Module+7

​1. What does research say about the topic? JULY 15, ONLY L, JM WERE THERE~ ML here on 18th RV on th 19th

Lynn: Research says that repeated readings improve fluency, comprehension, word recognition, and factual retention. Repeated readings are also an excellent motivational device.

JM: Research says that skilled readers make inferences automatically to construct meaning from the text. In order for a student to become a fluent reader, they must be able to decode words and comprehend the text at the same time.

Lisa: I was reminded of the articles I have read for another class explaining how our brains must decode, comprehend, and pay attention to the text all at the same time. If too much cognitive effort is being spent on decoding, then fluency and comprehention will suffer. In order to ensure fluent readers, all other skills must be in place so they can be used by the reader. ML: Research says that fluency (rate, prosody, and automaticity) helps comprehension. Students must have strong decoding skills to be fluent. Repeated readings prove to be beneficial in building fluency.

RV: I often think about that Lisa. I remember reading so much reserach that says if a student isnt fluent it is because they are using too much brain power to decode and comprehend and keep their attention on the text in order to read with an appropriate pace and expression.

2. Rank order the following fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary in inportance in the reading process. Give reasons for the ranking.

Lynn: Fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. Automaticity in recognizing and decoding words is very important so that cognitive skills may be used to determine meanings of words and to gain information from what is being read.

JM: Fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. Students must be able to decode words and understand their meaning (either from context clues or prior knowledge) to comprehend what they text is saying.

MS: I WOULD RANK THEM VOCABULARY, COMPREHENSION AND FLUENCY. I HAVE A STRONG STREAK IN ME WHICH FEELS THE NEED TO KNOW VOCABULARY BEFORE THE COMPREHENSION CAN EVEN START. I AGREE WITH BOTH OF YOU THOUGH BECAUSE YOU SUPPORTED YOUR IDEAS.

Lisa: I agree comprehension is the utmost goal of reading, but if a student is lacking either fluency or vocabulary, wouldn't that have a negative effect on comprehension? A low vocabulary will keep a reader from fully understanding the text, and low fluency will prevent the smooth flow of ideas and information. ML: My opinion is probably skewed now that I have read Dr. Swason's comment. :) I would have probably said vocabulary, fluency, and then comprehension. I always feel like comprehension is the end product, and it takes all of the others to get to the end. I think a strong vocabulary would make you more fluent, and being more fluent would equal better comprehension.

RV: I think that fluency and vocabulary have to come first and then comprehension is the end product after a student is successful with the other areas.

3. The NPR is different from the textbook in the fluency matter. . . Why? Which position do you like better and why?

Lynn: The main difference that I saw between the NPR and the textbook was the emphasis on reading with expression that was evident in the NPR. Automaticity is not enough. Fluency is the fast, effortless word recognition as well as the expression. I agree with the NPR. If a child is not reading with expression and interacting with the text in a meaningful way, their achievement will not improve. JM: NPR supports a move overall approach to fluency. Fluency is more than reading fast, it also involes reading with expression and accuracy. I support the NPR because there are several components to fluency, all of which need to be met in order for students to show growth in fluency. Lisa: I agree, with Lynn and JM. Reading with expression shows that the reader clearly understands what is being read and can match the inflection and tone with many different texts. I also agree that fluency is a complex element. . . it is NOT just reading fast as many assessments lead us to believe. ML: I agree with the others on supporting the NPR. Reading with expression (prosody and intonation) are just as important as rate. Lisa I agree with you about assessments (DIBELS). They do not give an overall picture of fluency, just rate. RV: I also agree that a fast reader is not a fluent reader. The reader must feel what they are reading and convey that through their expression, rate, and comprehension. They must all go together. It really bothers me when I have astudent read fast for me in DIBELS but does not read with good expression. I try to make an independent note of that to review later.

4. Your questions from the group: Lynn: Is the relationship between fluency and comprehension that easy?* A STUDENT MUST BE FLUENT TO COMPREHEND AND MUST COMPREHEND TO BE FLUENT. THUS, THE KEY FOR BOTH IS THE PRE-READING ACTIVITIES WHICH SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FIRST BEFORE READING. THE HOOK, THE MOTIVATION, THE KEY VOCABULARY, AND THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION MUST BE PRESENT TO READ. Lisa: It seems as if the two go hand in hand. If a reader is fluent then we expect them to have good comprehension, and if a reader has great comprehension, then we expect them to be fluent readers. I have not worked with older readers, I wonder how often a teacher has a student is is fluent but lacking comprehension or vice versa, has comprehension but lacks fluency?? ML: I had a student last year that had great comprehension, but wasn't so fluent. I was puzzled somewhat by this. We worked on repeated readings of different forms all year along with phonics/decoding skills and got him up to DIBELS standards for rate anyway. I'm not a fan either. JM: Does DIBELS do an accurate job of assessing fluency? *   MS: NO! DIBELS IS A GOOD MEASUREMENT THOUGH. I FEEL FLUENCY IS ALSO A MIND THING. I HAVE HEARD MULTIPLE ELL STUDENTS READ FLUENTLY BUT DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE MEANING SO THEY COULD NOT READ WITH GREAT INFLECTION OR SENSE OF COMMUNICATION. I HAVE HEARD STUDENTS MEMORIZE THE PASSAGE AND READ FLUENTLY BUT YET NOT BE FLUENT. I THINK TEACHERS ARE THE BEST MEASUREMENT OF FLUENCY. Lisa: I have a love-hate relationship with DIBELS. I have been using it for over 2 years to assess in kindergarten. With the palm pilots,it is a quick and easy assessment, but there are children who score higher or lower than the teacher KNOWS they should. This is an instance when a teacher's professional advice should override the assessment. I also think many schools are misusing DIBELS. It makes beautiful graphs and charts that can be presented to administration and policymakers, but I don't feel it is very effective for instructional decision-making. Teachers must remember to use an assessment that gives them what they need to know to develop the best instrucional plan for their students. ML: I agree with all of the above about DIBELS. I like some parts of it, but I hate how we feel forced to improve reading rate so that students do not have to come to summer school just for that. Lisa: I have heard of 2 different school districts that are sending text passages for homework with instrucitons for parents to time their child reading and work for faster times. I am fairly sure they are doing this to improve those DIBELS scores that are reported to the state. In my heart I know this is not a proper way to improve fluency in school, but if it works for them and provides better looking scores for the state reports, what reasoning can I give to discourage this??? Does that type of drill-and-practice actually improve fluency??

RV: I want to know if fluency instruction should happen even if students aren't strong decoders. I see this in second grade alot and am puzzled by it?