Let's talk about reading fluency! Consider the graphic below: Myth or Fact? Do you know the answer? Keep scrolling to find out!
And the answer is..... MYTH!
Reading fluency is a commonly discussed (and commonly misunderstood) topic. I would like to share some information pertaining to reading fluency to hopefully clear up any misconceptions. Then, I will point to some resources that may be helpful in your classroom!
First, let's be clear about what we mean when we "focus on fluency." I love this graphic from the National Center on Improving Literacy, because it helps refute the misunderstanding that fluency is all about "speed." As you see below, while reading speed is a factor in fluency, it is just one factor, among three: reading speed, accuracy, and prosody.
To focus exclusively on the rate of reading neglects accuracy and prosody, both of which are crucial to -and indicators of- reading comprehension.
Don't be misunderstood, though. Reading speed does have it's own merit. Timothy Shanahan explains this so well in his blog post "Oral Reading Fluency is More Than Speed."
According to Shanahan, "Slow word reading indicates that a student is devoting a lot of cognitive resources to figuring out the words, and that means cognitive resources will not be available to thinking about the ideas. That’s why speed of word reading is so important; it is an indicator of how much a reader will be able to focus on a text’s meaning."
So here's the full cycle of all these fluency factors: When a student reads at an appropriate rate, it's an indicator that the decoding process is effortless for them. When the decoding process is effortless, their cognitive energy is devoted to understanding the words, as used in context. When the students read those words effortlessly and accurately, their understanding is best supported, and confusion is limited. When a student reads with appropriate prosody, then it is apparent to you (the listener) that he/she is gleaning a clear perception of the text because that understanding is conveyed through the tone and expression in his/her voice.
So there you have it: the three factors of fluency and why they are all three vital for a reader to be considered "fluent!"
Check out this previous post for a fun twist on a typical fluency-building exercise: Reimagining Some Favorite Fluency-Building Strategies
Now, are you looking for additional materials to boost your students' reading fluency? I have something to offer you... coming soon! Stay tuned for resources you can implement in your classroom!
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