Fluency Instruction: Research-Based Best Practices

by Timothy Rasinski PhD (Editor), Camille Blachowicz PhD (Editor), Kristin Lems EdD (Editor)

Overview

This accessible guide brings together well-known authorities to examine what reading fluency is and how it can best be taught. Teachers get a clear, practical roadmap for navigating the often confusing terrain of this crucial aspect of balanced literacy instruction. Innovative approaches to instruction and assessment are described and illustrated with vivid examples from K–12 classrooms. The book debunks common misconceptions about fluency and clarifies its key role in comprehension. Effective practices are presented for developing fluency in specific populations, including English language learners, adolescents, and struggling readers. New to This Edition*Reflects advances in fluency research and the ongoing development of exemplary instructional approaches.*Three new chapters on English language learners.*Chapters on adolescent fluency, reading expressiveness, oral reading instruction, and text selection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462504442
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	05/10/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	334
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	5 - 17 Years

About the Author

Timothy Rasinski, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education in the Reading and Writing Center at Kent State University, where he directed the award-winning university reading clinic for more than 20 years. Dr. Rasinski has written extensively in articles, chapters, and books on working with children who struggle in acquiring full literacy. A former editor of The Reading Teacher and the Journal of Literacy Research, he currently serves on the editorial review boards for Reading Research Quarterly, Literacy Research and Instruction, and Reading Psychology. Dr. Rasinski is a member of the International Reading Hall of Fame.

Camille Blachowicz, PhD, is Research Professor at National Louis University, where she has directed the Reading Specialist Program and the Reading Center. Her research and publications focus on vocabulary and comprehension instruction and on working with at-risk readers. Dr. Blachowicz was a Fulbright Scholar in Italy and is Co-Principal Investigator of the federally funded Multiphase Comprehensive Vocabulary Instruction Project.

Kristin Lems, EdD, is Professor of English as a Second Language/Bilingual Education at National Louis University, where she teaches graduate courses for practicing teachers. She has published a number of books, chapters, and articles in both the ESL and reading fields. Dr. Lems was a Fulbright Scholar in Algeria for 2 years and is an English Language Specialist with the Office of English Language Programs at the U.S. State Department.

Table of Contents

I. Fluency Theory, Fluency Research1. Reading Fluency: Its Past, Present, and Future, S. Jay Samuels2. Developing Fluency in the Context of Effective Literacy Instruction, Timothy Shanahan3. Reading Expressiveness: The Neglected Aspect of Reading Fluency, Paula J. Schwanenflugel and Rebekah George Benjamin4. The Importance of Adolescent Fluency, David D. Paige5. Reading Fluency Revisited: Much More Than Fast and Accurate Reading, Barbara J. Walker, Kouider Mokhtari, and Stephan Sargent6. Fluency: The Link between Decoding and Comprehension for Struggling Readers, David J. Chard, John J. Pikulski, and Sarah H. McDonagh7. "Hey Teacher, When You Say ‘Fluency,’ What Do You Mean?": Developing Fluency in Elementary Classrooms, D. Ray ReutzelII. Best Programs, Best Practices8. Battling on Two Fronts: Creating Effective Oral Reading Instruction, Melanie R. Kuhn, Gwynne E. Ash, and Megan Gregory9. "Jonathon Is 11 but Reads LikeaStruggling 7-Year-Old": Providing Assistance for Struggling Readers with Audio-Assisted Reading Programs, Meryl-Lynn Pluck10. The Fluency Development Lesson: A Model of Authentic and Effective Fluency Instruction, Belinda Zimmerman and Timothy Rasinski11. Paired Reading: Impact of a Tutoring Method on Reading Accuracy, Comprehension, and Fluency, Keith J. Topping12. "Everybody Reads": Fluency as a Focus for Staff Development, Camille L. Z. Blachowicz, Mary Kay Moskal, Jennifer R. Massarelli, Connie M. Obrochta, Ellen Fogelberg, and Peter Fisher13. Hijacking Fluency and Instructionally Informative Assessments, Danielle L. Dennis, Kathryn L. Solic, and Richard L. AllingtonIII. Special Topics, Special Populations14. Teaching Fluency (and Decoding) through Fast Start: An Early Childhood Parental Involvement Program, Timothy Rasinski, Nancy Padak, and Bruce Stevenson15. Reading Fluency and Comprehension in English Language Learners, Kristin Lems16. Fluency Instruction in Reading in a Second or Foreign Language, Etsuo Taguchi and Greta Gorsuch17. Fluency Scores of English Language Learners: What Can They Tell Us?, Becky McTague, Kristin Lems, Dana Butler, and Elsa Carmona 18. Curious George and Rosetta Stone: The Role of Texts in Supporting Automaticity in Beginning Reading, Elfrieda H. Hiebert19. Building a Focus on Oral Reading Fluency into Individual Instruction forStruggling Readers, Jerry Zutell, Randal Donelson, Jessica Bevans, and Patsy Todt

Interviews

Teacher educators and graduate students, reading and literacy specialists, and classroom teachers. Serves as a text in courses in reading methods, elementary literacy instruction, fluency, and oral literacy.

Editorial Reviews

"Fluency Instruction is one of my favorite books, and one I always keep at hand's reach. The second edition provides some wonderful additions to an already excellent work; new chapters on English language learners and adolescent learners are especially welcome. I have adopted this book as a text for our graduate-level course entitled 'Phonics to Fluency,' and it is also a wonderful resource for our undergraduate reading methods course. The book helps teachers and teacher candidates become better prepared to meet the needs of all learners."—William Dee Nichols, PhD, Professor and Head, School of Teaching and Learning, Western Carolina University

"With chapters from leading researchers and practitioners, this second edition addresses the latest theory, research, practices, and programs that influence fluency. It provides necessary information to help classroom teachers better understand the 'whats,' 'whys,' and 'how-tos' of fluency assessment and instruction. The editors dispel the misconception that fluency means reading fast or with expression, showing that fluency assessment and instruction must absolutely not be separated from comprehension. This excellent book is recommended for all classroom teachers and teacher educators who seek to enhance and develop the goal of reading—comprehension."—Rona F. Flippo, EdD, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Massachusetts Boston

"The second edition has been thoroughly updated and features several new chapters. Updates reflect the changing demographics of today's classrooms and offer teachers and researchers insights into how best to teach fluency to students across grade levels with varying needs. This is one of the most comprehensive books on fluency available. It takes the reader from the history of fluency to instructional applications, including considerations for types of learners rarely discussed in previous literature."—William H. Rupley, PhD, Professor and Distinguished Research Fellow, Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture, Texas A&M University

From the Publisher