Fluency Module Oregon Reading First Regional Coaches’ Meetings February 19 and 21, 2008

Fluency ModuleFluency Module

Oregon Reading First

Regional Coaches’ Meetings

February 19 and 21, 2008

Parts of today’s presentation is based upon an earlier presentation by:

Sarah Mc Donagh

Western Regional Reading First Technical Assistance Center

ObjectivesObjectives

1. Identify the Components of Reading Fluency.

2. Determine how to assess automaticity and fluency development and establish the need for fluency building.

3. Plan for automaticity and fluency instruction in the classroom

1. Produces letter-sound correspondences (1 per second) Begins in kindergarten and is a goal in grade1.– Example: Given a set of letters, the student can

produce the associated sound within 1 second.

2. Reads sight words automatically. (Grades 1 and 2) – Example: Given a set of irregular words in a set or in

a passage, can identify words in 1 second or less.

3. Reads connected text fluently – Example: See DIBELS progressive benchmarks.

What Skills Does Fluency Include?What Skills Does Fluency Include?

• Accurate and efficient skills in:– Letter-sound correspondences (alphabetic

understanding)

– Blending sounds to form words (alphabetic principle)

– Word identification (regular and irregular)

– Word knowledge or vocabulary

– Comprehension monitoring

What Skills Does Fluency Include?What Skills Does Fluency Include?

Examine Student Booklets for Patterns

• How well does the child perform the skill? – Accuracy

– Fluency

• General performance patterns: Not Accurate: student makes many letter-sound/nonsense word

reading errors or is prompted by the examiner to move on to additional items.

Accurate but Slow: student reads letter-sounds/nonsense words with over 90% accuracy; however, many hesitations, repetitions and slow pace.

Fast but Not Accurate: student is fast but makes many letter-sound/nonsense word reading substitution errors.

Fluent Reading: student reads letter-sound/nonsense words with good speed and accuracy.

Assessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWFAssessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWF

• What is Frank’s knowledge of the alphabetic principle? – Inconsistent on letter-sounds– Does not blend any sounds

together • How accurately can Frank

perform the skill? – 70% accuracy

• Readiness for automaticity instruction?– Focus on accuracy

instruction– Develop automaticity with

known letter-sounds• Instructional implication?

– He is in need of intensive intervention to meet the end of year goal of being a reader.

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Assessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWFAssessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWFFrankFrank

• What is Tanya’s knowledge of the alphabetic principle?

– Accurately produces all letter sounds

– Consistently blends sounds together to read the word

• How accurately can Tanya perform the skill?

– 100% accuracy• Readiness for automaticity

instruction?– Not required at the letter-sound

level– Develop automaticity with known

words: regular and irregular– Provide opportunities for

connected text reading• Instructional implication?

– Has met mid year benchmark.– Move to instruction on connected

text reading.

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Assessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWFAssessing Automaticity: DIBELS NWFTanyaTanya

Examine Student Booklets for Patterns

• How well does the child perform the skill? – Accuracy

– Fluency

• General reading patterns: Not Accurate: student makes many word reading errors or is

provided words after the 3-second wait. Accurate but Slow: student reads words with over 90%

accuracy; however, many hesitations and repetitions. Fast but Not Accurate: student is fast but makes many word

reading or word substitution errors. Fluent Reading: student reads with good speed and accuracy.

Assessing Fluency: DIBELS ORFAssessing Fluency: DIBELS ORF

• How well is Terry reading?– Accurate but slow

• How accurately can he perform the skill?– 92%!

• Readiness for fluency instruction?– Fluency building and

sight word instruction may be appropriate

Assessing Fluency: DIBELS ORF Assessing Fluency: DIBELS ORF TerryTerry

Beginning of Second Grade

• How well is Dan reading?– Making many word reading errors.– Reads at a slow pace.

• How accurately can he perform the skill? 70%

• How easily can he perform the skill?– Labored approach

• Readiness for fluency instruction?– Intensive instruction in decoding,

irregular word reading, and advanced word reading.

– Check alphabetic principle skills with NWF and the Phonics Screener data. Automaticity instruction may be appropriate.

Assessing Fluency: DIBELS ORF Assessing Fluency: DIBELS ORF DanDan

Beginning of Second Grade

Application ActivityApplication ActivityUsing Your Data to Plan for InstructionUsing Your Data to Plan for Instruction

• Examine the Fall DIBELS benchmark booklets for each of your students. Complete the following steps for each student probe on the provided worksheet:

1. Select probe to examine for whole class (NWF or ORF)2. Identify error patterns: specific sounds (e.g., stop vs.

continuous), substitutions, omission, hesitations, vowels, word types, sight words, decoding strategies etc.

3. Calculate fluency score and accuracy score.4. Determine instructional implication

• Is the score in the Low Risk, Some Risk or At Risk range?• Is the performance: Not Accurate, Accurate but Slow, Fast but Not

Accurate, or Fluent • Determine whether automaticity/fluency instruction is appropriate

General Performance Pattern and Instructional Recommendations based on Nonsense Word Fluency Assessment (list students in appropriate column -- only list students once!)

Sound by Sound

Not Accurate

Sound by Sound

Accurate

Sound by Sound with Recoding

Not Accurate

Sound by Sound with Recoding

Accurate

Whole Word Reading

Not Accurate

Whole Word Reading

Accurate

List Student Names

Description of NWF Performance

Student makes many letter-sound errors (less than 90% accuracy) or is prompted by the examiner to move on to the next letter sound.

Student reads sound by sound and has minimal sound errors (over 90% accuracy).

Student reads letter-sounds and then reads nonsense words with many letter-sound or blending substitution errors (less than 90% accuracy).

Student reads letter-sounds and then reads nonsense words with over 90% accuracy. May also have hesitations, repetitions and slow pace.

Student reads whole nonsense words with good speed but makes many letter-sound or blending substitution errors (less than 90% accuracy).

Student reads whole nonsense words with good speed and accuracy (more than 90% accuracy).

Instructional Implications

Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level.

Identify known and unknown letter-sound combinations.

Focus on blending fluency practice at the word level.

Instruction in “reading words the fast way”.

Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level and then accuracy instruction at the blending level.

Focus on blending fluency practice at the word level.

Instruction in “reading words the fast way”.

Focus on accuracy instruction at the letter-sound level and then accuracy instruction at the blending level.

Focus instruction on accuracy and fluency in connected text.

Example Activities

Continued Phonics Instruction in Reading Program

Fluency with known sounds:

*1-Minute Dash *Rapid Read Sounds

Blending practice in reading words accurately “the fast way”.

*No Peeps Fluency with

known words. *5 x 5 Matrix *Rapid Read Words *Paired Peer Practice


First, Fluency with known sounds:

*1-Minute Dash *Rapid Read Sounds Then, blending

practice in reading words accurately “the fast way”.

*No Peeps

Blending practice in reading words accurately “the fast way”.

*No Peeps Fluency with

known words. *5 x 5 Matrix *Rapid Read Words *Paired Peer Practice


First, Fluency with known sounds:

*1-Minute Dash *Rapid Read Sounds Then, Fluency in

reading words accurately “the fast way”.

*No Peeps

Fluency building activities in connected text.

*Repeated Reading Strategies *Partner Reading Strategies

Effective fluency building instruction involves three critical factors:1. Selecting appropriate instructional tasks (i.e.,

letter sounds or words students can produce accurately but not fluently).

2. Scheduling sufficient practice (brief, multiple opportunities per day).

3. Systematically increasing the rate of response (developing individual goals such as 20 wpm, 30, 40, etc).

Plan for Fluency InstructionPlan for Fluency Instruction

1. Regular practice at the skill (e.g., multiple times a

day/week) with short time intervals (15-30 minutes)

2. Corrective feedback from teacher/instructor

3. Ambitious goal setting

- A final response rate of 1.5 sounds/words per second is considered an

adequate minimum response time enabling transfer to reading

comprehension (Levy, B. A., Abello, B., & Lysynchuk, L., 1997)

4. Motivation (i.e., graphing/charting of learner

performance)

5. Modifying instructional materials as student

performance warrants

Critical Elements in Automaticity Critical Elements in Automaticity & Fluency with the Code& Fluency with the Code

Lesson Design ConsiderationsLesson Design Considerations• Include multiple examples of each letter sound/word in

the practice set.

• Provide two to three short practice opportunities per day.

• Decrease the amount of time per response (3 - 2 – 1 second). Students should be able to respond to each letter-sound/word within one second.

• Remove letter-sounds/words students identified accurately and automatically for 2 consecutive weeks.

• Review errors from previous lessons and provide continued practice with sounds/words students find difficult.

Fluency ActivitiesFluency Activities

Letter-Sound AutomaticityLetter-Sound Automaticity

Letter-Sound Automaticity Example:Letter-Sound Automaticity Example:The 1 Minute DashThe 1 Minute Dash

1. Identify a set of letter sounds students can correctly identify. 2. Include multiple cards of each letter in the set. 3. Set a goal (i.e., 30 letter sounds correct). 4. Do a 1-minute small-group practice. Position cards so all can see.

5. Start the stop watch. 6. Present the first letter sound card so that all students answer. 7. Provide quick corrective feedback on errors. 8. Continue presenting letters. 9. Letter-sounds correctly identified go in one pile. 10. Place errors in a second pile. 11. At the end of 1 minute, tally the number of letter sounds correct. 12. Review errors and repeat activity for 1 more minute.

Letter-Sound Automaticity Example: Letter-Sound Automaticity Example: ERI Sound Dash ActivityERI Sound Dash Activity

1. Identify a set of letter sounds students can correctly identify.

2. Create a grid of sounds (see Rapid Reading Chart).

3. Do a 1-minute small-group practice.

4. Start the stop watch.

5. Have the students identify letter sounds going across the chart.

6. Provide quick corrective feedback on errors. After corrective feedback, go back to the start of the chart and begin again.

7. At the end of 1 minute, tally the number of letter sounds the group correctly identified (how far did they get down the chart of sounds).

8. Repeat the activity with the goal of getting further down the chart!

Letter-Sound Automaticity Example: Letter-Sound Automaticity Example: Rapid Reading Sounds ChartRapid Reading Sounds Chart

1. Identify a set of letter sounds students can correctly identify.

2. Create a grid of sounds (see Rapid Reading Chart).

3. Do a 1-minute partner practice (individuals respond to a partner).

4. Start the stop watch.

5. Have one of the students identify letter sounds going across the grid.

6. Partners can provide quick corrective feedback on errors.

7. At the end of 1 minute, tally the number of letter sounds the individual correctly identified.

8. Repeat for the other partner.

9. Repeat the activity with the goal of getting further down the chart!

Rapid Reading ChartRead the sounds on the chart. If you finish, start back up at the start and read the chart again unil the timer says stop.

a i qu a ck i

qu a ck i i a

ck i i a a qu

i a a qu i ck

a ck a i qu i

i qu i ck a a

Mark the last sound you read. How many sounds did you read? __________

Blending AutomaticityBlending Automaticity

Blending Automaticity Example: Blending Automaticity Example: Blending Routine/Template CardsBlending Routine/Template Cards

Examples:

• Enhancement Templates:– Card 8, Card 9, Card 10

• Core Program Blending Routines

No Peeps Teaching 1. Model “ You are going to learn how to sound out these words without saying the sounds out loud. Watch my mouth. I ’ll say the sounds to myself. then I ’ll say the word out loud.” Teacher mouths the sounds and then says the word out loud. “ What word- man” 2. Instructions “ You turn. When I point to the letters, sound out this word without making a peep.” 3. Focus and think time Point next to the word and check to see if students are looking. 4. Verbal cue “ Get Ready “ 5. Pause 2 seconds 6. Single Loop under the first letter and hold for 1 1/2 sec., then loop under the next letter and hold

for 1 1/2 sec.

7. What word? 8. Encourage “All right, you sounded out, ----------“

Blending Blending Automaticity Automaticity

Example:Example:

No PeepsNo Peeps

Word Reading AutomaticityWord Reading Automaticity

Word Reading Automaticity Word Reading Automaticity ExamplesExamples

1. Paired peer practice. Pair a higher performer with a child who needs fluency practice. Use similar procedures as in 1-Minute Dash. Each child may use his/her set of known but not fluent words.

2. Word recognition grid. Prepare a 5x5 grid of 5 words. One word per row randomly ordered. Include a short review of words. Then, do a timed recall of the words.

Word Reading Automaticity Example:Word Reading Automaticity Example:5 x 5 Grid5 x 5 Grid

• Select a set 5 words students can accurately identify• Guidelines for selecting words to practice:

– Select high-priority and high-utility words– Select words students are able to identify accurately – Separate highly similar examples

• very/every• there/where/here

• Make page with 5 X 5 matrix:• Do a 1-minute small-group practice. Position paper so all can

see.

Word Reading Automaticity Example: Word Reading Automaticity Example: 5 x 5 Grid5 x 5 Grid

• Name the words

• This word is “our”. What word? (pause, tap) ____Yes, “our”.

• This word is “there”. What word? (pause, tap) Yes, “there”

• Repeat for each word in the row.

• Activity Directions

• I am going to time us for one-minute. If we make a mistake, we will have to go back to the beginning of the row. Answer together when I tap the word. If we don’t answer together, we will go back to the beginning of the row.

• Let’s see how far we can get!

• Activity

• Start timer. What word? pause, tap What word? pause, tap etc…eventually, you can omit “what word” and simply tap. Stop at 1 minute.

• Correction procedure:

• “That word is ____. What word? ____yes, ____. Let’s go back.”

the a to you he

a he you to the

to you he the a

you the a he you

he to the a he

Word Reading Automaticity Example: Word Reading Automaticity Example: 5 x 5 Grid5 x 5 Grid

(Modification of Region XIII Texas Educational Service Center)

Rapid Reading ChartRead the words on the chart. If you finish, start back up at the start and read the chart again unil the timer says stop.

tan tack Mack cab can pass

Mack cab can tack pass tan

can pass tack tan cab Mack

tack tan cab Mack pass can

cab can tan pass Mack tack

pass Mack tack can tan cab

Mark the last word you read. How many words did you read? __________

Word Reading Automaticity Word Reading Automaticity ExamplesExamples

Don’t forget to use activities from the Florida Center for Reading Research Website at:

www.fcrr.org

• FCRR, Fluency F.016

Connected Text Connected Text AutomaticityAutomaticity

• For fluency instruction to be appropriate, the student must be able to complete the skill with a high level of accuracy (>90%)

– Before focusing on TEXT fluency, ensure that the student has adequate accuracy of the skill (e.g., knows majority of words, text consists of words known to the child).

• Not a replacement for beginning reading instruction. • Not intended to constitute the reading curriculum.• A short duration, frequently scheduled procedure to

increase oral reading fluency.

Connected Text Automaticity Connected Text Automaticity Instruction Reminders!!Instruction Reminders!!

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Planning GuidelinesPlanning Guidelines

• Select passages students can read with 90-95% accuracy.

• Schedule repeated opportunities for students to hear models of fluent reading and/or practice the passage.

• Set goals for students to improve their fluency.

• Aim to reduce the time and number of errors.

• Incorporate reading with expression once students reach 60 words correct per minute on grade level passages.

• Identify starting words correct per minute (e.g., 30 wcpm minute).

• Identify end of year grade level target (e.g., 90 wcpm)

• Subtract current wcpm from target & determine whether this is a realistic target (i.e., 60 wcpm is highly ambitious).

• Set goal and define weekly learning targets (i.e., amount of growth/number of instructional weeks).

• Monitor progress over time.

Connected Text AutomaticityConnected Text Automaticity:Set Ambitious GoalsSet Ambitious Goals

1. Fixed-timed readings (1 minute) in which student reads the same text repeatedly (e.g., 3 times).

2. Fixed-passage readings (e.g., 100 words) in which student calculates the time it takes to read the same 100 words on successive trials.

3. Tape-recorded repeated readings.

4. Peer preview.

5. Partner reading.

(modifed from Hasbrouck, 1998)

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Repeated Reading ExamplesRepeated Reading Examples

Connected Text Automaticity: Connected Text Automaticity: Previewing StrategiesPreviewing Strategies

• Preteach words that are difficult to read and understand: – Identify words that will be barriers to

student independent reading (e.g., content, vocabulary, etc.)

– Teach difficult words prior to reading within text

– Irregular words

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Previewing StrategiesPreviewing Strategies

• Previewing text increases the likelihood of students reading with good accuracy and rate

• Preview text and prime background knowledge– Teach students to preview text and make predictions

about the text before reading • Teacher should model strategies by doing a “think aloud”

procedure (“Look at the title, pictures, …”)

– After preview, teach students to think about what they already know about the topic and what more they would like to learn• Teacher should provide a model of effective strategies for

prediction (“I think this story will be about…”

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Repeated Choral ReadingRepeated Choral Reading

The 3-Step Process:1. Teacher Reads2. Teacher and

Students Read Together

3. Students Read

Adapted from: http://www.texasreading.org/tcrla/publications/publications.htm

Repeated Choral Reading:Repeated Choral Reading:Expanded StepsExpanded Steps

• Teacher reads: Read the passage, modeling good fluency and expression and running your finger underneath the words. The students follow along as the teacher reads.– Keep a steady pace – Chunk the material– Teacher can strategically pause to ensure all are actively reading along

• Students and teacher read: After hearing the teacher read, the students read the passage with the teacher running finger smoothly under the words being read.– Teacher monitors to correct errors and provide feedback

• Students read: The students read the passage with the teacher monitoring and providing feedback.– Correcting errors– Modeling/Monitoring comprehension by pausing to ask questions or

making predictionsAdapted from: http://www.texasreading.org/tcrla/publications/publications.htm

Connected Text AutomaticityConnected Text AutomaticityIndividual Strategy: Repeated ReadingIndividual Strategy: Repeated Reading

• For individual students needing to increase reading fluency use the following steps:

1. Identify short reading passages (approx. 150 words) students can read with >90% accuracy

2. Have student read for 1-minutes as quickly and accurately as possible and determine words correct per minute (cold reading)

3. Identify and mark a target rate approximately 30% faster than cold reading

4. Have student independently reread passage with timer until they obtain target rate

5. Teacher repeats step 2 to determine if goal was determined6. Graph progress

(Adapted from Howell & Nolet, 2001)

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity: Repeated Reading Steps ExampleRepeated Reading Steps Example

1. Identify passages student can read with high accuracy

2. Collect cold reading cwpm

3. Determine 30% increase wpm and mark

4. Student practices reading out loud with timer to reach goal

5. Teacher does hot timing again

6. Monitor and graph progress

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Partner ReadingPartner Reading

• There are a variety of strategies/programs available:– Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT)– Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)– Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT)

• Each program has similar components


• Can be incorporated within the regular part of the reading program

• Complete 2-5 times a week• Careful selection of reading materials• Students must be trained on steps of approach• Performance pairing of students• Progress monitor all students to adjust pairing as

necessary

It is not necessary for the highest skilled readers to work with the students of greatest need. When pairing students consider the following:

• Rank order students according to reading fluency. • Split the rank ordered list into the top and bottom halves. • Pair the top ranked student in the upper half with the top ranked

student in the lower half (i.e., #1 with # 13 if class has 26 students). See Teacher Reports!

• Adjust pairings according to “personality” issues.• Maintain pairs approximately 4 weeks.

(Modified from Hasbrouck, 1998)


Guidelines for Pairing StudentsGuidelines for Pairing Students

1. Teacher needs to select appropriate reading material for each student.

2. Teacher needs to model steps of partner reading.3. The higher performing reader reads first as a

model.4. Both students should have an opportunity to lead

the reading (coaches and players)5. Teacher should monitor the group in the activity

and reinforce for appropriate behavior.6. At the end of the activity, have both students

summarize what they just read (e.g., retell, main ideas, characters, etc.).

7. Periodic progress monitoring to ensure progress and to readjust pairs.

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Partner ReadingPartner Reading GuidelinesGuidelines

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Whole Class Partner Reading ExampleWhole Class Partner Reading Example

1. Prepare Motivational Chart (on large poster board, or tag board, write all of the students’ names down the left side of the board) and place on the classroom wall (clearly visible).

2. Explain to the students that the focus is on accuracy!! The student goal is to read their selection (a re-read of familiar text that they have already read in their small reading group) without making any errors (or with fewer than 3 errors per 100 words -- 97% accuracy).

3. The students whisper read independently, or with a partner, their familiar text (partners need to be pre-determined by the teacher and stay the same for 4-6 weeks).


4. The teacher moves around the classroom listening to individual students read their selection (one page if there is enough text or the entire book if there is minimal text).

5. If the student reads with 100% accuracy (or less than 3 errors per 100 words if the text is large), the teacher puts a star, sticker, etc. next to their name on the motivational chart.

6. If the student reads with errors, the teacher immediately uses error correction (my turn...your turn...), the student finishes the page/story, and the teacher encourages continued practice and makes sure to come back to that student in the next day or two to check for accuracy again.


7. Work on the accuracy goal until ALL students understand that this is the #1 expectation for reading!

8. When students are ready, switch to expression and rate fluency practice (AND keep the goal of 100% accurate reading). As the teacher moves around the classroom, they will time individual students for 30 seconds to one minute (depending on the length of the text). Count # of words read correctly. If the student read without making errors, record the number of words read next to their name on the motivation chart (the motivation is to read more words each time).

Connected Text Automaticity:Connected Text Automaticity:Slide and GlideSlide and Glide

• Slide and Glide: Tell the students to move their finger under the words in a sentence until they get to the chosen word. Have them put their thumbs up when they get there. The students are not expected to read the words, just quickly skim to find the word the teacher has chosen. Once they have this skill have them slide and glide to a word on the next line. This will help the students who are having difficulty tracking.

• Teacher Accelerated Reading: The teacher reads at a VERY accelerated pace, while the students follow along (slide & glide). The teacher stops occasionally and the students give the next word as a unison response (Cloze reading). This can also be done individually with a student who may be having difficulty tracking with the teacher while in the group.

• Alternate Readers: Read the passage again. Have students slide and glide. Teacher reads a sentence, a student reads a sentence, teacher reads a sentence, a different student reads a sentence.

Expression PracticeExpression Practice• Incorporate reading with expression once students reach

60 words correct per minute on grade level passages.• Don’t forget to use activities from the Florida Center for

Reading Research Website at:

www.fcrr.org

Expression -- Chunked TextFCRR, Fluency, F.019

Expression -- PhrasesFCRR, Fluency, F.013

FCRR, Fluency, F.014

FCRR, Fluency, F.015

How Will I Use this Information In How Will I Use this Information In My Classroom next week?My Classroom next week?

Which strategy or approach will I use?

Which students will I use the strategy with?

How will it benefit the students?

What are possible roadblocks and steps I need to take to make it happen (i.e. materials, scheduling, etc.)?

Documents

Fluency Module Oregon Reading First Regional Coaches’ Meetings February 19 and 21, 2008