Introduction to Fluency
What is Fluency?
Fluency is reading with:
• accuracy
• speed
• expression
• understanding
Key Elements of Fluency
• Recognizing and pronouncing the words
accurately
• Reading at the right level of speed for the
purpose and level of text
• Using the voice to express meaning,
including pausing and phrasing in line with
the punctuation
Problems with Fluency
Student reads:
• slowly
• in a monotone
• ignoring punctuation
• with a choppy " start and stop" rhythm
• without monitoring understanding
• without self-correcting
How Does Fluency Help Students?
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•
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Supports the building of foundational skills
Helps with both oral and silent reading
Contributes to text comprehension
Helps students self-monitor and correct
errors
Discussion Questions 1
1. What challenges do your struggling
students face in terms of developing
fluency?
2. In what ways can building fluency skills
support reading comprehension?
How Can I Support Students in
Fluency?
Use of Evidence-Based Practices
• Provide Clear Explanations
• Give Students Strategies and Models
• Provide Opportunities for Practice
Differentiated Instruction
• Plan instruction that considers students'
readiness, learning needs, and interests.
• Use a range of technology tools to:
– engage learners at varying levels
– engage learners in multiple ways.
– offer students options for demonstrating
understanding and mastery
Teacher-Dependent
Ways to Differentiate
• By Content
– Different levels of reading or resource materials, reading
buddies, small group instruction, curriculum compacting, multilevel computer programs and Web Quests, audio materials, etc.
• By Product
– Activity choice boards, tiered activities, multi-level learning
center tasks, similar readiness groups, choice in group work,
varied journal prompts, mixed readiness groups with targeted
roles for students, etc.
• By Process
– Tiered products, students choose mode of presentation to
demonstrate learning, independent study, varied rubrics,
mentorships, interest-based investigations
Student-Dependent
Ways to Differentiate
• By Readiness
– Options in content, topic, or theme, options in the
tools needed for production, options in methods for
engagement
• By Profile
– Consideration of gender, culture, learning styles,
strengths, and weaknesses
• By Interests
– Identification of background knowledge/gaps in
learning, vary amount of direct instruction, and
practice, pace of instruction, complexity of activities,
and exploration of a topic
Discussion Questions 2
1. In what ways could you differentiate
instruction to help students develop their
fluency skills?
2. How could you vary the materials or
content your students use to develop
fluency?
3. What role could your students’ interests
play in building fluency skills?
Provide Clear Explanations
• Explain that fluency involves accuracy,
speed, expression, and understanding.
• Explain the different strategies that can
help them build fluency (e.g., repeated
reading, readers theater, performances).
Give Students Strategies and
Models
• Model how to:
– read fluently and expressively
– address different types of oral reading issues
(e.g., stopping to think aloud about what isn't
working)
– self-assess fluency using tracking tools
Provide Opportunities for Practice
• Teach students how to select texts that are
at the appropriate instructional level.
• Use assisted reading and paired reading
(e.g., reading aloud together, alternating
reading, echo reading).
• Engage students in performing text.
Technology Suggestions for
Building Fluency
• Audio and video recording device
• Tools for tracking progress
• Tools for marking text (e.g., highlighting,
underlining, changing font size, color
coding, adding comments)
• eBooks
• Audio books
Discussion Questions 3
1. How do you explain that fluency involves
accuracy, speed, expression, and
understanding?
2. What types of materials (e.g., story,
poem) would you use to model fluent
reading?
3. Which technology tools can support
differentiated instruction?
Disclaimer
Awarded through a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of
education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Grant
#H327G090004-10, PowerUp What Works was developed by a team of
experts in education, technology, differentiated instruction/UDL, and
special education at the Center for Technology Implementation,
operated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in collaboration
with the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and the Center for
Applied Special Technology (CAST).
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