Module 4- Fluency

Important Concepts

1.        I had never thought about this fact: Fluent readers don’t even notice they are reading.  The process is so autonomous that when readers see text anywhere such as on a sign or in an e-mail, the readers cannot prevent themselves from reading it.  After I read this, I tried to look at something and not intend to read it, but I couldn’t.  I automatically read it.  And even when I tried not to read something, it still happened. 

2.       When we read, there are 3 basic processes involved:

(a) Decoding

(b) Comprehension (constructing meaning of the print)

(c) Attention- To decode and comprehend text, attention is needed)

3.        Fluent readers don’t have to decode, it’s automatic for them.  The main difference between beginning readers and fluent readers is beginning readers cannot decode and comprehend text at the same time, but fluent readers can. 

4.        A key component in teaching students to become fluent readers is to get them motivated, provide proper instruction and provide extended practice.  Students can benefit from repeated reading of the same text.

Implementation

When teaching kindergarten, I sometimes forget how important it is to not only teach phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary and comprehension, but to also include fluency in your lessons too.  I forget that just because my students don’t “read”, they still need to be taught how fluent readers read and strategies they can use at their level.  I started implementing more strategies during whole group reading so that they could hear what good readers do and sound like. 

Strategy

I used the Insert Strategy during a small group lesson.  I allowed the students to use wipe off/dry erase boards and write the symbols used in this strategy when we would stop.  As we read the book, I stopped frequently and the students used the codes which allowed me to help them.  The students thought it was fun because they got to use symbols and dry erase boards, yet they didn’t realize until it was over that they were learning to do something that good readers do.