Paige, Rasinski, & Magpuri-Lavell (2012) Fluency Kuhn and Rasinski (2015) Rasinski (2004) Paige, Rasinski, & Magpuri-Lavell (2012)

What is fluency? Consists of two/three components: Accuracy accurate recognition of words Automaticity rapid recognition of words/phrases Prosody proper use of the “melodic features” of oral language

Why is fluency important? Important component in accomplished reading The number of meaning-change miscues is significantly related to comprehension (Pinnell et al., 1995) Reading rate is related to comprehension in early elementary grades (Schwanenfluget, Strauss, et al. 2004). Empirical support for a relationship between oral reading fluency and silent reading comprehension (Pinnell et al., 1995; Daane et al., 2005; Ransinski et al, 2009; Paige & Magpuri-Lavall, 2011) Important component of effective literacy instruction (NRP, 2000)

Why is automaticity important? • Theory of automaticity (LaBerge & Samuels, 1974) Effortless recognition of words Requires limited attention to word identification Cognitive processing and resource capacity are reserved and Available for comprehending texts Reading rate is related to comprehension in early elementary grades (Schwanenfluget, Strauss, et al. 2004).

Why is prosody important? Expressive reading or prosody contributes to comprehension over and above the contribution made by automaticity (Benjamin et al, 2009) However, unclear if prosody influences comprehension, comprehension influences prosody or the relationship is a reciprocal one But there does seem to be a relationship

Punctuation conveys stress PreTeena, May 4 2005 PreTeena, May 6 2005 http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002155.html

Unpunctuated Dear John I want a man who knows what love is all about you are generous kind thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior you have ruined me for other men I yearn for you I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart I can be forever happy will you let me be yours Gloria Found in many sources, largely unattributed

Unpunctuated Dear John I want a man who knows what love is all about you are generous kind thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior you have ruined me for other men I yearn for you I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart I can be forever happy will you let me be yours Gloria Number One Dear John, I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be yours? Gloria Found in many sources, largely unattributed

When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Unpunctuated Dear John I want a man who knows what love is all about you are generous kind thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior you have ruined me for other men I yearn for you I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart I can be forever happy will you let me be yours Gloria Number Two Dear John: I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Gloria Found in many sources, largely unattributed

Fluency is not solely oral reading The same processes that operate during oral reading fluency are assumed to be at work in silent reading fluency Therefore, instruction in either oral or silent reading will have an impact on reading comprehension. Suggesting that fluency instruction continue into the upper elementary and secondary grades

Oral Prosody and Silent Reading Comprehension for Ninth-Grade Students

Effects of Fluency Instruction Instruction in reading fluency can lead to improvements in reading fluency, comprehension and overall reading proficiency (Rasinski, Reutzel, Chard, & Linan-Thompson, 2011) Comprehension instruction is most effective once students have acquired some degree of reading fluency (Willingham, 2007)

Fluency Assessment Accuracy (Proficiency in decoding connected text) Calculate the percentage of words read correctly on grade level material/instructional level material (90-95%) Automaticity (Reading rate) Calculate the number of CWMP on grade level material/instructional level material; target rates increase from fall to spring and from grade level to grade level Prosody (Expression, phrasing, smoothness, pace) Listen to student read a grade level/instructional level passage Score elements of prosody using a rubric (Multidimensional Fluency Scale)

Effective Fluency Instruction Assisted reading (models and supports fluent reading) Choral or group reading Paired reading , partner reading, echo reading Books on tape with text Deep and wide practice reading Repeated reading of the same text (deep) (Samuels, 1979) (NRP, 2000) Single reading of multiple texts (wide) (Kuhn, 2004- 2005)

Fluency Development Lesson (Deep) Daily routines with a short text – 15 to 20 minutes per session Day 1: Teacher reads text to students 2 or 3 times Day 2: Teacher and students echo read text Day 3: Teacher and students choral read text Day 4: Students partner-read text Day 5: Words from the selection are chosen for word study/writing activity/teacher takes running record

Repeated reading of different materials- wide reading of a number of texts In their review of fluency research, Kuhn and Stahl (2003) found that students who were involved in repeated reading interventions of the same material and students who read equivalent amounts of text but spread out over different materials made equivalent gains. Kuhn in a follow-up study to this review compared two groups of struggling second grade readers. One group was exposed to repeated readings of the same book and the second group readings of three different books. The group who read the different books made gains on reading comprehension while the other group did not. (Findings reported in The Reading Teacher, 2004/2005) Kuhn and Rasinski, 2011

Fluency Development Lesson (Wide) Daily routines with texts – 20 - 40 minutes per session Day 1: Teacher reads first text to students Day 2: Teacher and students echo read text/option for partner reading Day 3: Words from the selection are chosen for word study/writing activity/teacher takes running record Day 4: Teacher reads second text to students Day 5: Teacher reads third text to students

Practice Reading Wide or Deep Wide reading may be more motivating Wide reading exposes readers to greater variety of texts Recent review of the research shows wide reading is effective practice for improving fluency and overall reading performance (Rasinski, Reutzel, Chard, & Linan-Thompson ,2011) However, struggling readers may need to practice one text, or portions of one text multiple times to experience fluency Perhaps most optimal is a combination of wide and deep reading practice

Oral Prosody and Silent Reading Comprehension for Ninth-Grade Students

Effective Fluency Instruction Prosody Authentic rehearsal and performance Texts that are meant to be read aloud for an audience Poetry, speeches, and scripts for readers theater Practice reading these repeatedly with prosody Readers theater approach leads to significant improvements in fluency and overall reading achievement Readers theater is a motivating and engaging activity.

Next Week Best Practices in Narrative Text Comprehension Instruction Encouraging Young Children’s Language Interactions with Stories Best Practices in Informational Text Comprehension Instruction