About the Book
Because fluency instruction was identified only recently as a cornerstone literacy subject, it is still unfamiliar terrain for many teachers. This volume fills a crucial gap by offering a thorough, authoritative examination of what reading fluency is and how it should be taught. Contributing authors - who include the field's leading authorities - review the growing knowledge base and provide clear recommendations for effective, engaging instruction and assessment. Special topics include promising applications for struggling readers and English language learners. Throughout, vignettes and examples from exemplary programs bring the research to life, enhancing the book's utility as an undergraduate- or graduate-level text and a resource for inservice teachers.
Table of Contents:
Rasinski, Blachowicz, Lems, Introduction. Part I: Fluency Theory, Fluency Research. Samuels, Reading Fluency: Its Past, Present, and Future.Shanahan, Developing Fluency in the Context of Effective Literacy Instruction. Chard, Pikulski, McDonagh, Fluency: The Link Between Decoding and Comprehension for Struggling Readers. Reutzel, "Hey, Teacher, When You Say 'Fluency,' What Do You Mean?": Developing Fluency in Elementary Classrooms. Walker, Mokhtari, Sargent, Reading Fluency: More Than Fast and Accurate Reading. Allington, Mathson,Solic, Hijacking Fluency and Instructionally Informative Assessments. Part II: Best Programs, Best Practices. Johnston, The Fluency Assessment System: Improving Oral Reading Fluency with Technology. Blachowicz, Moskal, Massarelli, Obrochta, Fogelberg, Fisher, "Everybody Reads": Fluency as a Focus for Staff Development. Ash, Kuhn, Meaningful Oral and Silent Reading in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom: Breaking the Round Robin Reading Addiction. Topping, Paired Reading: Impact of a Tutoring Method on Reading Accuracy, Comprehension, and Fluency. Pluck, "Jonathon is 11 but Reads Like a Struggling 7-Year-Old": Providing Assistance for Struggling Readers with a Tape-Assisted Reading Program. Carrick, Readers Theater across the Curriculum. Part III: Special Populations, Special Issues. Lems, Reading Fluency and Comprehension in Adult English Language Learners. Stevenson, Rasinski, Padak, Teaching Fluency (and Decoding) through Fast Start: An Early Childhood Parental Involvement Program. Zutell, Donelson, Bevans, Todt, Building a Focus on Oral Reading Fluency into Individual Instruction for Struggling Readers. Hiebert, Fisher, Fluency from the First: What Works with First Graders. Appendix: Multidimensional Fluency Scale.
About the Author :
Timothy Rasinski, PhD, Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies, Kent State University
Camille Blachowicz, PhD, Department of Language and Literacy, National-Louis University
Kristin Lems, EdD, Department of Applied Language, National-Louis University
Review :
'I especially liked the focus on helping children become metacognitive about their own fluency, the use of curriculum-based measures to assess fluency, and the role fluency plays in supporting higher levels of comprehension and critical reading. The blend of theory and practice and the personal style of each of the authors makes this book one that would be useful for graduate courses on teaching and learning reading, as well as for teacher study groups.' - Sara Ann Beach, PhD, University of Oklahoma
'The perfect balance of theory, research, and practical application. By providing multiple perspectives on fluency, the book enables readers to develop their thinking and make informed decisions about assessment and instruction that will best meet the needs of their students. This book will be a valuable resource for preservice and practicing teachers who are interested in improving students’ reading fluency.' - Julie K. Kidd, EdD, George Mason University
'I especially liked the focus on helping children become metacognitive about their own fluency, the use of curriculum-based measures to assess fluency, and the role fluency plays in supporting higher levels of comprehension and critical reading. The blend of theory and practice and the personal style of each of the authors makes this book one that would be useful for graduate courses on teaching and learning reading, as well as for teacher study groups.' - Sara Ann Beach, PhD, University of Oklahoma
'The perfect balance of theory, research, and practical application. By providing multiple perspectives on fluency, the book enables readers to develop their thinking and make informed decisions about assessment and instruction that will best meet the needs of their students. This book will be a valuable resource for preservice and practicing teachers who are interested in improving students’ reading fluency.' - Julie K. Kidd, EdD, George Mason University
'What a wonderful resource! Fluency has received a great deal of attention since its inclusion in the National Reading Panel's report in 2000, yet there has been little consensus on what fluency means for researchers, reading educators, and classroom teachers... [This book] brings fluency research and practice together in an accessible format that will be useful for informing fluency research, fostering more informed fluency education for undergraduate and graduate students, and promoting research-based practice of fluency instruction.' - Kelly B. Cartwright, PhD, Christopher Newport University
