Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Reading Fluency Strategies
The FAST TRACK program uses three key fluency strategies to help struggling readers: guided, practice, repeated reading, and independent reading. Guided practice or assisted reading is usually done by the teacher in class. The teacher reads aloud and models fluent reading using proper phrasing, intonation, expressions, and rates of reading. Parents and peers may be models of fluent reading as well. Guided practice also gives students feedback as they are reading. According to the Nation Reading Panel, repeated oral reading procedures that includes guidance from teachers, or good reader has a positive impact on word recognition, fluency, and comprehension across a variety of grades. Repeated reading is another strategy that is effective in developing automaticity. Repeated reading helps students read the text fluently so that they may concentrate on the meaning of the text. Repeated reading may first begin with reading a text silently and following along as a teacher reads aloud and models fluency. Then the student might read the text again whether it be reading silently, reading with a partner, to a partner, or outloud. The repeated reading strategy has helped my students as they are able to take part in discussions and share their thoughts because they understand what they have read. Independent reading is helps students' fluency if books that are provided that are interesting and are at their reading levels. Independent reading should be monitored and done daily for about 20-45 minutes. When students first start in the FT program they resist reading, but they soon realize that it is a part of their daily routine and I am there to support their reading and they feel less intimidated. Having free choice for reading motivates the students to find books that they think are interesting. FT mentions uses these three main strategies, but there are other effective strategies available as well.
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9 comments:
Would you consider making your font a little bigger. I found it a little hard to read.
I have also used those three fluency strategies in my own teaching. My students at this point know that they have read everything at least twice. My big question everyday is "How am I going to get my students reading". This years' class is the lowest reading class I have ever had, but today I actually felt like I was making progress by using the strategies you listed in your post and my own action research. I look forward to reading more of your strategies and findings.
That is a cool way to assist readers. We use Read Naturally. It is also fluency based reading. Good luck with your classes.
Tompkins (2001) describes fluency as "the ability to read smoothly and with expression, and in order to read fluently, students must be able to recognize many, many words automatically" (p.201). During yesterday's staff meeting, a colleague described an analogy he used to describe fluency to his students. As a CELDT proctor walked into his class to take the students who would be tested, he asked him if he could tie his shoes while he explained why he was in the room in the first place. The children listened intently as the man proceeded to tie his shoes while he also addressed the class. My colleague then pointed out how Jose was able to tie his shoe while he spoke to the class. He was able to do it because he didn't have to think about tying his shoes because it came naturally for him. My colleague said that his 2nd graders came to understand why they were practicing fluency and the importance of recognizing words automatically. Lesson learned: tying your shoes can lead to making great public addresses. No, not really! Practice produces automaticity, which leads to improved comprehension and access to the mainstream curriculum.
Good Luck!
I love the strategies you listed and use them everyday. I also allow my students to listen to a tape while they follow in the text.
ferguson, I'm glad to hear that the fluency strategies are helping your students. Sometimes you have to try different strategies to see what works best with your class. If you find a fluency strategy that students like to use, it'll be much more beneficial for them. Good luck.
Thanks Lothy, I hope its better now.
Kris, do you use it as part of your reading program? I'll have to check it out sounds interesting.
For the ELD class that I teach I use a tape to for the students to hear as they read along silently sometimes I'll read the story instead. I find that it is helpful as well especially for the younger grades.
Ismael, great analogy. In reading better, one simply needs to practice reading (at a level they are comfortable at and books they find interesting to read).
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