W ord Study & Fluency

Amber Castro
EED- 470
8/23/15

Sum m ary
The strategies and information found within this power point are an
extremely beneficial tool for educators to utilize in cohesion of
fluency and reading instruction.
Together, we can delve deeper into fluency and the role that it plays
within reading instruction. We will examine how fluency is correlated
to phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, vocabulary, and
comprehension. We will also examine the impact fluency has on a
students comprehension.
Lastly, this power point will provide a multitude of useful, researched
based strategies for fluency instruction, how to differentiate fluency
instruction to meet diverse learners need, and will examine different
assessment tools to use to assess for fluency.

W hat is Fluency?
Fluency can be described as having the
ability to read text with accuracy, swiftness,
and proper expression (Reading Rockets,
2015). Fluency is significant because it
affords a connection between word
recognition and comprehension. When
students are fluent readers, they identify
words habitually. Fluency allows students to
group words together rapidly, to gain sense
of what they are reading. There are five
critical elements of reading that interconnect
with fluency; phonemic awareness, phonics,
word study, vocabulary, and comprehension.

The Role of Fluency W ithin the Five Critical

Elem ents of Reading:
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness provides the foundation needed to
attain fluency. It can be described as the ability to hear,
recognize, and control sounds in spoken words (Gagen,
2006). Phonemes aid readers with fluency while reading,
listening, and speaking (Cunningham, 1989). The more
phonemic awareness a student has, the better
automaticity and the better fluency the student will have,
which leads to greater comprehension.

Phonics
Phonics involves the relationship between
letters and sounds to form letter sound
correspondence (Blevins, 2014). The objective
of phonics instruction is to demonstrate to
students the most collective sound-spelling
connections so that they can decode words.
This decoding ability is a fundamental
component in successful reading (Blevins,
2014).
Phonics is the bridge to fluency and
comprehension. Students must have a strong
phonological base in order to build their
fluency. Once they can phonologically read a
particular word it becomes automatic.
Therefore, they can read that word more
fluently and comprehend what they are
reading more easily.

W ord Study
Word study is another important element of
reading instruction. Word study delivers
students with the opportunity to examine and
comprehend word patterns (Leipzig, 2014).
Word study is also constructed to assemble
word awareness that can be applied to both
reading and spelling (Zutell, 1998).
Furthermore, students aptitudes in phonics,
word recognition, and vocabulary are further
developed through the close ties between
word study and reading instruction (Baker,
2000). Word study s a necessary component
that leads to fluency. Word study delivers
associated practice that constructs automatic
decoding and fluency. Small-group
differentiated reading provides students with
inclusive reading, writing, and word-study
instruction (Tyner, 2004). Once again, it leads
to faster reading and comprehension.

Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word
meanings (Diamond & Gutlohn, 2006). Incidentally,
vocabulary is not something that a student can fully
master. Instead, students can only expand upon their
vocabulary through exposure of a variety of different
words and texts (Diamond & Gutlohn, 2006).
Studies suggest that vocabulary knowledge is a
significant predictor of a students ability to
comprehend what they read (Diamond & Gutlohn,
2006). Effective communication is attributed to good
vocabulary skills, and apply to listening, speaking,
reading and writing (Graves, 2000).
Vocabulary development is affected by reading
fluency. There are some struggling readers who have
an enhanced awareness of spoken words to their
generally developing peers (Wolf, 2002). However,
students must be able to read text and print
accurately and at a practical and suitable rate in
order to relate their knowledge of the vocabulary in
text(Hasbrouck, 2010) .

Com prehension
Comprehension is the ability to
understand what is being read
(Wilhelm, 2015).
Adeptness in fluency directly connects
to aptitude in comprehension. The
frequency in misunderstanding
meaning because of densities in
grammar, syntax, and vocabulary
directly increases or decreases as a
result of the correlated level of fluency
(Wilhelm, 2015). The more fluent a
reader, the better their comprehension
will be.

Research-Based Teaching Strategies for

Fluency

There are numerous strategies in

the education world that aid in
targeting fluency instruction,
including explicit instruction,
feedback, guidance, and practice.

Research-Based Teaching Strategies for

Fluency Continued
Repeated Reading- One of the greatest ways to support
fluency is to have students practice reading by re-reading
short text. Repeated reading assists in aiding students in
distinguishing high-frequency words easily, thus solidifying
their comfort of reading (Griffin & Appel, 2009).
Guided Oral Reading- Guided oral reading is another helpful
strategy for increasing fluency. This tool aids students in
acquiring two important elements of fluency; accuracy and
word recognition skills (Smith, 2008).
Paired Reading- Studies have shown that paired reading can
significantly improve fluency because a more fluent reader is
able to model and correct a less fluent reader when they
make mistakes. Learning from peers is invaluable (Griffin &
Appel, 2009).
Modeling- Modeling is an influential way for teachers to help
their students. Through expressive oral reading of a wide
variety of genres, teachers can teach students what fluent
reading sounds like, and then can transfer and apply that
knowledge to their own reading (Blau, 2015).

Research-Based Teaching Strategies for

Fluency Continued
Sight word instruction- A solid base in fundamental vocabulary is one of the key
pieces of fluency. Because fluency is contingent upon a students ability to rapidly and
precisely decode words, sight word instruction has a substantial and valuable effect
on reading. Sight word instruction increases fluency and comprehension, therefore
improving fluency (Smith, 2008).
Readers Theater- Readers theatre affords students with an authentic purpose to reread text and to exercise fluency (Texas Education Agency, 2002).
Audiobooks- Audiobooks serve as a positive fluency model for readers and bridge the
gap between decoding and comprehension for struggling readers (Smith, 2008).

The Im pact of Fluency on Reading

Com prehension

Fluency has an immense

effect on reading
comprehension. Readers who
are high in fluency are more
inclined to read more and
retain more of what they read
because they are able to
apply less cognitive focus on
decoding individual words
and assimilating new
information from texts into
their stored knowledge.

D iff
erentiation of Fluency Instruction for
ELL, SPED , and D iverse Learners
ELL:
Provide a variety of activities to promote fluency
Allow students to work in small groups
Pair students with peers who are higher fluency readers (Baecher, 2011).
SPED:
Aim instruction to a students strengths
Provide individual help
Provide reinforcement in areas that a student is struggling with (Chard, 2001).
Diverse Learners:
Include key vocabulary
Emphasize prior knowledge experiences and learning
Incorporate paired and cooperative learning instruction (Stallard, 2009).

Assessm ents for Fluency

It is important for educators to assess a students
level of reading fluency so that they can measure
the students progress of fluency and determine
their instructional needs (Zutell & Rasinski, 1991).
Below are several ways to assess students for
fluency.

Oral Fluency Assessments

Dibels
Fluency Scales
Timing Charts (Hudsen, Lane, & Pullen, 2005).

References
Baecher, L. (2011). Differentiated instruction for english language learners. Wisconsin English Journal Volume 53, Number 2.
Baker, L. (2000). Building the word-level foundation for engaged reading. Engaging young readers: Promoting achievement and motivation. New
York: Guilford Press.
Blau, L. (2015). 5 surefire strategies for developing reading fluency. Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/5-surefirestrategies-developing-reading-

fluency

Blevins, W. (2014). Understanding phonics. Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/understanding-phonics

Chard, D.J. (2001). Differentiating instruction for students with special needs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Cunningham, A. (1989). Phonemic awareness: The development of early reading competency. Reading Research Quarterly, 24(4), 47472.
Diamond, L. & Gutlohn, L. (2006). Vocabulary handbook. Consortium on Reading Excellence, Inc.
Gagen, M.R. (2006). Phonemic Awareness: What it is, why it is important and why you must link phonemic awareness to print! Retrieved from
http://righttrackreading.com/whatpais.html

Graves, M.F. 2000. A vocabulary program to complement and bolster a middle-grade comprehension program. In B.M. Taylor, M.F. Graves, and P. Van
Den Broek (eds.), Reading for

meaning: Fostering comprehension in the middle grades. Mew York: Teachers College Press.

Griffin, S.M. & Appel, K.L. (2009). Reading fluency strategies. Readingsource, LLC. Retrieved from http://www.readingresource.net/readingfluency.html
Hasbrouck, J. & Tindal, G. A. (2006). Oral reading fluency norms: A valuable assessment tool for reading teachers. The Reading Teacher. 59(7),636644.
Hudson, R.F., Lane, H.B., & Pullen, P.C. (2005). Reading fluency assessment and instruction: What, why, and how? The Reading Teacher Vol. 58, No. 8
Leipizig, D.H. (2014). Word Study: A new approach to teaching spelling. Reading Rockets. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/wordstudy-new-approach-teaching-

spelling

Reading Rockets. (2015). Fluency. Reading 101. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/fluency

Smith, W.P. (2008). Reading fluency and instruction. K12 Reader. Retrieved from http://www.k12reader.com/reading-fluency-and-instruction/
Stallard, J. (2010). Use plt and differentiated instruction to reach diverse learners. American Forest Foundation.
Texas Education Agency. (2002). Guidelines for examining phonics and word recognition programs. Texas Reading Initiative.
Tyner, B. (2004). Small-group reading instruction: A differentiated teaching model for beginning and struggling readers. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association.
Wilhelm, J. (2015). Understanding Reading Comprehension. Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/understandingreading-comprehension
Wolf, M. (2002). Reading difficulties - A major health problem. Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s518687.htm">http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s518687.htm