Many students appear to read fluently but are stumped when presented with a new word.
True reading fluency refers to a student’s speed, smoothness, and ease of oral reading. Fluent readers read more quickly and smoothly because they can automatically recognize and decode words.
Fluent readers gain more meaning from the text they read because fluency leads to comprehension. For the most part, fluent readers enjoy reading more than students who are completely focused on sounding out words.
Additionally, reading fluency is partly measured by a WCPM – that is Words Correct per Minute. The average first grade student should be able to read 60 WCPM, reaching a 150 WCPM by the fifth grade.
In order to determine if your student is reading by memorization, or if they are effectively decoding the words, give them a Nonsense Words Test.
Nonsense words, like baf, require the reader to use their knowledge of sound-spelling to decode each word, eliminating the chance that they are recognizing the word by sight.
Click here to learn more about Nonsense Words and reading assessments for your student ›
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