Reading Fluency Instruction and Its Effect on Student Achievement By: Kelly Shea

What is fluency? Fluent readers can read text with speed, accuracy, and proper expression Fluent readers can read text with speed, accuracy, and proper expression In order to be truly fluent, a reader must comprehend and interpret text with appropriate timing, expressiveness, stress, and intonation (National Reading Panel, 2000) In order to be truly fluent, a reader must comprehend and interpret text with appropriate timing, expressiveness, stress, and intonation (National Reading Panel, 2000)

Why is fluency important? A relationship exists between fluency and comprehension A relationship exists between fluency and comprehension Slower readers have fewer resources available to process meaning Slower readers have fewer resources available to process meaning Dysfluent reading adversely affects a reader’s motivation Dysfluent reading adversely affects a reader’s motivation

How come all students aren’t fluent readers? Some students can decode words, but this is not fluency Some students can decode words, but this is not fluency Many students need to be explicitly instructed in reading fluency Many students need to be explicitly instructed in reading fluency

Research on Fluency: A large amount of research exists on methods used to teach and increase reading fluency A large amount of research exists on methods used to teach and increase reading fluency Several methods and techniques are used to improve fluency Several methods and techniques are used to improve fluency

Repeated Reading Students are asked to read a short passage several times until a predetermined level of fluency or reading rate is attained Students are asked to read a short passage several times until a predetermined level of fluency or reading rate is attained After students achieve fluency on this passage, they begin a new passage After students achieve fluency on this passage, they begin a new passage

Repeated Reading Research by Meyer and Felton (1999) Speed can be increased by using repeated reading exercises as measured by number of words read per minute Speed can be increased by using repeated reading exercises as measured by number of words read per minute Researched 3 models of repeated reading: unassisted, assisted, and prosodic Researched 3 models of repeated reading: unassisted, assisted, and prosodic

Repeated Reading (cont.) According to Meyer and Felton (1999), readers with average skills produced gains in reading speed and accuracy using all types of repeated reading According to Meyer and Felton (1999), readers with average skills produced gains in reading speed and accuracy using all types of repeated reading Prosodic reading may be especially helpful for beginning readers who read accurately, but slowly Prosodic reading may be especially helpful for beginning readers who read accurately, but slowly

Benefits of Repeated Reading: Repeated reading is easy to implement Repeated reading is easy to implement Can be changed to fit the needs of teachers and students Can be changed to fit the needs of teachers and students Regardless of which model is used, the goal stays the same: increase reading speed, transfer improvement in speed to subsequent material, and enhance comprehension with each successive reading of the text Regardless of which model is used, the goal stays the same: increase reading speed, transfer improvement in speed to subsequent material, and enhance comprehension with each successive reading of the text

Self-Modeling/Self-Monitoring Study conducted by Bray, Kehle, Spackman, and Hintze (1998) Study conducted by Bray, Kehle, Spackman, and Hintze (1998) Researched 3rd grade students with problems in reading fluency Researched 3rd grade students with problems in reading fluency

Self-Modeling/Self-Monitoring Intervention consisted of students reading from classroom texts, being videotaped while reading, and then viewing the video two times Intervention consisted of students reading from classroom texts, being videotaped while reading, and then viewing the video two times Video served as intervention for next session Video served as intervention for next session Student was provided feedback about performance Student was provided feedback about performance

Results of Self-Modeling/Self- Monitoring: All students made gains All students made gains Using themselves as their own models seemed to motivate students Using themselves as their own models seemed to motivate students Disadvantage: difficult to implement in classroom due to time and equipment Disadvantage: difficult to implement in classroom due to time and equipment

Readers’ Theater Children practice and perform for others a scripted reading (Rinehart, 1999) Children practice and perform for others a scripted reading (Rinehart, 1999) Rinehart’s study showed gains in both fluency and self-esteem Rinehart’s study showed gains in both fluency and self-esteem

Use of Computers Guided practice programs (i.e.- reading sight words from lists, games to promote speed, and reading-while-listening) Guided practice programs (i.e.- reading sight words from lists, games to promote speed, and reading-while-listening) Using computers to make electronic books Using computers to make electronic books Beneficial for improving fluency and very motivating for students Beneficial for improving fluency and very motivating for students

Paired Reading A lead reader reads with a struggling reader A lead reader reads with a struggling reader This intervention helps struggling readers to read material independently This intervention helps struggling readers to read material independently Results showed significant success with paired reading vs. traditional basal reading groups (Kuhn & Stahl, 2000) Results showed significant success with paired reading vs. traditional basal reading groups (Kuhn & Stahl, 2000)

Conclusions: Fluency is critical in order to become a successful reader Fluency is critical in order to become a successful reader Fluency needs to be directly taught to many students Fluency needs to be directly taught to many students More research is being done in the area of reading fluency, but researchers still agree that it is a “neglected goal” More research is being done in the area of reading fluency, but researchers still agree that it is a “neglected goal”