FLUENCY
Challenges
I don’t understand the need or purpose for
three levels of fluency: Mastery, Accuracy,
Rate/Prosody.
How do I best instruct “chunking” of words
into meaningful phrases?
How do I manage mixed fluency levels with
limited staff?
Possible Solutions
1. Remember that Mastery determines who needs
fluency instruction; Accuracy determines the
instructional level for teaching alphabetics-incontext; Rate/Prosody determines the instructional
level for teaching efficient speed, phrasing, and
expression.
2. All proficient readers read words accurately, read at
an appropriate rate or speed, and put words into
meaningful chunks.
3. If necessary, you can address Accuracy, Rate, and
Prosody at the same time with the same passage.
4. Lower levels (GLE 3-5) for Accuracy indicate a need
for more teacher-directed fluency instruction such
as echo reading: the teacher models sentence by
sentence and the student repeats (or echoes); then
the teacher models paragraph by paragraph and the
student repeats.
1. Introduce chunking with a research-based finding
such as: “Effective readers chunk words into
phrases in order to hang to meaning and
understand text.”
2. Start by looking at phrasing according to
punctuation marks such as periods and commas.
Then, if the student has the grammar level, talk
about different types of phrases.
3. Think about when you read and where you make a
break; what words are clues?
4. Present a model of “bad chunking” and then
contrast with “good chunking.” Discuss which is
easier to listen to and understand.
5. Tape record a model of good chunking; contrast
with recordings of students reading with poor
chunking.
1. Limit the number of fluency groups to two; you can
have mixed levels as long as the range is not too
wide (i.e. 4/5, 6/7, 5/6).
2. Enlist a volunteer tutor to work with one fluency
group while you work with the other. Generally,
volunteers really enjoy fluency instruction and
practice!
3. Set up fluency stations with CD players or
computers for students to listen to leveled readings
and re-read for practice.
4. Alternate fluency groups. One day work with one
group; the next day with the other, even if the
groups meet only once a week.
Developed by STAR 09/10 Participants and Trainers
How do I prepare for mixed fluency levels
with limited time?
When I’m reading something to the
students for marked phrase boundaries, I
wonder if I’m reading it right. My phrases
change when I read it a second time.
For ESL students, fluency sometimes
seems to be more about pronunciation than
fluency.
1. Purchase multiple levels of Timed Readings or Six
Way Paragraphs for a variety of passages, levels,
and lengths.
2. Download and print a variety of free grade-level
“adult-appropriate” passages from the Marshall ABE
website at
www.marshalladulteducation.org/reading_skills.htm
1. Script the boundaries on your copy so you read it
the same way each time.
2. Explain why you made changes. See if students
notice your changes and if they can figure out why.
1. If it’s appropriate for the student and the situation,
work on pronunciation.
2. Remember that fluency is ultimately about
improving comprehension. If the mispronunciation
doesn’t impact meaning, don’t address it during
fluency. There may be other places in instruction for
pronunciation practice and error correction.
Students add, delete, or change words as
they are reading to the detriment of
comprehension.
1. Make sure students understand that the author
used the words for a reason and that it is important
to use the written words to understand what you’re
reading.
Students don’t follow even the simplest of
phrase boundaries.
1. Have students put their finger on the period or
comma. Tell them to read to their finger, then stop
and move their finger to the next period or comma.
Students are over-correcting each other
during collaborative oral reading or jumping
in with a word when another student is
reading slowly.
1. Set the ground rules for collaborative oral reading.
Tell students only the teacher will correct or help.
Explain that some corrections aren’t important some
times. Explain how students read at different
speeds and to let everyone read how they can.
What good novels are recommended for
collaborative oral reading?
The Giver, by Lois Lowry, GE 6
The Tiger Rising, by Kate DiCamarillo, GE 5
The Breadwinner, by Deborah Ellis, GE 5.5
Lost and Found, by Anne Schraff, GE 5
Boy No More, by Henry Mazar, GE 5.5
Soldier’s Heart, by Gary Paulsen, GE 6
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, GE 6.5
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry, 5
Sarny, by Gary Paulsen, GE 6
Amelia’s War, by Ann Rinaldi, GE 6
Developed by STAR 09/10 Participants and Trainers