Teaching Fluency:
Selected Critical Skills in Fluency with Text

Oral Reading Fluency

Step 1: Is Fluency Building Appropriate?

1. Examine student's performance on the oral reading fluency measure to determine whether accuracy is an appropriate target.
2. Identify target goal (e.g., 60 wcpm by end of grade 1; 90 wcpm by end of grade 2).
3. Review the following performance patterns.
   • Example A: 30 words attempted, 28 wcpm.
   • Example B: 27 words attempted, 20 wcpm.
   • Example C: 86 words attempted, 85 wcpm.

Step 2: How to Develop Oral Word Reading Fluency: Mediated Scaffolding and Review

1. Identify passages students can read with 90-95% accuracy.
2. Ensure that students can read 30-40 wcpm.
3. Schedule repeated opportunities for the reader to hear and/or practice the passages.
4. Aim to reduce the time and number of errors.
5. Incorporate reading with expression once students can read 60 wcpm.
6. Gradually shift from oral to silent reading.