The document discusses the importance of reading fluency, defined as the ability to read smoothly and expressively. It outlines direct and indirect approaches to improve fluency, including repeated readings and independent reading strategies. Key activities for enhancing fluency, such as choral reading and readers' theatre, are also highlighted, emphasizing the need for practice and choice in reading materials.

1. Ali, PotreP.
Balmocena, April Alice Angelie C.
Ceballos, Ruffie S.
Hingpit, Jessa Mae P.
The Teaching of Readingand Literature
Approaches in Reading focusing Fluency
Fluency in reading
Fluency means reading faster, smoother, more expressively, or more quietly with goal of reading silently.
Fluent reading isreading inwhich words arerecognizedautomatically. Withautomaticword recognition,reading
becomes faster, smoother, and more expressive, and students can begin to read silently, which is roughly twice
as fast as oral reading.
Fluency includes things such as:
1. word recognition which is directly related to words per minute (reading rate)
2. inflection of the voice (expression)
3. phrasing (stopping at periods, pausing at commas, etc.)
4. My definition for young readers is, “Fluency is when you sound like you’re talking instead of reading.”
Best methods to use in the classroom to help students become fluent depend on whether the student is just
beginning to read, has learned to read and is making adequate progress, or is struggling.
Two general approaches to improving fluency
1. The direct approach-involves modeling and practice with repeated reading under time pressure.
A. Model fluent reading
By listening to good models of fluent reading, students learn how a reader's voice can help written text
make sense
B. Repeated readings
After you model how to read the text, you must have the students reread it. Have other adults read aloud to
students. Encourage parents or other family members to read aloud to their children at home. The more models
of fluent reading the children hear, the better.
Repeated reading worksbest with readerswho arefull alphabetic, i.e., who know how to decode some words.
Use a passage of 100 words or so at the instructional level. The text should be decodable, not predictable. The
reader might select a favorite from among familiar books.
Research over the past two decades has identified repeated reading as the key strategy for improving
students' fluency skills (NICHD, 2000). Repeated reading has two essential elements: 1) Giving students the
opportunity to read and then re-read the same text and 2) having students practice their reading orally with an
opportunity to receive corrections and guidance (if necessary).

2. 2. The indirect approach involves encouraging children to read voluntarily in their free time.
A. Voluntary reading
Sustained silent reading (SSR, a.k.a. DEAR, "drop everything and read") gives children a daily opportunity
to read and discover the pleasure of reading. Each student chooses a book or magazine, and the entire class
reads for a set period of time each day.
Tierney, Readence, and Dishner, in Reading Strategies and Practices (Allyn & Bacon, 1990, pp. 461-462) list three
"cardinal rules" for SSR:
1. Everybody reads. Both students and teacher will read something of their own choosing. Any text that
keeps the reader interested is acceptable. The teacher reads too. Completing
2. There are to be no interruptions during USSR. The word uninterrupted is an essential part of the
technique. Interruptions result inloss of comprehension and loss of interest by manystudents; therefore,
questions and comments should be held until the silent reading period has concluded.
3. No one will be asked to report what they have read. It is essential that students recognize SSR as a period
of free reading, with the emphasis on reading for enjoyment.
B. Independent Reading
Independent reading is children's reading of text — such as books, magazines, and newspapers —
on their own, with minimal to no assistance from adults. It can consist of reading done in or out of school,
including purely voluntary reading for enjoyment or assigned reading for homework.
Successful independent reading is the end result of a well-executed balanced literacy program. It allows
students the chance to “practice” the strategies they’ve learned through guided reading, shared reading, and
teacher readalouds –the other components of balancedliteracy. Withlevel appropriatematerials,students now
have the skills they need to read on their own. That means they can read confidently and are actually excited
about their ability to read.
Four essential elements of independent reading:
Essential Element #1 – Choice
Children are thrilled when they’re given a choice of what to read. They’re much more motivated. Who wouldn’t
be? However, since students must make a selection that’s on their reading level, teachers need to have an
exceptional classroom library.
Element #2 – Strategies
Before students can become proficient independent readers, they must have the tools they need to be
successful. Inside the toolbox are two basic strategies; decoding strategies and comprehension
strategies. Decoding strategies help children move forward when they stumble upon a word they don’t
know. They know what to do to figure it out.
Element #3 – Time
How do you get to be a proficient(even prolific)reader? Practice,practice,practice! Asall musiciansand athletes
know, practice takes time. That’s why time should be set aside to practice reading as well. Also, by dedicating
long blocks of time to independent reading, students quickly get the idea that reading is important.

3. Element #4 – Goals
Encouragestudents to set reading goalsbut teachersdo need to specifywhat kind of goal. Otherwise,a student’s
goal could be to get to the end of the book. Because there is already a long period of time set aside for
independent reading, the teacher can use this time to conference with the students. Listen to their reading and
see how they apply the strategies. Then help students set a reading goal based on the strategy they need to
strengthen.
Independent Reading Activities
If you’re like most people, after reading a really good book you want to tell someone about it – you want to
share. Why not give students the same opportunity? Here are 5 activities that will engage students in sharing
what they read.
1. Illustrate an important character or event in the story.
2. Create an advertisement to promote the book.
3. Have students pick out words they are unfamiliar with and make a word wall.
4. Make a bookmark that represents the theme or main idea of the book.
5. Write a question to the author or a character in the book.
Activities for students to increase fluency
There are several ways thatyour studentscanpractice orally rereading text, includingstudent-adultreading, choral(or
unison)reading, tape-assistedreading, partnerreading, andreaders' theatre.
Student-adult reading
In student-adultreading, thestudentreads one-on-onewithan adult. The adultcan be you, a parent, a classroomaide, or
a tutor. The adult reads the text first, providing the students with a model of fluent reading. Then the student reads the
same passage to the adult with the adult providingassistanceand encouragement. The studentrereads the passage until
the reading is quite fluent. This shouldtakeapproximately three tofour rereadings.
Choral reading
In choral, or unison, reading, studentsread along as a groupwith you(or another fluent adult reader). Of course, to doso,
studentsmustbe able to see the same text thatyou are reading. They might follow along as youread from a big book, or
they might read from their own copy of the book you are reading. For choral reading, choose a book that is not too long
and that you think is at the independent reading level of most students. Patterned or predictable books are particularly
useful for choral reading, because their repetitiousstyle invites studentstojoin in. Begin by reading the book aloud asyou
model fluent reading.
Tape-assisted reading
Intape-assistedreading, studentsreadalongin their booksasthey hear a fluent reader read thebook onan audiotape. For
tape-assistedreading, you need a book at a student'sindependent reading level and a tape recording of the book read by
a fluent reader at about80-100 wordsper minute. The tape shouldnot have sound effects or music. For the first reading,
the student should follow along with the tape, pointing to each word in her or his book as the reader reads it. Next, the
studentshouldtry to read aloud alongwith the tape. Reading alongwith the tape shouldcontinue untilthe studentis able
to read the book independently, withoutthesupportof the tape.
Partner reading
Inpartner reading, paired studentstaketurnsreadingaloudto each other. Forpartner reading, more fluent readers canbe
paired with less fluent readers. The stronger reader reads a paragraph or page first, providing a model of fluent reading.
Then the less fluent reader reads the sametext aloud. The strongerstudentgives help with word recognitionand provides
feedback andencouragementtotheless fluent partner. Theless fluent partnerrereads thepassageuntilhe or shecanread
it independently. Partnerreading need notbe donewith a moreand less fluent reader.
Readers' theatre
In readers' theatre, studentsrehearse and perform a play for peers or others. They read from scripts thathave been
derived from booksthatare rich in dialogue. Studentsplay characters who speak lines or a narratorwho shares necessary

4. backgroundinformation. Readers'theatre providesreaders with a legitimate reasonto reread text andto practice
fluency.
References:
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/two-methods-developing-fluency
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/independent-reading
http://www.auburn.edu/~murraba/fluency.html
http://www.k12reader.com/independent-reading-the-foundation-of-lifelong-reading/