hmmm...there is more going on while reading, obviously, then when speaking. I would not think that the exact same rate should apply. I also think that reading for a purpose is key. If you need to read something "fluently" to understand it, why then you should read it several times until you can read it fluently. I think the key is to teach students the metacognitive strategies they need so they can assess their own understanding of the text as they are reading. We need to teach them to realize when the meaning breaks down for them. I guess it all depends on how much they are struggling with the text. But, a student who gets a low three on the ELA....it may be that you should do an item analysis with her test and see what she is missing. I know that comprehension will come up...but what about it? My guess is that the fluency will come when you work on other comprehension strategies. When I listen to my second grade students read, I know who needs fluency work- per se. But, until I start probing into their understanding, I am not sure if their thoughts are fluently moving as fast as they can word call. I have a student now who reads beautifully. But, when I ask her what she thinks about what is going on in her book, she has nothing to say. She can answer specific questions about the text, but any deeper meanings or "thick" questions seem to baffle her. But, there is no way that I would focus on fluency with her. She is reading above benchmark and answering basic comprehension questions. She can retell events from the story in a sequence. But, she doesn't identify with the story at all. Her background knowledge is limited and someone did a lot of decoding work with her....in K and 1...now I need to teach her to think :). Anyway...I always do what each student needs the best I can....as I know we all are challenged to do. Maybe I am really missing the boat on the fluency thing...but I probably belong with the "old school" way of teaching...even though I have only been teaching for 8 years. I have a friend who...taught me so much when I took over in her classroom. She retired and I took her class over mid-year as my first teaching position. She said, "You will find that programs and ideas about teaching come around and come around. Guaranteed, if you teach as long as I have, it will come around a couple times. Hang on to what you know to be good practice for you and for your kids. Stay flexible....calm...and wait. It will come around again."
C ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 5:18 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Re-replies to my fluency v. comprehension >I teach at a middle school and we do fluency for the first few minutes of > class. Kids are paired off and it takes about 3-5 minutes. The book we > use > is SIX MINUTE SOLUTIONS. It's great for fluency. > > The problem with discussing fluency is that many people put the cart > before > the horse. We aren't testing for fluency, but ultimately for > COMPREHENSION. > Fluency only helps. Too many kids can't read at fluent levels, but they > can > understand someone speaking at 200 words a minute. If they can comprehend > spoken language at 200 wpm, they should be able to read and comprehend at > 200 wpm since it is the same language only the words are "spoken" in their > heads. Other factors such as decoding skills come into play, but we have > too many teachers telling students to slow down, when, in fact, they > should > be reading faster. Many of my students find that reading faster helps > their > comprehension. If it doesn't help, then we address background knowledge > and > decoding skills.... > Bill > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Carol Carlson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 12:51 PM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Re-replies to my fluency v. comprehension > > >>I agree that there is a correlation with fluency and comprehension. >> Students need both, especially at the primary grades. >> My question is about middle school. >> With a much shorter period for literacy instruction--42 minutes per >> day for reading, how much fluency is necessary for students reading >> at grade level. >> For struggling readers, I know teachers need to do further diagnosis >> to determine why students are struggling. >> But I'm at a loss whether I encourage any fluency or oral reading at >> the junior high. >> Any suggestions? >> Thanks, >> Carol >> LA Content Specialist, K-8 >> La Grange, Il > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
