Module+7+Discussion

Step 5: Grand Conversation:

1. What does research say about this topic? BM - In the past fluency was considered to be the automatic recall of words in reading text. Now fluency is considered to be much more. Fluency is this accurate recall of words, expression, and comprehension concurrently when reading. ZL-Fluency can be improved by the strategy of repeated reading. Fluency is much more than decoding. It includes, smoothness, flow, articulation and tone. NH- Repeated reading practice produces significant imporvement in reading speed, word recognition and oral reading expression on the practiced passages. If students read another passage with common words they can transfer that speed and word recognition to another passage.

2. Rank order the following fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary in importance in the reading process. Give reasons for the ranking. BM - According to the text fluency is made up of vocabulary and comprehension. You can't have fluency without the first two. ZL 1st Fluency- If students do not have fluency skills reading will be choppy and comprehension will be affected. 2nd Comprehension-Comprehension is very important in the entire process. I may read an entire passage but if I don’t understand it, what have I accomplished. 3rd Vocabulary is important. However, of the 3 mentioned above vocabulary is of the least importance. Vocabulary helps in the building of comprehension. All of the components go hand in hand. I don't feel comfortable ranking one more important than the other. NH- Fluency is most important to me because you can not learn new vocabulary or comprehend a text if you can not read it fluenty. Then vocabulary because you can not comprehend with out it. I think comprehension will happen naturally if you have the other two.

3. The NPR is different from the textbook in the fluency matter...Why? Which position do you like better and why? BM - They didn't seem that different to me. The textbook spoke specifically about breaking reading down into subskills and practicing a lot like an athelete or a musician. They both spoke of moving from automaticity into fluency with repeated readings. ZL- I agree with Brigette in that I didn't see a big difference in the two. Fluency builds on essential components that readers should have in order to read and comprehend. NH- I think fluency needs to be practiced just like anything else. A student also needs to think about not only what they are reading but how are they reading it.

4. Your questions from your group.

Group Questions: NH1*- Fluency is subjective assessments, how do you combat that? ZLThe subjectivity of fluency can be taken away when a great fluency assessment is present. Many fluency assessments have rubrics that can direct scoring and take all of the subjectivity out of the process. (I.E: Multidimensional Fluency Scale) NH2- What techniques do you use with ELL students to work on fluency? NH3- Repeated reading seems boring, I would not want to do that. Besides readers theatre, what other repeated reading strategies do you use? BM - I agree that sometimes students are not motivated to read stories repeatedly. Whenever possible I try to have the books on tape available. I think providing the objective to students of fluent, expressive reading and offering an audience to some provides motivation. Others are instrinsically motivated as they hear themselves becoming more confident and fluent with each reading. (assuming the story is somewhat enjoyable :))

BM1 - The text spoke of the teacher reading the story aloud beforehand. Should I read most everything to them before they read independently? ZL: I disagree with the notion of prior reading before fluency is tested. In order to get an accurate fluency assessment the reading should be a passage that is unfamiliar to the student. BM2 - DIBELS assesses fluency using a cold read. Is this always how fluency should be assessed? NH- That is always how I assess it. I dont know I think there are two ways of looking at it. On the one hand you are looking at fluency but really word calling. Do they know all the words for that grade level and understand them. In that case it should be cold. I think informal assessments on fluency can be done using repeated readings. For formal assessments you are really just trying to see what level they are on, and the level that their fluency is the best on a cold read is the level they are on. BM3 - In the older grades does the four time repeated reading still apply?

BM- Prereading strategies, vocabulary instruction, and repeated readings build fluent reading. The student has to make connections to the text before reading begins for their to be fluent understanding of the text. ZL 2) How can we easily assess fluency? ZL 3) How do you feel about building comprehension skills in order to build fluency NH- I think it needs to be the other way around. I think if you build fluency and what ever level they are on in fluency is going to be the level they comprehend at. So I think you need to work on fluency to build comprehension.
 * ZL1) In what ways do you promote fluency in your classroom?