Reading Fluency, Are they ready?

Ask these questions before you begin working on reading fluency.

1. Can they recognize the letters of the alphabet and know the sounds of the consonants and short vowels?
2. Can they put together common 3 letter words that use short vowel sounds?
3. Do they know that words in sentences are read from left to right?
4. Are they able to read 9 out of every 10 words of the first pre-primers you are using?

What do I do if they aren’t ready?

  Check out the other posts on Steps 1, 2,3 of beginning to read.

Reading Fluency, even further

 Now that you have begun to get reading and are starting to move beyond the simple words, it is time to move to the next level.  This would be books at the first grade level and above.

Begin by teaching the consonant blends. Sl, ch, th, wh, pl, bl,  etc.

1. Work to create words using these consonant blends. 
2. Do not teach more than 3-5 at a time until they are all learned.  A good complete list is located at www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/clusters.htm . I have a short list below.
3. Be sure to point these out in reading by having them look for them before reading a page.

 

Reading Time steps: 

1. They read 1 page.
2. They talk about what they read.
3. If they are not reading fluently with expression, then you read, otherwise, they  read again.
4. If you read, then they read again after you.

Remember that you are only doing 2-3 pages a day now.

 

Important notes:

1. Don’t forget, you still do not allow them to guess.
2. If sight word, give them to count of 3 in head to get it, then tell them.
3. If a word that is to be sounded out, prompt them with, “What is the first sound?” before telling them the word by slowly sounding it out for them. Still do not allow them to guess.

 

Older kids

•  Only work on this for no more than a ½ hour per day.
• Focus on you reading to them or them listening to audio books for their basic academics. 
• The reading will get there, and they need to practice reading skills at the lower level to build fluency. 
• Discuss this with them and have them help choose those lower level books so that they are interested.

 

Sounds to teach and order-

Consonant Digraphs- ch, sh, wh, th, ph

 

Consonant blends- bl, cl, fl, pl, sl, spl, sc, sk, sm, st, str, sw, tw, br,dr,gr,cr,fr, tr, spr

 

Introducing Syllables

To teach them to break words into syllables to read them more easily try:

• Placing hand under chin and feeling it move up and down and count syllables with words they are learning.
• Write words for them to read that are separated into syllables.                            air  plane    turbo tax  care ful

 Use your library and the leveled readers section.

If you can, choose a series from the library and stick with it.  They each vary a little in how they level them and moving back and forth through them can feel strange.

 

 

 

 

Reading Fluency, Taking that next step

In this stage, words will become harder, it will take longer to learn new words and you will need to continue the use of index cards.

When you get past the first level of readers, and moveto the second level of readers from the library, there will be a need for a change in approach.

 

• Check the book to see if your child will be able to read approximately 9 out of every 10 words .  If so this is an appropriate book. If you are unsure, let them read a sentence or two for you to check.
• If the book passes the test, take the words they are unable to read and create flash cards with these words.  Practice these words.  
• Do not begin the book until they recognize these words with automaticity. 

 

Continue daily reading practice with last book until these words are learned.  Don’t be discouraged, they begin to take longer to learn the words as the number of words in their vocabulary grows.

 

Procedure at this stage:

1.  They read.
2.  They talk about what they read, encourage them to use their words, not the books.
3. You read.
4. They read again.

 Continue using the index card to keep their place.

 

In this stage, you will want to continue

 to begin each day with a review of

• any recently added sight words.

• Using short vowel sounds to create 3 letter words

• The lesson should still not take more than 30 min a day and do not read more than 2-3 pagesa day at this level.

Reading Fluency from the beginning

 

Sometimes patience is key in the first step of making sure they are ready.  Make sure they are definitely ready. Now that you have gotten the basic skills needed to begin working on fluency with reading.  Let’s get started.     

  

The first Book

 

First,  Make sure they are taught all of the sight word vocabulary for that book.  (if they don’t know, place on flash cards to learn)

Start with a book that does not have more than 2-3 lines on each page and 1 line to start is just fine.  Check with your local librarian for help in chosing books.  There are many different series that are leveled, they can direct you to them.

   If working with older student, collect a variety of books from the library, you will want to find a high interest area.   Once you have found the right books you will want to begin.

 

 Let them work to read the book, as they have already practiced all the words until they know them automatically with flash cards.  This should be doable. Here is the process:

 

1.   Learn the words with flashcards to the entire book.
2.    Look through the pages of the book, discuss the pictures.
3.   Begin reading. 
4.  They read page 1 once.
5.  You read page 1 slowly once with excitement and meaning.
6.  Then they read it attempting to mock reading it with meaning like you, they should point to each word as they read.
7.  Discuss what they have read, checking for comprehension. 

 The books will begin to have more than 3 lines. When they do, do the following:

 

1. Use a blank index card to cover all the lines below the first line that are not being read.  Student should see one line at a time.
2. If they are unable to recall a word, count in your head slowly, 1,2,3 and then say the word for them.  Do not allow them to guess. Interrupt and give the word if they are attempting to sound out a sight word.  They are not meant to be sounded out.

Once they have read the page and you have moved the index card down the page, now have them slide the index card down as you read slowly with meaning as before.

 

1. Have them read it aloud  with meaning and expression. Remember to give them words that they are unable to recall, not allowing them to guess.
2. Discuss what happened on the page, checking for comprehension
3. If there are words that are repeatedly missed, remember to practice these with flashcards daily prior to reading until they are learned. 
4. You should not spend more than ½ an hour on this each day but at least 15 minutes. 
5. You should read at least 2-3 pages at the preprimer level in each setting.
6. Don’t forget to give lots of praise and recognition for accomplishments.