For part four of our “Tuesday Tidbit” structured literacy series, we’ll discuss effective (and easy to implement) fluency activities for older readers.

‍

Fluency is a critical component of reading success, especially for older striving readers who may struggle with the mechanics of reading. Developing fluency involves more than just reading quickly—it’s about reading with accuracy, expression, and understanding. Here are some effective strategies to help build fluency in older readers, focusing on prosody, repeated reading, and accuracy.

‍

1. Interactive Oral Reading with Challenge Words

One of the most engaging ways to build fluency is through interactive oral reading. This strategy is particularly useful when dealing with challenge words—those tricky words that students might not be able to decode on their own. Instead of letting them struggle, adopt a “we do” approach. As the teacher or facilitator, read the challenge words aloud when they appear in the text. This collaborative effort helps students learn without the frustration of getting stuck, maintaining the flow of reading and reinforcing the pronunciation of difficult words.

‍

2. Repeated Reading: Building Momentum

Repeated reading is a proven method for enhancing fluency. The key here is to use decodable texts—those that match the students' current reading level and phonics knowledge. Here’s how it works:

• First Read: The student reads the text out loud while the teacher or facilitator provides guidance on accuracy.‍
• Silent Read: The student then reads the text silently, internalizing the words and their meanings.‍
• Second Read Aloud: This time, the student reads aloud again, with a focus on expression and emotion, building momentum and confidence with each repetition.

The process of reading the same text multiple times allows students to become more familiar with the words, improving their speed, accuracy, and overall fluency.

‍

3. Fluency for Prosody: Reading with Expression

Prosody—reading with appropriate expression, pitch, and rhythm—is a vital aspect of fluency that enhances comprehension and engagement. Here are some strategies to develop prosody in older readers:

• Modeling: The teacher performs a dramatic reading of the text, demonstrating how pitch, timing, and emphasis can bring the words to life.‍
• Peer Reading: Students pair up and read the text to each other, focusing on mirroring the modeled expression.‍
• Reader’s Theater: This involves reading a chapter of the text as if performing a play. Students take on different characters, switching tones and expressions to match the dialogue.‍
• Punctuation Pre-Read: Before diving into the text, students review the punctuation marks, then read the sentences with the appropriate pauses and intonations in mind.

4. Repeated Reading Procedure for Mastery

This procedure takes repeated reading a step further, with a clear focus on accuracy and expression:

• Teacher Read Aloud: The teacher reads the text out loud while the student tracks along silently, getting a feel for the flow and rhythm.‍
• Silent Reading: The student reads the text silently, reinforcing their understanding.‍
• First Out Loud Read: The student reads the text aloud with an emphasis on getting the words right.‍
• Second Out Loud Read: This time, the student focuses on reading with emotion, bringing the text to life with their voice.

5. Focusing on Accuracy: Scoop and Mark-Up

For students who need to improve their accuracy, these strategies are invaluable:

• Scoop the Text: The student breaks the text into meaningful phrases, or "scoops," and reads them aloud. This helps with understanding the structure and flow of sentences.‍
• Text Mark-Up: Both the teacher and student mark up the text, identifying syllables, phonemes, and phonograms. This visual aid helps students decode words more efficiently.‍
• Reading the Marked-Up Text: Once the text is marked, the student reads it aloud, using the visual cues to guide their pronunciation and understanding.

These fluency-building activities are designed to support older striving readers as they work towards becoming confident, expressive, and accurate readers. For more tips on how to measure fluency, we recommend this article. By focusing on interactive reading, repeated practice, and the nuances of prosody and accuracy, these strategies provide a solid foundation for literacy development in older students.

‍

Tune in next week for Part 5: Prompts for Written Expression. Don’t forget to check out Parts 1, 2, and 3 of our structured literacyTuesday Tidbit series!