Developing fluent readers

Many new readers read haltingly and with little or no expression. They have trouble understanding what they are reading. Because of this, they do not enjoy reading.

One of the goals of literacy is to produce fluent readers. This includes building their confidence in reading as well as their ability to understand and enjoy it.

Developing fluency should be a part of every reading program, but even people who already have had some reading experience can benefit from fluency training.

• Those who have completed the lessons in a primer series but are not fluent readers.
• Those who did not complete their schooling and still have the characteristics of a developing reader.
• Those who are literate in one language and are making the transition to a second language.

Provide motivation

• Read to people.

  They need to hear fluent, enjoyable reading frequently.

• Give them a reason to read. Encourage them to read materials that interest them or that can help answer questions they have. See:
  • Guided questioning
  • Reading circles

Provide practice

• Encourage and help learners to use the library.
• Have learners mimic fluent reading.
• Have them practice on materials that are not too difficult.

  Tip: Learners should be able to read about 95% of the text without difficulty. If they have to struggle, replace the text with something easier unless they have a strong motivation to read a particular text.

• Have them practice reading styles that are used often. Examples:
  • Reading the newspaper
  • Following instructions like a recipe
• Have them read different texts on the same topic to reinforce the learning of vocabulary.
• Use activities and teaching aids that encourage and develop fluency. See:
  • Teaching aids

Provide help

• Help learners develop self-correction skills.
  • Encourage them to listen to themselves reading and to assess if what they have read sounded like good language.
• Encourage learners to use available cues to help them read.
• Work individually with those who need help.

• Bernd 1989
• Borneman 1994
• Brown 1983
• Coombs 1989
• Evans 1989
• Dye 1988
• Holdaway 1980
• Hunter 1986
• MacDonald 1983
• Marmor 1989
• Matthews 1989
• Porter 1984
• Wiebe 1983

• Task module: Developing fluent readers, by Anne Klaassens (contributor), Martha A. Lane (contributor), Delle P. Matthews (contributor), and Trudy K. Stewart (contributor)
• In task module: Developing literacy skills, by Martha A. Lane (contributor), Delle P. Matthews (contributor), Leah B. Walter (contributor), Glenys Waters (contributor), Anne Klaassens (editor), and Trudy K. Stewart (editor, contributor)
• In task module: Teaching people to read and write, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In task module: Implementing a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 27 July 1999

© 1999 SIL International