Title: Fluency
1Fluency
- Amy Murdoch, Ph.D.
- Educational Consultant
- Southwestern Ohio SERRC
- June 12, 2007
2Agenda
- Introductions
- What is Fluency?
- Why is it important?
- How do I teach it across the tiers?
- How do I assess it?
- Resources
3The Science of Reading
- Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science (Moats, 1999)
- MOST READING FAILURE IS PREVENTABLE. The
evidence suggests that if we employ best
practices, very few children will experience
reading failure (Moats, 2003) - Teaching reading is a job for an expert.
- The majority of teachers underestimate the depth
of preparation and practice needed
4The Science of Reading
5References
- Adams, M.J. (1990). Beginning to read Thinking
and learning about print. - McCardle, P. (2004). The voice of evidence in
reading research. Baltimore, MD Brookes. - National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children
to read An evidence-based assessment of the
scientific research literature on reading and its
implications for reading instruction.
Washington, DC National Institute of Child
Health and Human Development. - National Research Council (1998). Preventing
reading difficulties in young children,
(Committee on the Prevention of Reading
Difficulties in Young Children C.E. Snow, M.S.
Burns, and P. Griffin, Eds.) Washington, DC
National Academy Press. - Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming dyslexia A
new and complete science-based program for
reading problems at any level. New York, NY
Alfred A. Knopf.
6A Great Place to Start
- www.nationalreadingpanel.org
- One of the more recent and most rigorous reviews
of the research. - Reflects 30 years of government funded and
privately funded research, tens of thousands of
subjects, and hundreds of scientist of various
disciplines have worked to produce hundreds of
well designed studies, the results of which have
converged on major findings that are well
accepted by reading scholars (Moats, 2003 p. 110
7Beginning Reading Core Components-- 5 Big Ideas
- 1. Phonemic Awareness The ability to hear and
manipulate sound in words. - 2. The Alphabetic Principle (phonics and
decoding) The ability to associate sounds with
letters and use these sounds to read words. - 3. Fluency The effortless, automatic ability
to read words in isolation (orthographic reading)
and connected text. - 4. Vocabulary Development The ability to
understand (receptive) and use (expressive) words
to acquire and convey meaning. - 5. Reading Comprehension The complex cognitive
process involving the intentional interaction
between reader and text to extract meaning.
8What Makes a Big Idea a Big Idea?
- A Big Idea is
- Predictive of reading acquisition and later
reading achievement. - Something we can do something about, i.e.,
something we can teach. - Something that improves outcomes for children
if/when we teach it.
9Complex Alphabetic Code
10Changing Emphasis of Big Ideas
11Proficient Reading Depends On
- Phonological awareness.
- Using phonics to decode accurately.
- Recognizing words automatically.
- Knowing what most words mean.
- Constructing meaning connecting the text with
prior knowledge. - Monitoring comprehension and repairing
miscomprehension if necessary.
Slide From Moats, 2003
12Skilled Reading
- . . . skilled readers identify words quickly
with little help from context. It is readers of
lower skill who rely on context to support word
identification.
Rayner, Foorman, Perfetti, Pesetsky,
Seidenberg, Psychological Science in the Public
Interest, 2001
13What is reading fluency?
- Fluent readers can read text with speed,
accuracy, and proper expression. - -NRP
14Definitions
- Automaticity The ability to translate
letters-to-sounds-to-words fluently,
effortlessly. LaBerge and Samuels (1974)
described the fluent reader as "one whose
decoding processes are automatic, requiring no
conscious attention" (e.g., Juel, 1991). Such
capacity then enables readers to allocate their
attention to the comprehension and meaning of the
text. - Fluency The combination of accuracy and fluency.
Fluency in oral reading includes additional
dimensions involving the "quality" of oral
reading including intonation and expression.
Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
15The Concept of Automaticity
- Automatica skill performed without conscious
attention. - Automaticitycapacity for performance without
conscious attention.
16What Fluency with the Code and Connected Text
Looks Like
- Children who are automatic with the code
- 1. Identify letter-sound correspondences
accurately and quickly. - 2. Identify familiar spelling patterns to
increase decoding efficiency. - 3. Apply maximum resources to the difficult task
of blending together isolated phonemes to make
words. - 4. Apply knowledge of the alphabetic code to
identify words in isolation and connected text
fluently.
Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
17Why Should I teach Fluency?
- National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) report on reading ability revealed that
44 of 4th graders had low fluency.
18Some Definitions of Reading Fluency
- the ability to read connected text rapidly,
smoothly, effortlessly, and automatically with
little conscious attention to the mechanics of
reading, such as decoding (Meyer and Felton
1999, p.284) - freedom from word recognition problems that
might hinder comprehension (Literacy Dictionary,
Harris Hodges, 1995, p.85) - efficient, or automatic, identification of words
allows the reader to focus more attention on the
meaning of the passage (Torgesen, 2006)
19Fluency is more than speed
- Fluent readers make their message understood.
They read in phrases, respect the intonation
patterns in syntax, and communicate with the
listener. - Speed must be adequate (minimal), but processing
the meaning during reading and phrasing the text
are more important indicators of fluency.
Slide adapted from LETRS Module 6
20The Goal Is Meaning
- Automaticity is NEVER an end in and of itself!
- Speed is not the goal pleasurable, engaged
reading for meaning is the goal. - Fluency is ONE prerequisite for comprehension
language processing, background knowledge,
strategies are necessary as well.
Slide adapted from LETRS Module 6
21Why is Fluency Important?
22Fluency is . . .
- the bridge between word recognition and
comprehension. - reading with expression--both a requisite and an
outcome of comprehension. - essential so that the readers attention can be
focused on constructing meaning and making
connections among ideas in the text and between
the text and prior knowledge. - Lack of ORF in elementary grades has been linked
to lack of reading proficiency in adolescence and
adulthood (Shaywitz Shaywitz, 1996 Torgesen,
Wagner Rahotte, 1994)
23Importance of Fluency
- Research indicates a strong correlation between
reading fluency and comprehension. Children who
are able to read fluently can focus their
attention on making meaning. (Allington, 1983) - Fluency is the gateway to comprehension.
Because of this it is vital to discover and
monitor childrens reading fluency in the primary
grades.
24Why is Reading Fluency a Big Idea?
- Proven to make a difference in reading
achievement in experimental, controlled studies - Students who receive ORF instruction do better
than those who dont. - Replication of these findings over time, across
settings, and across students.
25How Do I Teach Reading Fluency Across the
Tiers?How Do I assess Reading Fluency Across
the Tiers?
26Ohio Integrated Systems Model for Academic and
Behavior Supports
Academic System
Decisions about tiers of support are data-based
27Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
28Providing Fluency Instruction
- Guided oral reading in small groups is sufficient
for typical children - Struggling readers need more structured,
systematic, explicit emphasis on building both
accuracy and fluency. - According to the NRP no research evidence is
available to confirm that instructional time
spend on silent, independent reading with minimal
feedback improves reading fluency and overall
reading achievement (2001, p.13)
29Providing Fluency Instruction
- Effective fluency building activities include
- Model reading and rereading
- Choral reading
- Paired reading with an adult or student
- Repeated readings
- Reading with tape-recorded selections
- Charting progress
30Fluency Practice with Connected Text
- Fluency develops through a significant amount of
practice reading aloud. - Texts for fluency practice should be at a childs
instructional or independent level. - Texts at a childs frustration level (with less
than 93 accuracy rate) should not be used for
fluency practice. Texts at this level promote
guessing.
31What to Look for in Materials to Build Fluency
- Are passages within the learner's decoding range?
(95 accuracy or higher) - Is there an explicit strategy for teaching
students to transition from accuracy to fluency? - Is there daily opportunity for fluency building?
- Is there overlap in words (i.e., words show up
multiple times in different text)? - Are target rates identified?
Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
32How to Determine Appropriate Level Text
- Select text that students read with 95 accuracy.
- Levels of Challenge
- Independent reading Level 97
- Instructional Level 94-97
- Frustration Level 93 or lower
- For fluency building, materials should be at
instructional level or above. - - Modified from Hasbrouck, 1998
Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
33Assessing Reading FluencyTier 1
- Assessing your curriculum and instructional
practices. - Assessing your students.
34Tools For Analyzing Tier 1 Supports for Reading
Fluency
- Curriculum Maps
- Consumers Guides for Core and Supplemental
Programs - PET
- Your DIBELS Data
35Curriculum Maps
- Phonemic awareness skills can be taught in a
particular sequence that maximizes student
understanding and instructional efficiency.
Phonemic awareness is only taught in kindergarten
and first grade. By the end of first grade,
students should have a firm grasp of phonemic
awareness. - Curriculum maps list specific skills that relate
to each big idea. Each skill can be taught during
at an optimal time during the school year.
Taken from the Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
website http//reading.uoregon.edu
36(No Transcript)
37Consumers Guidehttp//reading.uoregon.edu/append
ices/resources.php
- Consumer's Guide to Evaluating a Core Reading
Program Grades K - 3 A Critical Elements
Analysis.
38Examining Program Content
- The Consumers Guide provides a common metric
for evaluating - Scope of review and prioritization of skills
- Quality and nature of the delivery of instruction
39Examining Scope of Review Prioritization
- The reading programs scope and sequence should
provide evidence of breadth and depth of coverage
on essential skills. - High Priority Items in Kindergarten
40High Priority Items Grade 1 Phonics Instruction
41Planning Evaluation Toolhttp//reading.uoregon.
edu/appendices/resources.php
- The Planning and Evaluation Tool (PET) is
designed to help schools take stock of their
strengths and areas of improvement in developing
a schoolwide beginning reading plan. - The items and criteria in the PET represent the
ideal conditions and total to 100 points. - Score should reflect how you are currently doing
as a school in your instructional practices. This
tool is designed to assist in your planning and
implementation.
PET
427 Elements of the PET
- Goals/Objectives/Priorities
- Assessment
- Instructional Programs and Materials
- Instructional Time
- Differentiated Instruction/Grouping/Scheduling
- Administration/Organization/Communication
- Professional Development
43PET-R Sample
44Example RB Programs for Teaching Fluency
- Peer Assisted Learning Strategies
- Read Naturally
- PART
- The Six Minute Solution
45Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) -
Vanderbilt University
- First-Grade PALS is implemented 3-4 times a week
for approximately 35 minutes per session - First-grade PALS emphasizes decoding and reading
fluently.
46Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) -
Vanderbilt University
- Grades 2-6 PALS Reading is implemented 3 times a
week for 35 minutes per session. - In grades 2-6, there are three PALS activities
that promote reading fluency and reading
comprehension - 1) Partner Reading
- 2) Paragraph Shrinking
- 3) Prediction Relay
47Read Naturally
- Leveled stories (from 1.0 to 8.0)
- 24 stories per level
- Focuses primarily on building fluency includes
brief components for vocabulary and comprehension - Student directed with minimal teacher involvement
48Paraprofessional As Reading Tutor (PART) Sopris
West
- Teaches paraprofessionals and parents to become
powerful reading coaches -
- Targets fluency with some comprehension questions
- Requires less than 20 minutes per day
- 1 on 1 tutoring
49Finding Research Based Reading Fluency Programs
- Think about the match with your core, ease of
implementation, cost, research base, skills
targeted - Oregon Reading First http//oregonreadingfirst.u
oregon.edu - Consumer's Guide to Reviewing Core and
Supplemental Programs - Review of many programs
- Florida Center for Reading Research
www.fcrr.org - Reviews a number of programs
- Look at the research base carefully!
50Assessing Your Students
- Adopting a school-wide assessment system.
- Using data to guide instructional decision making.
51A Schoolwide Assessment System
- Reliable and valid indicators of skills highly
associated with early reading success - Provide vital signs of growth and development
- Sensitive to small changes over time
- Simple, quick, cost effective measures that are
easily repeatable for continuous progress
monitoring
52Why DIBELS?
- Research-based (what does this mean?)
- Efficient
- Looks at growth across time, lets you know
quickly if something is or is not working - Relates to our standards and high-stakes tests
- Data-based decision making
- Powerful
53How DIBELS Assesses Reading Fluency
- Middle of First Grade Through Sixth Grade Use of
the ORF measure
54DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (DORF)
55DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (DORF)
- Big Idea
- Benchmark Goal
- Assessment Times
- - Accuracy and fluency reading connected text
- - 40 end of First Grade
- - 90 end of Second Grade
- - 110 end of Third Grade
- - 118 end of Fourth Grade
- - 124 end of Fifth Grade
- - 125 end of Sixth Grade
- - First Grade Winter, spring
- - Second - Sixth Grades Fall, winter, spring
56DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency(DORF)
- Examiner shows reading passage to student.
Student reads the passage. - Score Number of words read correctly in 1 minute.
57Materials
- Benchmark or progress monitoring booklet
- Student materials booklet
- Clipboard
- Stopwatch
- Pen or pencil
58Benchmark Booklet DORF Scoring Page
59What Else Can We Tell From Oral Reading Fluency
Assessment?
- 1. Is the student highly fluent (both speed and
accuracy)? - 2. Does the student use effective strategies to
decode words? - Does the student adjust pacing (i.e., slows down
and speeds up) according to level of text
difficulty? - Does the student read with expression and attend
to punctuation? - Does the student possess prediction-orientation,
I.e., seem to look ahead and read at a
sentence/paragraph level? - Does the student self-correct?
- Does the student make only meaning preservation
errors? - Does the student display automaticity on reread
words?
60Powerful Predictors
- General Outcome Measure
- Prediction of high stakes test
- Nationally
- In Ohio
61One Districts 3rd Grade OAT and DIBELS Data
62Using Data to Guide Instructional Decision Making
- Making Decisions About
- Effectiveness of curriculum and instruction
- Are we getting 80 of our students to benchmarks?
- DIBELS Summary of Effectiveness Report
- Creation of small groups
- Who needs what skills?
- Movement in the curriculum
- Curriculum mastery or need for review
- Need for Tier 2 Supports
- Who needs additional supports?
- What type of supports?
- What skills are needed?
63Tier II Targeted Interventions
- Who receives targeted interventions?
- Students who are not making sufficient progress
with core instruction and are at risk for not
reaching future benchmarks - Characteristics of targeted interventions
- Explicit and systematic instruction in specific
skill(s) using scientifically-based program - Implemented in flexible, homogeneous small groups
- In addition to core instruction
- Increased progress monitoring to determine if the
intervention is effective, needs to be modified,
faded - Decision rules regarding when to fad support and
when to increase support (Tier 3)
64Kindergarten Students Initial Sound Fluency
Weekly Progress Monitoring Graph
65Tier II Intervention Structures
- Automatic system set up
- Additional services should compliment/support
classroom instructioncoordination of services is
KEY! - Provided in an inclusive manner
- Training of persons implementing the intervention
and plan for support - Consistent implementation
- Frequency of implementation
- Fidelity of implementation
- Consistent and reliable progress monitoring that
is graphed with student - Communication with family
66Defining Intervention
- Interventions are intended to bring students up
to level as fast as possible by providing
thorough coverage of the component(s) of reading
identified as below level. - Interventions should be research-based and
provide increased opportunities for modeling,
practice, and feedback.
67Tier 2 Interventions for Fluency
- Might be the only piece that is needed, might be
one of many pieces that is needed.
68Making Sure Tier 2 Supports are Appropriate,
Strong, and Documented
- Appropriate
- Tier 1 Supports are in place (Research Based Core
appropriately Supplemented) - Tier 2 Supports are connected to the core,
addressing this childs skill needs,
research-based, inclusive, culturally responsive,
done by trained educators - Strong
- Done Frequently (Planned and Implemented)
- Plans
- Attendance of Child and Instructor
- Done with Integrity
- Includes Progress Monitoring
- Frequency of data collection
- Correct datainstructional level
- Documentation
- How do you know intervention was done?
(INTERVENTION REPORT) - How do you know what progress the child made?
(GRAPH) - See Examples of Paperwork
69Case 1 Suzy Reading Graph
70Tier 2 Decision Rules
- When children met their goals across 2
consecutive assessment sessions, a team (teacher,
parent, possibly others involved) met to decide
if the child would move out of Tier 2 or if
continued support was needed. - If childs data was consistently below aim line
(3 point rule used) child may move to Tier 3.
71Tier III Individualized, Intensive Intervention
- Who receives intensive interventions?
- Students who do not make adequate progress with
targeted supports - Characteristics of intensive interventions
- Instruction includes systematic, explicit
instruction using scientifically-based programs
and strategies - Increased opportunities to practice through
increased time and/or decreased group size - More frequent progress monitoring
- Highly skilled interventionists
72Tier 3 Individual Collaborative Problem Solving
- Use of the Collaborative Problem Solving
Research Based 5 step process (written down) for
individual child. - The Team is created around the child based on who
is involved and the concerns that are seen.
Parent and Childs teacher are always on the
team. - PA may be the only concern, or one of many.
73Case 1 Suzys ORF Reading Graph
74Where Do Children with Special Needs Fit In?
- Everywhere!
- Involved in all Tiers
- Inclusion is part of the model
- Prevents unnecessary special education placement,
uses intervention data to guide decision-making
(before and during special education placement) - Gives teachers the tools to make it work
75Web Resources
- www.reading.uoregon.edu The BIG Ideas in
Beginning Reading - www.interventioncentral.org Intervention Central
- http//oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu Oregon
Reading First - www.fcrr.org Florida Center for Reading Research
- www.swoserrc.org Southwest Ohio Special Education
Regional Resource Center - www.texasreading.org Texas Center for Reading
and Language Arts
76Additional Key References
- Armbruster, B.B., Lehr,F, Osborn, J. (2001)
Putting Reading First The Research Building
Blocks for Teaching Children to Read. Jessup, MD
National Institute for Literacy. - Hasbrouck (1998). Reading fluency Principles
for instruction and progress monitoring.
Professional Development Guide. Austin, TX Texas
Center for Reading and Language Arts, University
of Texas at Austin. - Juel, C. (1988). Learning to read and write A
longitudinal study of 54 children from first
through fourth grades. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 80, 437-447. - Kaminski, R. A., Good, R. H., III (1998).
Assessing early literacy skills in a
problem-solving model Dynamic indicators of
basic early literacy skills. In M. R. Shinn
(Eds.), Advanced applications of curriculum-based
measurement. New York Guildford. - Moats, L. (2003) LETERS Language Essentials
for Teachers of Reading and Spelling Longmont,
CO Sopris West. - National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching
Children to Read An Evidence-Based Assessment of
the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and
Its Implications for Reading Instruction. Reports
of the subgroup. Bethesda, MD National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development, National
Institutes of Health. - Vaughn, S. Linan-Thompson, S. (2004)
Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction
Grades K-3. Alexandria, VA Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development. -
77How to Contact Me
- Amy Murdoch murdoch_a_at_swoserrc.org
78Questions???