Focusing on Fluency

Focusing on Fluency

Reading fluency has always been a top priority in my classroom.  It is crucial.  Reading fluently is a necessary skill for comprehension.  In my experience, my students who struggle the most in reading comprehension are those who struggle in reading fluency.  Fluency is the bridge to comprehension.  A fluent reader does not have to focus on decoding words, they can turn their attention to what they are actually reading. They can make connections to the text. In other words, fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time. Less fluent readers, however, must focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little attention for understanding the meaning of the text. So as a primary teacher committing to practicing fluency every day is a decision that has to be made and kept.    

What does timed reading fluency instruction look like? 
What can teachers do to help students who are struggling with fluency?  

"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before." -Steve Young

It is essential to provide students with opportunities to read and reread a wide range of stories and informational texts on their own, with a partner, and chorally as a class. For students to become fluent readers many components are necessary.  Students must be introduced to new or difficult vocabulary and provided practice reading these words before they read on their own.  They must be given opportunities to hear a variety of texts read fluently and with expression.  Also, students should practice timing their oral reading fluency daily and be recording their growth, to help monitor their progress.  Of all things in the day, timed fluency practice is one that I NEVER skip.  Why? Well, because regardless of how my students are doing during choral reading, partner reading, U.A. time or small groups they need timed practice.  They need to be setting goals and challenging themselves.  I find that with guidance their fluency will improve because they will naturally be competing against themselves. 

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Where do I start? How do I create a daily fluency routine that will be successful in my classroom? 

First, you need to find a spot in your day where you can dedicate 3-5 minutes to just fluency. It could be first thing in the morning, right after lunch, or right before the kids go home.  It's a small amount of time that can be fit in anywhere. The goal is to use less than 5 minutes for this fluency time.  Are you going to get it done in 5 minutes the first day?  Probably not. So take time to get routines in place, so it runs smoothly for the rest of the year.   I promise it will get faster.  Here are some of my big reasons why I dedicate 3-5 minutes to fluency each day. 

Students have the opportunity to:

• Set Goals
• Reflect on Reading Fluency
• Coach and be Coached by a Peer
• Be Inspired to be Life-Long Readers
• Form Good Reading Strategies

Step 1: Establish partner fluency procedures

I establish my partner fluency procedures at the beginning of the year. I partner them according to fluency scores.  My students are partnered by similar fluency scores. These partners may change every six weeks after the Unit Fluency Assessment is given. I partner students with similar fluency scores so that I can differentiate fluency passages given to each set of students. In other words, they get passages that are appropriate for their level and can be read successfully. 

Step 2: Establish your reading strategies
The reason why we have reading partners is that if a reading partner gets stuck, the other partner is right there to help them through it.  Rather than giving out the word, I teach them how to be a good coach by giving reading strategies and hints before giving the word.  Getting kids to this point is the hard part.  It must be modeled.  By using reading strategies consistently throughout your day, your students will begin using them with each other. 

Here are some I like to use: 

• Sound It Out
• Look for the Spelling Pattern
• Chunk It
• Try a different sound
• Reread
• Does that make sense? 

Step 3: The Fluency Routine- 

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday-Same Passage

1. First, each partner will record a realistic goal on their weekly fluency record chart.
2. Partner one will read, and partner two will coach and track as they read for 1 min.
3. Partner two will call time, help partner count words, and record results.  
4. Partner two will give praise.
5. Then they switch and repeat the process.  
6. I end with (strategically) asking one or two students to tell me what went well and what could be improved within their partnership.  
7. My role during this time is to sit with a different set of partners daily to monitor and assist. This helps me check for understanding and listen to their reading fluency.  

It's important to know this doesn't look pretty when you first start.  It will take longer, and that's okay.  If you do this consistently each day, and continuously share with your students what went well and what can improve, you will find that this can be a very beneficial time.  

Step 4: Have your students track their fluency

Thursday

Each day students record their WPM on their passage.

First Read(Monday), Second Read(Tuesday) and Third Read(Wednesday). 

On Thursday, they will record their first, second and third read onto their weekly fluency record chart and fill in yes/no for meeting their original goal.  

Fluency Goals

Step 5: Comprehension

Friday

On Friday, I have my students complete differentiated written comprehension questions with their partner.  They work together to come up with answers using text evidence.  This day takes longer than 5 minutes but is beneficial to solidify they are comprehending what they are reading.  

So are you ready to set the stage for fluency in your classroom? I hope you are feeling inspired to take action.  I think you are going to be amazed at the improvements and gains your students will make with practicing fluency consistently in your classroom.  Good Luck! Please email me with any questions or if you'd like to see this in action.

  

                               Positively Teaching,                              

Randi Muehlen