Reading Fluency and Recorded Readings

Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. In order to understand what they read, children must be able to read fluently. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add voice appropriately. Their reading is smooth and has expression.

Children who do not read with fluency sound choppy and awkward (which is very normal for kindergarten and first graders!) Those students may have difficulty with decoding skills or they may just need more practice with speed and smoothness in reading. Fluency is also important for motivation; children who find reading too difficult tend not to want read! As our little ones head into upper elementary grades, fluency becomes increasingly important. Students stop learning to read and begin reading to learn. Students whose reading is slow will have trouble meeting the reading demands of their grade level.

One of the things that Vermillion teachers have tapped into this year is the fact that students love to hear themselves read! Using the free download of Audacity and an inexpensive microphone, students can record themselves reading over and over until they feel it is just right! Even better, students can listen to the passage or story first, and hear it modeled for them. When they try, they too will model the voice and fluency that they hear in the story. Using a LAME decoder, you can easily save this recording as an MP3 and burn it to a CD that can be played in your car. What a great way to let your child show off his/her reading skills for Grandma or simply practice reading along...with themselves!

Another way that students can enhance fluency through recorded readings is in Microsoft Word. Type in the sentences or passage that you want your child to practice reading. Use a clear, easy to read font such as comic sans in about a 16 type size. Click in the area where you want your sound icon to appear. Then, go to insert, object, wave sound. Once you do this, a recording icon will appear at the top. Click red to start recording and the square shape to stop. Close the recording menu. Double click on the speaker to hear yourself read!

How to Read with a Beginning Reader by: Joanne Meier (2009)located on the Reading Rockets website is a good article to start with!