Fun With Fluency
What is Fluency and why is it important for
my Pre-K Child?
Fluency is the ability to read with speed,
accuracy and expression.
In Pre-K we are building fluency by
teaching rhymes, songs and predictable
books.
Parents Are Teachers Too
Parents play an important role in helping their children become successful
readers. Parents can build fluency by reading a variety of literature to their
children. Here are three ways that you can help your child become a fluent
reader:
● Nursery Rhymes and Songs
● Predictable Books
● Take Home Books
Nursery Rhymes and Songs A Forgotten
Resource
Nursery Rhymes Language Development
When children hear nursery
rhymes, they hear the sounds vowels and
consonants make. They learn how to put these sounds
together to make words.
Children also practice pitch, volume and voice inflection as well as the rhythm
of language.
In nursery rhymes, children hear new words that they would not hear in
everyday language (like fetch and pail)
Nursery rhymes are short and easy to
repeat and remember.
Nursery Rhymes and Cognitive
Development
Nursery rhymes are patterns, they help children learn easy recall and
memorization
Nursery rhymes usually tell a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. This
teaches children that events happen in a sequence and they begin to learn how
to understand stories and follow along.
Nursery rhymes use patterns and sequence so children begin to learn simple
math skills as they recite them. Many rhymes also use numbers, counting, and
other math words that children need to learn such as size and weight.
Nursery rhymes also introduce alliteration(Goosie Goosie Gander),
onomatopoeia (Baa Baa Black Sheep), and imaginative imagery.
Children hear these rhymes and act out what they imagine the characters are
doing through dramatic play.
Building Fluency Through
Predictable Books
Reading and enjoying predictable books with your child is a wonderful way to build fluency.
Predictable books contain repeated word patterns and rhyming which help children memorize the text
and begin to see themselves as successful readers.
Predictable books allow children an opportunity to predict or guess that is coming next in the story.
Children can participate in reading the story by looking at the pictures, repetitive phrases and rhyming
patterns.
It is very important for parents to model how the reading process works. When parents read with
expression, children are able to hear the rhythm of fluent reading.
Repeated reading of the same book also helps build fluency, so don’t be afraid to read the same
books over and over again. Children can then read or “pretend read” books that have been read to
them several times. Children gain confidence and begin to see themselves as readers just like you.
Here is a list of some of our favorite predictable books
which can be found at the library.
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
The Napping House by Don and Audrey Wood
Quick as a Cricket by Don and Audrey Wood
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles B. Shaw
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Mary Wore Her Red Dress by Merle Peek
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Hop on Pop! by Dr. Seuss
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
The House that Jack Built by Janet Stevens
Zoo-Looking by Mem Fox
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Take Home Books
You and your child can:
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retell you the story by reading the pictures.
track print from left to right word by word
point out letters and sounds
notice spacing, capitalization & punctuation
identify sight words
Why Read Aloud to Young Children?
Because children who are read to:
➢ Discover that books are fun
➢ Become better listeners
➢ Understand the world better
➢ Have a greater chance to succeed in school
➢ Get to cuddle with their favorite person: YOU
➢ Experience beautiful art in picture books
➢ Approach learning to read with enthusiasm
Reading aloud tips:
➢ Choose children’s books that you enjoy
➢ Read and reread your child’s favorite books
➢ Set aside a time, every day, for reading aloud
➢ Let your child participate in the story
➢ Remember: enjoy the book; don’t teach it
➢ Read aloud even after your child learns how to read
➢ Be a role model - let your child see you reading, too