Fluency Mania
By Susan Mandel Glazer

It seems "fluency" has become the buzzword in teachers' rooms, faculty meetings, education courses and in other educational forums. This has probably happened because fluency seems to represent competency. And, it probably does for most learners. Fluency mania has occurred because it's easier to get a child to sound capable than it is to guide him or her to understand what is read.

What does it mean?
There seems to be no single definition of oral fluency. There is, however, general agreement that when a child reads fluently he or she has the ability to read quickly, accurately and, when reading orally, does it with expression. Expressive reading indicates that children likely understand the information in the text.

When fluency emerges
Fluency generally emerges in most children between first and third grades when decoding skills become a habit, and is considered by many reading professionals as very important to the reading process because of its relationship to comprehension. When word recognition is automatic, children are able to focus on the meaning of the text. These kids who identify words effortlessly also like to practice making words, especially using letter patterns.

Kids who are not fluent read excessively slowly and labor over the text, thus impairing their comprehension. They shy away from reading behaviors including making words, identifying words in texts (even when they know them) and writing words. Many will even reject an offer to listen to a story for fear of being asked to identify words or read part of the text during the activity.

Fluency for all readers
We know that the best way to become fluent in anything is to do it a lot. That means that reading often and rereading the same materials facilitates fluency. But, what about the child who can't read or reads with difficulty? Observing what good readers do when they read fluently is a valid way to determine what sort of activities we want less fluent readers to engage in to build fluency.

1. Read high-frequency words. We know that high-frequency words tend to be named faster than those that don't appear frequently in reading materials. Words whose spellings do not follow typical letter-sound consistencies tend to be read more slowly as well as inaccurately. It makes sense, therefore, to find or create books that repeat the same words again and again.
2. Read non-words. When young children are able to read non-words (words that are made up), this indicates their ability to read unfamiliar words. They understand the relationships between letters, strings of letters and larger units such as rhymes.
3. Practice rapid identification. Naming objects quickly is associated with the development of reading skills. Although the skill is not one that relates directly to reading fluency, rapid identification is strongly allied with rapid word identification. Recognition can be increased using a game format where objects, pictures of objects and series of pictures or objects are spread out on a table. The child is asked to name the objects as quickly as he or she can while the teacher uses a stopwatch or egg timer to clock the time. Repeat the game a day or two later using other objects.
4. Identify words in context. When children read words in a concise piece of text aloud, it aids their comprehension. The text provides information not only about the content but also helps them take an educated guess when words are not easily recognized. The content supports children's word guessing or predictions. Distinguishing isolated words quickly is an inappropriate goal for most children, especially those who need more time to learn.

How important is it?
It isn't possible to know if a student is fluent without listening to him or her read. So, fluency and oral reading are linked. But put fluency in proper perspective; make sure your students tell you everything they remember immediately after they read. This is one way to inform you and the children that not only are they fluent, but that they also comprehend what's been read.

Susan Mandel Glazer is the Director of the Center for Reading and Writing at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ.

February, 2007, Vol.37, No.5