Fluency

 Fluency

The publication by the National Institute for Literacy titled, What content-area teachers should know about adolescent literacy named fluency as one of the five literacy components. Fluency was described as the, “ability to read text accurately and smoothly with little conscious attention to the mechanics of reading" ( Tovani 11). And that, “Fluent readers read text with appropriate speed, accuracy, proper intonation, and proper expression" ( Tovani 11). However, one of the most interesting notions that this publication offers about fluency is its direct connection to that it has to reading comprehension.

There are many benefits to being a fluent reader. Those who read fluently are often able to complete their work faster and spend much less time decoding the words. This smoother process of reading allows for a deeper understanding of the text, which results in students producing a more sophisticated level of work. The positive outcomes of being able to read fluently are so immense, that it should be a major concern for all teachers to ensure that their students are constantly working toward this goal.

The National Institute for Literacy outlines many ways that teachers can put their students on the path to becoming fluent readers. All of their strategies employed the practice of paring non-fluent readers with fluent one, and giving those non-fluent readers a chance to practice their fluency without the threat of being mocked or judged. Some of the practices included choral reading—reading aloud as a class, paired reading, and offering extended help to students after school. I feel that fluency is a very important aspect of teaching students to be literate and I will be employing the use of these strategies in my classroom.

Works Cited  

Tovani, Cris. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12.  

              Portland: Stenhouse Publishers, 2004. Print.