PR-6218IRE Reading for Success - Book 3

Fluency
Fluency
The term fluency refers to a pupil’s ability to read quickly with minimal errors. Fluent readers can:
• recognise words with automaticity • draw meaning from print
• group words into meaningful chunks • read with little effort
• connect ideas in print to prior knowledge • read with expression
Less fluent readers:
• read slowly (or word by word) • focus on decoding
• take great effort to read • pay little attention to meaning
When speaking of fluency, you will likely encounter the word automaticity. This word is often used
interchangeably with fluency, which is not entirely accurate. Remember these points:
• Automaticity refers to reading that is quick, effortless and automatic.
• Fluency involves automaticity, but also refers to reading with expression.
Therefore, a pupil who reads with fluency reads with automaticity, but a pupil who reads with automaticity
is not necessarily considered to be a fluent reader.
Why Is fluency important?
Fluency helps pupils to move from decoding and word recognition to comprehension. There is a strong
correlation between fluency and comprehension, which is why instruction in this area is so important. The
reading skills of fluent readers are largely automatic, which allows pupils to interpret meaning rather than
decipher letter sounds and individual words. They are essentially able to see words and automatically
comprehend their meaning. Fluency becomes an area of focus after a pupil learns to break code, which
makes it an important focus for pupils.
Educators tend to teach fluency in two different ways:
1. repeated and monitored oral reading—which involves guidance from a teacher while a pupil reads a
passage aloud several times
2. independent silent reading—which involves many opportunities for pupils to read silently on their
own.
It is believed that repeated and monitored oral reading is the most effective way to assist pupils with
fluency development. Traditional 'round-robin' reading, in which pupils take turns reading aloud, can cause
anxiety and only involves the one-time reading of small portions of text. Proper fluency instruction involves
the repeated reading of relatively simple passages and the modelling of reading (pauses and expression)
by more proficient readers.
This section of the book provides activities in the following areas:
• General fluency activities • Partner reading
• Pupil-adult reading • Readers theatre
• Choral reading • Assessment
• Audio-assisted reading
Viewing sample
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