English Language
Arts/Reading
Domain 1 Competency 6
Reading Fluency
What’s the Goal of this
Competency?
 The teacher
understands the
importance of
fluency to reading
and provides many
opportunities for
students to improve
their reading
fluency.
Key Definitions
 Fluency- The ability to decode words quickly
and accurately in order to read text with the
appropriate word stress, pitch, and intonation
pattern (or prosody).
• Automaticity- The quick and accurate
recognition of letters, words, and language
conventions.
How does Reading Fluency relate
to Reading Comprehension?
 Reading fluency
requires automaticity of
word recognition and
reading with prosody
to facilitate
comprehension.
Reading Fluency
Automaticity
Prosody
Reading
Comprehension
The Components of
Reading Fluency
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read orally a text source by using accuracy in
pronouncing words.
Comprehend effectively because attention is given
to textual meaning and not just to word
identification.
Provide expression that includes attention to
punctuation.
Read with a rate that is appropriate for the purpose
identified for reading the text source.
Fluency and Comprehension
 Fluency is a prerequisite for language
comprehension.
 For students struggling with fluency, teachers
should separate reading silently for
comprehension and reading aloud to
promote fluency.
Grade Level Expectations






Chapter 110.3 TEKS
1st Grade - 60 wpm.
2nd Grade- 70 wpm.
3rd Grade- 80 wpm.
4th Grade - 90 wpm.
The rate should increase by
10 words per grade level.
 Children in the 1st-4th grade
will able to read
independently with minimum
difficulty.
Examples of Reading
Fluency
Common Reading Difficulties that
Influence Reading Fluency
1. Word-by-Word Reading
- Ex: a student pausing after
each word in printed text.
2. Insufficient knowledge of
word recognition skills.
-A student’s limited use of
sight word knowledge,
context clues, structural
analysis, and other skills
used in pronouncing an
unknown word.
Reading Difficulties cont’d
3. Ineffective Comprehension
-Recognized when a student
is not able to tell what has
been read or is unable to
respond to statements and
questions posed about text
that has been read.
Strategies to Promote
Fluency

Guided Oral Repeated Reading
-Teacher uses text at the reading
level of the child. This allows the
child to read the same story
repeatedly to develop fluency.
•
Choral Reading
-Students reading “in group”.
Struggling readers can use the
model provided by fluent readers.
This works well with ELLs.

Pairing Students
-Pairing proficient readers with
struggling readers is beneficial for
both groups.
Strategies Continued



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Interactive Computer Programs
-These types of programs provide individualized reading support for children.
Silent Sustained Reading (SSR)
-The primary goal of SSR is to boost reading comprehension. Students read
silently for 20 min. a day and improve their reading fluency.
Readers’ Theater
-A story is modified so that various characters have to read portions of the text.
Students rehearse their reading part and then create a theater format to
present the reading.
Developing Reading Fluency
-Pointing to words while reading helps students to see the letter-sound
correspondence. Students in 2nd grade should be guided away from this
practice, as it can affect the development of reading fluency.
One More Strategy!
•
Assessing Reading Fluency
-A running record is an assessment
strategy to assess students’ word
identification skills and fluency in oral
reading. The teacher listens to the
student read a page, The teacher uses a
copy of the page to mark each the child
mispronounces. The teacher writes the
incorrect word over the printed word,
draws a line through each word the child
skips, and draws an arrow under
repeated words. The activity allows the
teacher to the type of error made and
provide support.
References
Rosado, L.A.(2011).The Best Teachers’ Test Preparation for the TExES:
Texas
Examinations of Educator Standards 191 Generalist EC-6.
Arlington,Tx: Research & Education Association.
Nath, J. & Ramsey, J.(2011).Preparing to Teach Texas Content Areas: The
TExES
EC-6 Generalist and the ESL Supplement 2nd.Ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ:Pearson