Reading Fluency
Challenge When a reader becomes fluent, they are able to focus on comprehension rather than each individual word. Reading fluency means that they can read rapidly, efficiently, and can process the words as they are reading them. For students who struggle with reading fluency, reading comprehension becomes a difficult task. Fluency is the bridge between recognizing words, and comprehending words.
The following checklist was created by Hudson, Lane and Pullen (2005, p. 707) to determine if a child has the ability to read fluently:
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Helpful Websiteshttp://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/sra/readingmastery.htm
Reading Mastery program designed to teach students to read effortlessly. http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/fluency/ Learn the basics of reading fluency and access many scholarly articles related to the topic. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/5-surefire-strategies-developing-reading-fluency Strategies for developing reading fluency. http://www.time4learning.com/readingpyramid/fluency.htm Learn the importance of reading fluency and access online lessons aimed towards teaching reading fluency. https://dibels.uoregon.edu/measures/orf.php Dibles is an online progress monitoring system geared towards increasing students' reading fluency. |
Solution #1: Bookshare
Bookshare is an online library of digital books for students with print disabilities. Members are able to download books, and then read the material using adaptive technology. The software will typically read the book (text-to-speech), or displays the book on a computer screen or braille machine. Bookshare is intended for use with students who have visual impairments, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities.
Bookshare's features include:
Bookshare is designed to be implemented on an individual basis. It is a program that allows the student to create settings that are best for themselves, including rate of speech, text size, and display settings. It is also designed for students to use with visual difficulties, which is on an individual basis.
I have also used Bookshare with my class as a whole during group reading time. Using my smartboard, I have displayed books for the entire class to follow along with during free read time, or if we have a couple of minutes to kill before going to lunch, or onto another activity. |
Research Research shows that text to speech is not appropriate for all students. Studies have been done to show the effectiveness of students using text to speech software to access the curriculum. In one such study of middle school students with dyslexia, 70% were able to read with greater comprehension, but 14% showed lower comprehension scores (Elkind, Cohen & Murray, 1993).
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Solution #2: Raz-Kids
Raz-Kids is an online leveled book library. Teachers are able to assign books and quizzes for students to log in and complete. Students are able to:
Features of Raz-Kids include:
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Raz-Kids is another program that is designed to be used on an individual basis. Books are leveled so that students are able to read books at their current reading level. Teachers are able to assign specific books and quizzes to specific students.
However, this is also a program that can be implemented for whole class instruction during free reading time, or during down time. Additionally, students are able to access books of their choice and assigned books from anywhere there is internet access. This means that they could get additional practice at home with their parents. ResearchAn experiment was done by Holly Carroll at East Carolina University to determine if Raz Kids helped to improve reading attitude and comprehension in comparison to traditional texts with third grade students. The data that was collected showed a greater increase in reading comprehension and reading attitude for the students who used Raz Kids instead of traditional texts (Carroll, 2013).
To learn more, visit:
http://www.raz-kids.com/ |
Solution #3: Read Naturally
Read Naturally is a fluency focused program that is research based. It focuses on the strategy of teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring. You can expect your student to improve in the areas of:
The steps in Read Naturally are:
Read Naturally is another program that was designed to be used on an individual basis. Students are able to progress through the levels of the program at their own pace. Readers who are struggling are able to spend as much time as they need with a particular book without feeling anxiety and pressure.
Read Naturally is a program designed for Response to Intervention (RTI). It is meant to be implemented for all three tiers of intervention. It collects baseline data on all students to screen for at-risk students. All students receive instruction, and progress monitoring is done on all students. Students showing a small amount of risk students are given additional supports and diagnostic assessments in general education. Students who test at-risk are given more intensive support in both general education and possibly special education. |
TutorialResearch A study was done with special education and Title I students in Minnesota to determine the effectiveness of Read Naturally. On average, the students gained 2.35 and 2.15 words respectively per week (Ihnot, 1999).
In another RTI study done on fourth grade students in Massachusetts, students were split into two groups- one who received instruction using Read Naturally, and the other who received general reading instruction only. "After 10 weeks, the Read Naturally students demonstrated greater pretest-to-posttest gains in reading accuracy, rate, and fluency than the control group students, as measured by the Gray Oral Reading Test Fourth Edition (GORT-4)" (Tucker, Ed.D. & Jones, Ed.D., 2011). |
References
Carroll, H. (2013, January). Will the use of raz-kids during independent reading time improve third grade students’ reading attitude and comprehension?. East Carolina University.
Elkind, J., Cohen, K., & Murray, C. (1993). Using computer based readers to improve reading comprehension of students with dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 43, 238-259.
Hudson, R.F., Lane, H.B., and Pullen, P.C. (2005, May). Reading fluency assessment and instruction: What, why, and how? The Reading Teacher, 58(8), 702-714.
Ihnot, C. (1999). Read naturally: A strategy to increase oral reading fluency. Reading Research and Instruction, Retrieved from http://www.readnaturally.com/approach/case1.htm
Tucker, Ed.D., C., & Jones, Ed.D., D. (2011). Response to intervention: Increasing fluency, rate, and accuracy for students at risk for reading failure.National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 28(1), Retrieved from http://www.readnaturally.com/pdf/tucker-jones-article.pdf
Elkind, J., Cohen, K., & Murray, C. (1993). Using computer based readers to improve reading comprehension of students with dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 43, 238-259.
Hudson, R.F., Lane, H.B., and Pullen, P.C. (2005, May). Reading fluency assessment and instruction: What, why, and how? The Reading Teacher, 58(8), 702-714.
Ihnot, C. (1999). Read naturally: A strategy to increase oral reading fluency. Reading Research and Instruction, Retrieved from http://www.readnaturally.com/approach/case1.htm
Tucker, Ed.D., C., & Jones, Ed.D., D. (2011). Response to intervention: Increasing fluency, rate, and accuracy for students at risk for reading failure.National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 28(1), Retrieved from http://www.readnaturally.com/pdf/tucker-jones-article.pdf