. Reading poetry aloud provides the opportunity to enjoy a poet’s emphasis on the sounds of words and phrases. Either type of text can also be recorded for a "digital performance". You can download Audacity, a free program you can use at home on your computer. Students can record themselves, play it back, and rerecord to note improvement. Files can be shared by email or by posting them online or downloading them onto an mp3 player. To download Audacity, go to: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.
