Fluency - What's that?
Fluency is the ability to read phrases quickly, accurately, and with expression. Fluent readers read as though they are speaking - they read automatically, but with expression. Because they read automatically, fluent readers are able to focus on the ideas in the text and comprehend the author's message. Early readers use a great deal of mental energy sounding out (decoding) the words on the page and their reading often times sounds robotic - not fluent. As they learn the phonetic rules and can apply them with ease along with having automatic recall of all sight words, reading begins to sound more like fluent reading. Less fluent readers struggle along in a very labored, word-by-word way. They spend so much energy just reading the words that by the time they are finished with a few words, they have no idea what it was about. Comprehension can't be attended to when they are so busy just figuring out letter sounds or words. "Fluency is important because it provides a kind of bridge between word recognition and reading comprehension" (National Reading Panel, 2000; Rasinski, 1985; Reutzel & Hollingsworth, 1993).
Rate+Accuracy +Expression = Fluency = Comprehension
At the beginning of second grade, students should be reading a minimum of 44 wpm (words per minute). By January they should progress to a minimum of 68 wpm (words per minute). At the end of April, when the final benchmark test is given, they should be reading a minimum of 90 wpm (words per minute). Students considered to be challenge (cluster group) readers should set a goal of reading at least 130-140 w.p.m. (words per minute).
Rate+Accuracy +Expression = Fluency = Comprehension
At the beginning of second grade, students should be reading a minimum of 44 wpm (words per minute). By January they should progress to a minimum of 68 wpm (words per minute). At the end of April, when the final benchmark test is given, they should be reading a minimum of 90 wpm (words per minute). Students considered to be challenge (cluster group) readers should set a goal of reading at least 130-140 w.p.m. (words per minute).