Fluency Building

Why Use Fluency Building

Fluency is a critical reading skill, and one way to achieve fluency is by doing timed readings where students read as quickly and accurately as they can. In fluency building, students practice both accuracy and speed during short, timed activities.

Headsprout episodes contain multiple opportunities to build fluency in reading sounds, words, and stories. However, some students who are struggling to read fluently would benefit from additional, focused practice on fluency.

Through the fluency-building activities, students build fluency by reading sounds first, then isolated words, and finally connected text. Although students engage in fluency-building activities for only a few minutes each time, it can lead to significant improvement in reading skills.

Using the fluency-building activities with students who are seriously struggling with reading fluency is a good way to intervene as early as possible and prevent fluency problems from becoming worse.

How To Use

If a student's reading fluency in a benchmark assessment is not satisfactory, print out the fluency-building packet for that benchmark assessment. In the packet, there are sheets for practicing sounds, words, and connected text, in that order. Have the student read aloud from the sounds first, for one minute, while you keep track of errors.

The student should aim to meet the target numbers shown in each sheet. If the student doesn't meet the target, keep doing one-minute timings until the student meets the target. When the student meets the target for sounds, move on to words. When the student meets the target for words, move on to connected text.

If you are using the fluency-building activities as part of a strategic or intensive approach, begin using the activities any time after episode 10 (see more information below in "Strategic and Intensive Use").

Timings: Step-by-Step Instructions

Four Parts in a Timing

*Warm up only before the first timing of the day, not before every timing.

1. Warm Up
   • Have the student read the first two rows of the sheet. If the student skips or misreads a sound or word, read it to them at the end of the warm-up. Then, have them read those sounds or words again without help.
   • Repeat the warm-up until the student reads the first two rows correctly and confidently.
2. Get Ready
   • Tell the student the target for the timing, which is in the upper right-hand corner of each sheet (for example, 40 words in one minute).
   • Put the sheet in front of the student and ensure that they know where to begin by placing their index finger on the first sound or word.
   • Set the timer to one minute.
3. Do the Timing
   • Say, "Please begin," and start the timer.
   • Every time the student makes an error or skips, tally it on a paper. Don't help during the timing. If the student has trouble with a sound or word, tell them to skip it, and count this as an error.
   • If the student reaches the end of the sheet before the time is up, they can restart at the beginning of the same sheet or go on to a different sheet of the same type until time runs out.
   • When one minute is over, say, "Please stop."
4. Score
   • Find the total number of sounds or words that the student read during the timing, including errors and skips, at the end of each row in the sheet.
   • Subtract the errors and skips from the total number read. This gives you the number of corrects.
   • Decide if the student met the target. Often, students need several timings to meet the target.
   • Mark the score for the student's best timing in the progress chart PDF. There is also a student version PDF for students to track their own progress.

Helpful Tips

Troubleshooting Fluency Issues

• The student makes many errors (misreads or skips words).
  The Solution
  For sounds and words:
  During warm-up, read the problem sounds or words one by one and have the student read them after you. Repeat this until the student can read them without your help. Praise the student for reading them correctly during warm-ups. You can also use the flashcards to have students practice the sounds and words before the timing.
  
  For connected text:
  Have the student
  

  1. Sound out the problem word (if a sight word, then skip this step and go to Step 2).
  2. Say the word quickly several times.
  3. Go back to the beginning of the sentence and reread the whole sentence.
• The student is "guessing" at the words.
  The Solution
  Make sure that the student can read the sounds or words outside the timing. If so, encourage the student to read without guessing and give several opportunities to read the words without a timer. If the student cannot read the words outside the timing, follow the directions above for errors.
• The student reads accurately and at a moderate pace, but is having trouble meeting the target.
  The Solution
  Remember that students will need several timings (often at least five) before they meet the target. This is to be expected in fluency building. Praise the student for each close attempt even if the target is not met. If a student still does not meet the target after several timings, try the following:
  

  1. Set the pace with the student by reading a few lines together before having the student go on independently, or
  2. Read a couple of lines to the student and then immediately have the student read the same lines back.

  
  You may also consider moving the student on to the next sheet. Sometimes, simply moving on to new material helps "unblock" the student.
• The student reads accurately but at a speed far below the target.
  The Solution
  Ask the student to say the same word or sound quickly to see how fast the student can say it. Sometimes, reading rates can be low due to articulation issues rather than reading issues. If articulation is not an issue, follow these steps to gradually build the student's reading rate:
  

  1. Set the target at two more than the "best timing" achieved by the student. For example, if a student's best timing is 10 sounds in one minute, and the target was 20 sounds, set the target to be 12 sounds the next time, then 14, 16, 18, etc.
  2. Praise any improvement even if it's still below target.
  3. If the student is improving steadily, you can move the student to subsequent fluency activities. It is likely that the student will catch up with the target if there is constant improvement and enough practice.
• The student reads slowly at first and then speeds up.
  The Solution
  Use longer warm-ups (for example, 4-5 lines).
• The student reads quickly at first, but then slows down.
  The Solution
  Cut down the timing to 20 or 30 seconds instead of one minute. Once the student can read at a good speed during the 20- or 30-second timing, start lengthening the timing slowly. For example, you can add five more seconds to each timing until the student is doing one-minute timings again.
  
  Note: If timings are shorter than one minute, the scoring will have to change slightly:
  

  • If the timing is 20 seconds long, multiply the number of corrects and errors by 3.
  • If the timing is 30 seconds long, multiply the number of corrects and errors by 2.
• The student sounds out many of the words, which slows him or her down.
  The Solution
  Have the student say the word fast several times. Then, have the student go back to the beginning of the line or sentence and re-read from there without sounding out the words.
• The student reads each word or sound quickly, but takes long pauses between one word or sound and the next.
  The Solution
  Set the pace with the student by reading a few lines together. If needed, model how quickly the student should slide his or her finger under the words as he or she reads (that is, prompt the student to follow a quickly-sliding finger).
• The student reads correctly and quickly but without feeling.
  The Solution
  Remind the student to read with feeling, and give praise when they do. Some students may need to hear a model before they start reading with feeling. If this is the case, read a different story aloud to the student, changing your tone, volume, and speed to convey the feelings in the story.

Strategic and Intensive Use

The combination of Headsprout episodes and fluency-building activities has helped bring up the reading skills of students considered as strategic or intensive. Here are some guidelines to use the episodes and fluency-building activities with those students.

Strategic Use

• Students complete at least 3 episodes per week.
• Students read each Sprout Story aloud to an adult, either in school or at home, for additional reading practice.
• Students complete all of the fluency-building activities for sounds, words, and connected text.
• Teachers check students' performance on a weekly basis.

Intensive Use

• Students complete at least 5 episodes per week.
• Students read each Sprout Story aloud while a teacher or teacher's aide gives feedback.
• Students complete all of the fluency-building activities for sounds, words, and connected text.
• Teachers check students' performance on a daily basis.