Speech Communications and Reading Mrs. Blackwell

 Reading quickly, accurately, and with expression.  Combines rate and accuracy  Requires automaticity (reading automatically)  Includes reading with prosody (tone, inflection, etc.)  Rate + Accuracy = Fluency

 Quick, accurate recognition of letters and words.  Frees cognitive resources to process meaning.  Is achieved through corrected practice.

 What does fluent reading sound like?  Fluent reading flows. It sounds smooth, with natural pauses.

 “Fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension” National Institute for Literacy (NIFL 2001 p.22)  Fluent readers are able to focus their attention on understanding text.  Because non-fluent readers focus much of their attention on figuring out words, they have less attention to devote to comprehension.

 How to decode words (in isolation and in connected text)  How to automatically recognize words (accurately and quickly with little attention or effort)  How to increase speed (or rate) of reading while maintaining accuracy  How to read with prosody (expression)

 Your goal: Comprehension.  Fluency has been shown to increase comprehension. So, you’ll be working on your rate of fluency.  Each of you will sit with me and read to me as individuals so I can get a fluency and accuracy rate for you. In the meantime, the rest of the class will be working on independent reading for page credit.

 Your Goal: Expression  You will practice and read children’s books with prosody.  Prosody means the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. By using the appropriate vocal attention, you model effective reading for children.  Your practice of reading elementary texts with prosody will translate into reading poems and prose with prosody (both are UIL Speech events)

 Meadows Center. Fluency Presentation. ads/primary/guides/fluency_presentation.PD F retrieved on August 23,  National Institute for Literacy. National Early LiteracyPanel. s/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf retrieved on August 23, 2010.