Fluency Practice

"Fluency is the ability to read or access words effortlessly with seemingly little attention to decoding. Fluent readers decode words not only automatically but accurately. in addition, fluent readers group words into meaningful units, utilize punctuation to guide their voices, and use expression appropriately to help them comprehend what they are reading."

"Fluency develops over time, and students should be given repeated opportunities to practice fluency with a variety of texts. Repeated readings increase rate, accuracy and comprehension by providing students with multiple exposures to words and spelling patterns. In addition, it helps students improve their ability to break sentences into meaningful phrases and to use intonation. It is effective with both older and younger students. Repeated readings involve the students reading segments of text between 50 to 200 words, depending on students' ability. Students should practice repeated readings with a variety of different text types."

~SRA Imagine It! Program Appendix

We will be practicing fluency with short pieces of text on a regular basis. All students can benefit from extra practice with the text at home so I am going to include the text on our class blog. Your child should work on being able to read the text without making mistakes, paying attention to punctuation and with appropriate expression. You can time your child and count the number of mistakes made, then reread and try to beat that time, making fewer mistakes. Have your child make a chart to keep track of his/her progress - they love to see their improvement on paper. :)

I have a pet dog. His name is Dash. Dash knows many tricks. He can sit and fetch. Dash and I are kind to each other. I brush his fur and give him baths. He licks my face when I am sick. Dash and I are best friends. How are you kind to your best friend?

More Fluency Practice

For details about the importance of fluency practice, see this previous post.

Do you know what is meant by balance of nature? When nature is in balance, living things have plenty to eat and homes in which to sleep. When nature is out of balance, animals find surviving hard. A balance in nature is best and it is something we can all work toward.

It was a few hours before dawn in the forest. The dew seemed cool to the squirrels as they scampered around the trees. The birds woke as the first hues of sunlight struck the leaves. It’s a peaceful morning in this wildlife forest.

We have been learning about the importance of balance in nature. In “Wolf Island,” the wolves left the island for a new home. When the wolves left it disrupted, or threw off, the balance of nature. There were too few wolves to keep the population of other animals down, and there was not enough food for all of the animals. Nature requires balance to thrive.

Animals learn to adapt to their habitats. We have read about animals that adapt to life in trees, about a family of ducks that adapts to a big city, and about wolves that move from one place to another. Natural wonders are all around us. If we respect and protect nature, it will continue to amaze us.

Fluency Practice

"Fluency is the ability to read or access words effortlessly with seemingly little attention to decoding. Fluent readers decode words not only automatically but accurately. in addition, fluent readers group words into meaningful units, utilize punctuation to guide their voices, and use expression appropriately to help them comprehend what they are reading."

"Fluency develops over time, and students should be given repeated opportunities to practice fluency with a variety of texts. Repeated readings increase rate, accuracy and comprehension by providing students with multiple exposures to words and spelling patterns. In addition, it helps students improve their ability to break sentences into meaningful phrases and to use intonation. It is effective with both older and younger students. Repeated readings involve the students reading segments of text between 50 to 200 words, depending on students' ability. Students should practice repeated readings with a variety of different text types."

~SRA Imagine It! Program Appendix

Every week, we will be practicing fluency with short pieces of text. All students can benefit from extra practice with the text at home so I am going to start including the text on our class blog. Your child should work on being able to read the text without making mistakes, paying attention to punctuation and with appropriate expression. You can time your child and count the number of mistakes made, then reread and try to beat that time, making fewer mistakes. Have your child make a chart to keep track of his/her progress - they love to see their improvement on paper. :)

This week's passages:
Here I sit in the best room in the house – my bedroom. I can watch the trees sway, the butterflies fly, and hear birds sing. This is also where I sit and wait for my best friend to come and visit me. I can see her coming around the corner now. This is my favorite spot in the world.


On warm days, I love to spend time in my backyard under the cedar tree. I love to sit under the tree and read with my friend, Stacy. Stacy is my best friend, and that cedar tree is my favorite tree.

My best friend moved to a state far away. This summer I’m going to take an airplane to visit him. We’ll do some of our favorite things: ride bicycles, swim, and shoot hoops. I can’t wait until summer!


I’ve missed my home a lot. I’ve missed my friends even more. I moved away last year, but something great happened last week. I made a new friend. I still miss my old home, but I think now I’ll know what to do to make things better – I’ll make even more friends!

By the way, you should choose one passage to work on at a time. They are not meant to be read all together.

Here's a video from Reading Rockets that highlights successful strategies for helping children become fluent readers. To learn more, check out this link: Reading Rockets: Fluent Reading