Working on Fluency!

After our first round of reading assessments, I found that many students would benefit from work focused on building fluency.

What is fluency?

Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order to understand what they read, children must be able to read fluently whether they are reading aloud or silently.

How are we working on fluency in the classroom?

In order to make fluency practice fun AND effective, we learned a new routine: Fluency Partners. 

Students are paired with a student of similar reading ability and given a fluency passage on their level. Students take turns being the "reader" and the "coach". The coach has a feedback sheet to give their partners areas to work on as well as compliments. The reader has the opportunity to read the passage a second time and apply the feedback they received. Then students switch roles. Today was our first stab, and I was SO impressed! The students worked hard and were constructive and positive with their partners.

How can I work on fluency with my child at home?

Periodically, ask your child to read aloud at home. As they are reading, you can use the prompts we use in class (posted below) to help your child recognize areas needing growth. As with anything-practice, practice, practice. The more your child reads....the more they will grow!