Reading Fluency

1 Reading Fluency Reading plays a key role in the learning process. It is crucial not only to understand words, but also to understand their meaning; this is referred to as reading fluency. Fluency also refers to the ability to make the link between words, how they sound and what they mean with ease, and the ability to read with the same accuracy that one speaks. A fluent reader is able to recognize words faster, and read accurately, effortlessly and expressively. This paper examines reading fluency in the context of its definition, importance, the assessments used to determine fluency and fluency instructions.

The Definition of Reading Fluency A learner is considered to be fluent in reading when they are able to read words smoothly and proficiently (automacity), and with full comprehension of the text such that they can express themselves efficiently as they read (prosody). Readers who are not yet fluent are able to make out words but may be unable to comprehend their pronunciations, meaning and how to use them in speech. On the other hand, fluent readers demonstrate the ability to read faster, understanding the meaning of words on sight and embedding the appropriate expressions as they read. When a reader attains fluency, they speed up and pause where necessary as they raise and lower their pitch at the right places.

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3 They have the right inflection, rhythm and tone that make their reading captivating to listen to. A fluent reader performs multiple tasks as they read; they recognize the words, understand their meaning, and also enunciate them correctly and expressively. Non-fluent readers spend a lot of time at each of these stages, making their reading slower and unexpressive.

Fluency cannot be achieved without full comprehension of the text and the ability to read expressively.

The Importance of Fluency The role of reading fluency in learning cannot be underestimated. Reading fluency is directly linked to comprehension. Without fluency, reading becomes unenjoyable and deters the effectiveness of the learning process. The importance of fluency in reading can be explained through the automaticity theory; according to this theory, people's mental energy is limited. A reader who has to spend too much time decoding the pronunciation and meaning of a word has too little energy left to comprehend the text. This impacts their ability to recall what they read or interpret its meaning accurately. Therefore, the task of reading becomes complicated and unpleasant.

Reading fluency is important because fluent readers need to successfully decode what they are reading, which has a positive impact on their learning process. A child who is fluent in reading will pick up a book and read on their own, without much help from a teacher or instructor (Capellini, & Germano, 2018). It is important to note that fluent reading often translates to fluent writing and a more extensive vocabulary.

Challenges that Arise from Non-Fluent Reading Despite the challenges that a student might encounter in the process of learning to read, it is imperative to continue reading since that is the only way to develop fluency. Students who are

4 non-fluent in reading compared to their peers may shy away from reading because they are slower, less expressive and more prone to mistakes. They may also prefer books that have pictures since they consider books that have mostly text to be more difficult. It is important for teachers to assess each students’ reading fluency and develop a strategy to teach them how to become better at reading, step by step. The less fluent the reader is, the more practice and encouragement they will need.

Fluency Assessments The educator can assess a student’s reading fluency by listening to them reading for around a minute or two, and evaluating their reading proficiency through a scale that has four levels. Level 1 is the lowest level of fluency and level 4 is the highest level. At level 1, the student is considered to be non-fluent. They read slowly, word by word, and lack expressivity. At level 2, the student is still considered non-fluent. They may read two-words at a go, and sometimes three to four words. Where complex words are involved, they may resort to reading a word at a time. Their intonation, pronunciation and comprehension of the words read may be inaccurate (Capellini, & Germano, 2018).

At the third level of fluency, the student is considered to be fluent. They read the text in groups of three to four words at a time, they are able to understand the meaning of most of the words. However, their ability to express themselves may still be low. At the fourth level, the reader is considered to be relatively fluent. Although some imperfections may be present, such as repetitions, mispronunciation and deviations from text, their reading is mostly smooth and easy to comprehend. They read words in larger groups, comprehending the meaning of the words as they go along. The majority of the text is read with the appropriate expressiveness.

5 To make the fluency assessment easier and more effective, the instructor should develop a checklist containing each of the points that are relevant to gauging reading fluency. In addition to using the four levels of fluency method, the instructor can also use the word-correct-perminute (WCPM) approach. This is where the reader reads aloud from an unrehearsed passage for a minute, and the instructor determines their accuracy score. The WCPM score is obtained by finding out how many words the student read in a minute, and subtracting the total number of incorrectly read words from the total number of words. The student’s fluency should improve s they continue to learn to read and take the assessments.

Fluency Instruction The learner’s fluency develops as a result of consistent practice. At the early stages of learning, the student’s reading is slow and labored, but as they continue to practice reading it becomes easier and smoother. Fluency instruction refers to the strategies that the instructor uses to develop the learner’s fluency. The most common fluency instructions include; firstly, instructing the students to read aloud, and recording them or listening keenly to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The second instructional method is asking the children to use a finger or ruler to help them read faster and with less mistakes. However, as reading fluency progresses, the student should be able to read without these aids. The third commonly used strategy is to have the learner read the passage several times until they are able to read it more fluently. The fourth instructional method is to preteach the student the words contained in a passage (Capellini, & Germano, 2018). It becomes easier for the student to read fluently when they understand the meaning of the words. The fifth instructional approach is to motivate the students to learn by using a wider variety of books and materials.

6 Conclusion Reading fluency is an essential part of the learning process because it enables the learner to comprehend what they read more effectively. Achieving reading fluency motivates students to read more while enjoying the process. It is important to note that reading fluency is a teachable skill and is a result of consistent practice. The instructor should encourage the learner to increase their fluency level.

7 References Capellini, S.A., & Germano, G.D. (2018). Fluency and Reading Comprehension in Typical Readers and Dyslexics Readers. Frontiers Media SA