Fluency

The greatest gift is the passion for reading.
It is cheap, it distracts, it excites,
it gives you knowledge of the world
and experience of a wide kind.
It is a moral illumination.
by Elizabeth Hardwick
 

                           
                 Think about it. Are you a fluent reader?

                                                             A fluent reader...

                                              .....reads text accurately.
                                              .....reads text quickly.
                                              .....reads text with expression.
                                              .....recognizes words with automaticity.
                                              .....sounds very natural when reading.
 

Fluency is important because...

            .....fluency influences comprehension?
            .....a fluent reader can spend more time on comprehension due to the fact that
                              they recognize (decode) words easily.
            .....a non-fluent reader focuses so much attention on figuring out the words
                             (decoding), that reading comprehension is compromised.
 

 How can we develop fluent readers?

We can develop fluent readers by...

            .....having children read and reread text.
            .....providing guidance and feedback as children reread.
               .....modeling what fluent reading looks like by reading to children.
               .....providing many opportunities for children to read.
            .....providing time for children to read at their independent ability level.
            .....engaging children in choral reading, partner reading, and reader's theatre.
 

 Readers Theatre to Develop Fluency

The Electronic Classroom's Readers Theatre
Aaron Shepard's Readers Theatre
The Power of Readers Theatre
Readers Theatre with Jan Brett
Readers Theatre Scripts and Plays
ReadingLady.com
Readers Theatre
 

 Poetry to Develop Fluency

Using Poetry to Teach Reading
Jack Prelutsky Poems
Jack Prelutsky Teacher Resource File
Karla Kuskin Poems
Jean Marzollo Poems
Create and Print Your Own Poems
                                             Shel Silverstein Teacher Resource File                                               Humorous Poetry for Children
Helping Children Find and Enjoy the Poetic Side of Life
Poetry Teachers.com
Giggle Poetry
Poetry 4 Kids
C. J. Heck's Poetry for Children