Foundations of Effective Reading Instruction Focus on Fluency Strategies Shelby MacMeekin, NBCT Special Education Coordinator

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Five Components  Phonemic Awareness  Phonics  Comprehension  Fluency and Oral Language  Vocabulary Instruction

Learning Targets FOCUS: FLUENCY and COMPREHENSION INSTRUCTION FOR BEGINNING AND INDEPENDENT READERS 1) I will understand the importance of fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary instruction for beginning and independent readers. 2) I will bring an activity away to reinforce skills at this level. 3) I will learn to use a simple assessment tool to measure needs in this area.

What is Fluency? Fluency is the ability to read quickly with accuracy and expression. It requires automaticity so that the brain can free up cognitive resources to concentrate on meaning.

Why build fluency? Fluency is highly correlated with comprehension. (ReadingFirst, Virginia, 2013) 44% of adults cannot read fluently (orally) under testing conditions. Students who do not develop fluency skills are likely to remain poor readers their entire life. (Para training resources, 2009)

Activities  Timed, Repeated Reading  Taped-Assisted Reading  Partner Reading  Student-Adult Reading All include repeated, monitored readings. This is the most effective, research based intervention to improve automaticity and comprehension at both elementary and secondary levels.

Repeated Reading Activity At the second grade level, students are independent enough to do their own repeated reading activity with monitoring. This activity should be used with passages at a students independent or slightly easier than independent level.

Vocabulary Instruction, a next step The goal of vocabulary instruction is to build on the foundational skills that students need to comprehend text. Vocabulary can be taught both directly and indirectly.

Direct Instruction  Students need 8-10 exposures  Students need to use words in context  Students need to relate new information to known information  Students need to use examples and non- examples

Indirect Vocabulary Instruction Understanding that the structure of words can give clues to the meaning of words. This involves the direct instruction of the meaning of prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

Indirect Vocabulary Instruction  Access to “Just Right Books  Word Structure Instruction  Word Hunts  Word Trees  Word Wizard

Vocabulary Activity This activity is a good introduction to word study. It will increase comprehension and spelling skills. In- dis– re--ly –tion credible connect equal

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm – Ralph Waldo Emerson An acrostic for Fluency R apid E xpression A ccuracy D aily reading Keep up the good work! Don’t forget your certificate and exit slip. THANK YOU!