Reading Fluency Homework Begins

For the next five weeks, we are going to push towards improving our fluency.  Many of our students will have the opportunity to work on improving their speed and fluency by using the Read Naturally program out in our computer lab.  This opportunity will extend for the next 3 – 4 weeks Monday through Thursday mornings.

Each Monday until May, I will send home a Homework Fluency Passage home with all students.  Each student is to read as much of this passage as he/she can in one minute.  Write down the number of words read correctly in that minute.  Repeat this two more times each evening.  Do this the evenings of Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  All three can be done in five minutes.  Return the paper each Thursday morning.  We will be tracking our progress on a poster in the classroom.

A fluent reader is one who reads in a manner pleasing to the 'ears.' Here is an acronym that may clarify what fluency is.

E: Reads with expression
A: Reads with accuracy
R: Reads at an appropriate rate (a speed that is easily understood)
S: Reads smoothly

Please encourage your child to become a more fluent reader. Remember that fluency is NOT just about SPEED. Thank you so much.

At the end of 4th grade, it hoped that a student will be able to fluently read at a rate of 120 words per minute.