Page 18 - iRead EL in Research Paper

Fluency
Fluency refers to the ability to read letters, sounds, words, sentences and passages, both orally and silently, with speed and accuracy (NELP, 2008; Vaughn & Linan-Thompson, 2004).
Research Evidence and Expert Opinion
Fluency in reading rests on foundational skills that are built and reinforced through e ective phonics instruction. Adams (1990) notes:
Research indicates that the most critical factor beneath uent word reading is the ability to recognize letters, spelling patterns, and whole words e ortlessly, automatically, and visually. The central goal of all reading instruction—comprehension—depends critically on this ability (p. 54).
Thus, it is important for early literacy instruction to include uency practice within the context of building foundational skills building. As The National Reading Panel (2000) cautions:
phonics programs that emphasize decoding exclusively and ignore the other processes involved in learning to read [including reading uency and automaticity] will not succeed in making every child a skilled reader (p. 2-117).
Beyond developing decoding skills to automaticity, uency is best developed, the research shows, by providing students with ample practice opportunities for oral reading, supported by explicit instruction from teachers, as well as other forms
of feedback from fellow students and families (Adams, 1990; NRP, 2000; Vaughn & Linan-Thompson, 2004). Furthermore, explicit and systematic uency instruction that includes monitoring of student progress has shown stronger e ects than more implicit approaches (NRP, 2000; Vaughn & Linan-Thompson, 2004). Vaughn & Linan-Thompson (2004), based on their review of the research, suggest the following explicit means of teaching uency:
• Model Reading: a model reader (often the teacher) reads the text, then the student reads it.
• Choral Reading: the teacher previews a passage, then the teacher reads aloud, with students joining in. The
teacher’s voice fades to allow the children to proceed without a modeled reader.
• Recorded Reading: students follow a text being read by a recorded reader.
• Reader’s Theater: students rehearse a text repeatedly, then perform it.
• Partner Reading: students, often paired in di ering reading levels, read and reread passages of text to each other.
In these and other uency activities, care should be taken to appropriately match the texts to each student’s individual reading level (Vaughn & Linan-Thompson, 2004). Typically, texts that children can read orally with 95% accuracy are likely to produce the best results.
RECOMMENDATION
Research and expert opinion indicate that e ective word and letter recognition skills are essential to uency in reading. Providing frequent opportunities for accountable silent and oral guided reading of texts, appropriately leveled to each learner, promotes the development of uency.
iRead’s Approach
iRead helps students gain uency through technology-based explicit practice in phonics-based activities that promote
automaticity in word decoding and daily connected text activities. In addition to the online activities, iRead provides students 16