Fluency
Think about a time you have heard someone reading to children and found it entertaining- chances are that not only did they read all the words easily, but they also used expression and broke the reading up in a way that helped it make sense. They also probably read at a pace that kept the children (and you) engaged. These skills are all part of reading fluency.
Reading fluency is often referred to as the bridge between word reading and comprehension. It has a two-way relationship that helps people understand what they are reading. Good readers are able to use their word reading skills, knowledge of punctuation and oral language skills to make their reading sound like talking. The flip side is that understanding what they’re reading helps them to read fluently. Being able to do these things easily frees up their brain to pay attention to the meaning of what they are reading.
There are three components that make up fluent reading. These are:
- Accuracy - being able to read the words easily and automatically,
- Rate - being able to read the text quickly enough for it to make sense and flow,
- Prosody - being able to break the text up into chunks that make sense and use expression.
Children who are able to read accurately are still likely to need some instruction to develop fluency. Children who are struggling with learning to read will usually need ongoing support to develop automatic word reading skills, as well as strategies to address fluency.
Repeated reading is the most proven activity for developing fluency. Encouraging children to reread a text that they can read comfortably will allow them to focus on the way that they are reading. As always, reading to children is great! It can provide children with a model of what good reading sounds like and even if you are not into making up character voices there are lots of children’s books that encourage intonation and discussion. Check out Do Not Open This Book by Andy Lee, This is a Ball by Beck and Matt Stanton, Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox or something more traditional such as We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.