Reading fluency refers to the ability to read text with speed, accuracy, and prosody (expression and phrasing). Fluent readers can decode words quickly and automatically, enabling them to comprehend the meaning of the text more efficiently. Fluency involves smooth and natural reading, with appropriate emphasis, pauses, and intonation, and it plays a significant role in reading comprehension. When students can read with fluency, their cognitive resources are freed up to focus on understanding and making connections within the text.
Ways to increase fluency:
- Phonics (letter and sound rules)
- Phoneme awareness (blending and separating sounds)
- Phonic word patterns such as oy, ow, ou, sh, ch
- Appropriate pronunciation
- Repeated readings (reread books)
- Choral reading (read aloud together)
Phonics Activities to Improve Reading Fluency
Build phonemic awareness with phonics activities from TeacherFileBox printables.
Building Reading Fluency with Fluency Passages
These Building Reading Fluency Passages from TeacherFileBox printables are a great way to expose children to new words and texts!
Reading Fluency Recommendations
A words-per-minute grade-level chart is an easy way to see at a glance the most common fluency reading levels for each grade. Remember, accuracy and reflection are the main emphasis when looking at the number of words read per minute.
Listed below are reading level recommendations for students to read grade-level-appropriate texts by the end of the year. Experts’ opinions vary, but these are some good baselines to monitor your child’s fluency.
Keep in mind that a reading words-per-minute grade-level chart is a simple gauge and just one measurement tool used to identify students’ readiness. Every student learns in a unique way, at his or her own pace. If a child is not at grade level, focus on increasing his or her current score by 10 to 15 words by the end of the year, and then celebrate the successes!
Evan-Moor’s TeacherFileBox printables are a great tool to help children learn to read. The diverse reading activities and games provide engaging reading experiences for kids. With thousands of reading activities, parents and teachers can create a reading curriculum around every child’s abilities and interests.
With over 80,000 lesson units available across PreK–6 grades, TeacherFileBox makes it easy to build your reading curriculum. In addition to reading lessons, TeacherFileBox also includes lesson units across the curriculum for grades PreK–6 in math, language, writing, science, geography, social studies, STEM/STEAM, SEL, and more! Save your favorite printables in your personal account—and print lessons, project them onto a screen, or share them in your Google Classroom!
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For more reading lessons from Evan-Moor’s TeacherFileBox printables, see Helping Children Learn to Read with Phonics, Sight Words, Reading Comprehension and More!
Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.