Reading Fluency and Confidence. As a child and to this day I have had to work on my reading fluency. In middle school, I remember going to a special class to work on the computer to help increase my fluency.  I thought to myself why do I need to increase my fluency rate. I can comprehend ok. Not great but ok. Then came the day I remember I needed to read out loud in class. That did it. Everyone else could read fluently, clearly and pronounced every. I pronounced every word correctly but at a lot slower rate than everyone else. Over the years I have progressively gotten better. I did not work with a tutor or anyone because I did not want anyone to know. Confidence in my reading was at an all-time low.

There has always been the push that 20 minutes of reading every night is best for children. If you are a parent you understand that. However, just as when I was growing up reading out loud is not comfortable when you struggle with reading. As a tutor now I recommend parents to read out loud with their children. That way you know and can hear why they are behind and struggle in school.

What is fluency and why does it matter if we read quickly? Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately, with proper speed, and expression. It is important because it provides a connection between word recognition and comprehension. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. They can group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read.

You may be wondering what you should look for if your child is struggling with fluency.

• Do you ever hear your child say, “I hate reading?” or “This is so stupid.”
• Your child may say, I get stuck when there’s a lot of words on the page
• It takes too long, so I just give up.
• They may read slow and sort of choppy and without expression
• At school, they may be below grade level when it comes to fluency

What you can do to help:

• Have your child track with their finger as they read so that they can stay in the right place
• Always support and encourage them
• Check with teachers and see where their fluency level is, check on decoding and word recognition as well
• Get some books on tape (at their reading level) so that they can follow along
• Read with them a paragraph at a time and have them practice your speed. This may take time so just encourage them to do their best
• Does your child have a favorite book? Have them read it (like they probably do) over and over. They will begin to recognize those words immediately.
• Look at the local library for reader’s theater, poetry or even reading music lyrics
• Have them read just right books*

Just right books are books that your child is comfortable reading. When they pick out a book from the library*

1. Open to any page ( must have mainly words on it)
2. Begin reading that page
3. No more than 5 mistakes, if greater the book is too hard if less the book is just right.

As an adult who continues to practice her reading fluency, I felt embarrassed in middle and high school when I needed to read out loud. As a parent, I could often hear one of my own children reading out loud to themselves just so they could understand their homework better. So just encourage your children to read at least 20 minutes a day.

If there are any questions about your child’s reading fluency I would be happy to answer them. If you think they are struggling beyond these suggestions, just give me a call.

What I Use To Measure Reading Fluency

Fluency and Confidence