Reading comprehension - it is the is the ultimate goal! It involves the ability to understand, analyze, and interpret written material. However, reading comprehension is not just about recognizing words on a page; it also requires fluency. Fluency is the ability to read quickly, accurately, and with expression. Fluency requires prerequisite skills to be mastered in order to have a high accuracy of fluency. Let's take a look at what this entails.
Fluency is a key component of reading comprehension because it allows readers to focus on the meaning of the text. When readers are struggling to read fluently, they are forced to focus on decoding individual words rather than understanding the text as a whole. This can lead to frustration, decreased motivation, and a lack of engagement with the material.
Working memory is activated during reading. Ideally, the working memory would be loaded up with comprehension of the text - visualizing, connecting, asking questions, making inferences, transforming thinking. However, this is only possible when the reader is reading the text fluently with an accuracy of 97% or above. The working memory has a finite capacity. When the working memory is using up much of its power by decoding difficult-to-read words because the reader is not yet fluent, it is using up most of its capacity for this, leaving very little room for reading comprehension.
Research has shown that fluency is strongly correlated with reading comprehension. According to the National Reading Panel, fluency is one of the five critical components of reading instruction. Fluent readers are better able to understand and remember what they read, and they are more likely to enjoy reading.
Fluency also plays a critical role in vocabulary development. When readers are fluent, they are able to read more words per minute, which exposes them to a greater number of words. This increased exposure to vocabulary can improve comprehension, as readers are better able to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words.
In addition to improving comprehension and vocabulary development, fluency has also been linked to improved reading motivation. When readers are able to read fluently, they are more likely to enjoy reading and feel confident in their abilities. This can lead to a positive feedback loop, as increased reading motivation can lead to more reading, which in turn can lead to improved fluency and comprehension.
So, how can we help students develop fluency? There are several strategies that can be used, including repeated reading, choral reading, and reading along with an audio recording. Teachers can also provide students with feedback on their reading rate, accuracy, and expression. Students love to track and graph their reading scores and compete against themselves to beat their words per minute each time they repeat a reading. Follow @learningwithperks on instagram and facebook to see (listen to) real-life examples of students in reading intervention groups - the page is always uploading new lessons and content to help with all things science of reading and teacher-life.
Overall, reading fluency can be seen as the sweet spot for effective reading practice when done in an intentional, guided way. Practicing fluency can help with confidence, comprehension, and decoding. Win-win-win!
RE-READING can be so effective when practicing fluency; the child has a second, third, fouth chance to read the text properly (with instruction in between - a great chance to have discussions about tricky words within the text!). Watch this video to see a few different strategies that teachers or parents can use to help quickly improve fluency. Share this post and video with parents, and download the Fluency handout to give to parents and teachers for an easy-to-reference printable on reading fluency
Learning With Perks © 2024