Fluency is the ability to read with “speed, accuracy, and proper expression” (NICHD, 2000)
My main struggle when teaching reading was always comprehension. My kids and clients tended to be able to read far more complex texts than they could understand. I realized the major impact that wh- questions had on the comprehension skill but there was another critical factor that lead to the inability to understand the text – reading fluency. Research suggests that fluency is related to comprehension in that if you are spending less effort pronouncing individual words you will be more likely to understand what you are reading. (Rasinki, 2003)
This makes complete sense. If you are spending all of your brainpower sounding out each word and laboriously trudging your way through a sentence – by the time you get to the end of that sentence, you have absolutely no idea what you read. You were too focused on saying each word that you had no time to being to process what each word meant and what the words meant together.
Why Fluency is Hard For Our Kids:
- Everyday speech may be flat, choppy, irregular phrasing, or inaccurate inflection.
- Language rules are subtle.
- Other students may pick up on these components through modeling.
- Our students may benefit from direct instruction.
When it comes to reading fluency, your kids need:
Visual Cues
Visual cues help prompt students to focus on their fluency. Highlight where you should pause – commas, periods, etc. Circle quotes to emphasize the change in intonation.
Poetry
Poetry provides opportunity to incorporate rhythm. There is a natural cadence and flow to poems that helps improve and practice correct oral reading fluency.
Silent Reading
Allows students the chance to choose books of their own interest and explore independently. Practice fluency and word attack strategies on their own. Can help develop reading as an enjoyable activity. Add structure, rules, & visuals to make it successful for your kids.
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5 Responses
The theory of reading fluency makes many valid points. However, when reading speed is emphasized too much students may stress over speed instead of pronunciation. The result of this is that they will test low on fluency. I had one child (not my child with a disability though) who was getting straight “A” grades. Yet the teachers were always concerned over her ” fluency problem”. Her oral reading is choppy to this day and she is now a college student who is doing very well. Just my experience and feedback. Reading instruction must combine elements that reinforce the child’s strengths and yet challenge them to move beyond their comfort level. Any instruction, including fluency instruction, that stresses a student too much will not produce the desired outcome in one or more aspects of reading. For my daughter this is that she does not read well orally. I am glad that her silent reading and her comprehension allow her to learn well.
Yes definitely! It’s important to think about that reading fluency doesn’t just mean fluid, “fast” reading but accurate and fluid reading. Reading that is fast but inaccurate is fluent. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi! I am taking an online class to earn my special ed certificate in mild interventions and would LOVE to hear what your experiences have been with using the Repeated Reading intervention. After spending the last several days researching it, it is a research-based intervention. Have you tried it? If so, can you please share if you have found it to be effective with your ASD students? My current class is about using evidence-based strategies and interventions with students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I do hope to hear from you!!
Thank you!!
Hi Linda, I haven’t personally utilized that strategy too often but it follows a lot of the same principles as the reading fluency set up I am talking about here. My answer would be – the learner is always right! Try it, take data, and you will see if it is effective for your students!
This is all so amazing, and I believe this approach will help my students. I have worked with children diagnosed with Autism in various setting: teacher, communication trainer (PECS), structured environments (TEACCH), child-lead environments (DIR/Floor time) and presently an ABA therapist.
My question is very simple; please give me an idea on how to write this type of objective for an insurance approved ABA program or assessment. Every time I write an operational defined target reflecting any level of academical practice, insurance comes back with some type of revision to eliminate school-based objectives.
However; these concepts need to be taught within an ABA format and more than likely, the school where the student is regularly attending does not have the means to use DTT or NET approaches. What do you suggest? I truly agree the art of decoding words is a training delivered by shaping, repetition, variety of instructional techniques, and specific feedback; which are structured components of an ABA plan.