BIG IDEAS OF READING: FLUENCY
Definition/Concepts
Reading fluency is made up of at least three key
elements: “accurate reading of connected texts at a
conversational rate with appropriate prosody or
expression.” (Teaching Reading Source Book, page 321)
Accuracy – deep understanding of alphabetic principle,
blending of sounds into words, and knowledge of a large number of high-frequency
words
Rate – how quickly and accurately one reads connected text
Prosody – is defined as the rhythmic and tonal aspects of speech, which includes intonation,
syllable prominence, duration, appropriate chunking, meaningful phrasing, attending to
punctuation
Fluency is critical for comprehension.
Application to Balanced Literacy
Shared Reading – poetry, reader’s theater, echo reading, whole group reading, repetitive
reading, rereading, reading in meaningful phrases, buddy reading
Guided Reading – poetry, warm-up read (familiar reads), teacher modeling, echo reading,
fluency phrases
Centers – fluency phrases, sight words, letters, sound association, poetry, taped reading, timed
readings, fixed passages reading
Writing Workshop – rereading original self-written text, reading student published stories,
attending to punctuation (editing)
Phonics/Word Work/ Spelling – letter/sound association, word families, pattern, sorting,
automatic word recognition, find it fast, say it fast, chunking, phonics chants, alphabet chant
Read Aloud – model good reading fluency, think aloud
Independent Reading – just right books (book choices),reading conferences, taped reading,
timed readings, fixed passages reading, rereading
Effective Instruction
Accuracy
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3 step model for building accuracy (letter naming, letter sounds, phonemes, blends,
phrases, irregular words, regular words)
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Step 1 – introduce and teach
Step 2 – build fluency through repeated practice
Step 3 – transfer to connected text
Rate
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Timed repeated oral reading
Partner Reading
Phrase-Cued Reading
Readers Theatre
Prosody
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Readers Theatre
Phrase-Cued Reading
Partner Reading
Web Resources
Guide for Fluency Instruction, The Florida Center for Reading Research
This is a “Must See”. Includes lessons, printables, rubrics, self and peer evaluation
forms, etc.
Big Ideas Website
Phrases Power Point, Sarah Bailey
Offers 6 different slide shows, progressing by difficulty that can be saved locally and
revised to suit individual needs. Encourages children to read in meaningful phrases
(fluently).
Free Reading
Passages for reading connected text
Lessons for teaching fluency
Word Family and Advanced Phonics Cards
High Frequency Fluency Phrase Lists
Progressive lists of phrases and short sentences that can be used to develop reading
fluency.
Power Points of high-frequency words, phrases, and short sentences, Harlan Community
School District
Reader’s Theater Scripts, Teaching Heart
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Reader’s Theater Plays and Folktales, Elaine Lindy
I Love Poems!, Dr. Jean Feldman
Building Resources
Teaching Reading Sourcebook, Honig, Diamond, Gutlohn, 2008, 2nd Edition. Fluency: pp. 321325. Fluency Assessment: pp. 328-358. Fluency Instruction: pp. 360-404.
Poetry Collection, Principal’s Conference Room
Pass It On: African American Poetry for Children, Hudson, 1993
Meet Danitra Brown, Grimes, 1994
A Light in the Attic, Silverstein, 1981
The New Kid on the Block, Prelutsky, 1984
Rainbows Head Lice and Pea-Green Tile: Poems in the Voice of the Classroom Teacher,
Bagert, 1999
Wiggle, Cronin, 2005
Nobody’s Diggier Than a Dog, Bartoletti, 2005
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 Poems for Today’s
Child, Prelutsky, 1983
Sing a Song of Popcorn: Every Child’s Book of Poems, Regniers, 1988
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