Notebook: Literacy

Nicole Lendo
3/12/08
TE 402-Lit

Notebook: Ideas and Examples of Fluency


Fluency is the ability to read quickly and with expression. Students must also be able to recognize words automatically. Tompkins stated that fluent readers have more cognitive resources available. Fluency has several components, including reading, phonics, strategies, vocabulary, and comprehension, literature, writing, and spelling. All of these components combined can increase reading speed as well as word recognition. Two of the most important aspects that I learned about fluency, is that it is a combination of instruction and experience and that non-fluency isn’t permanent. I think the latter is extremely important, because it shows that your fluency can be improved with the right practice.
Aside from reading fluency, children can also be fluent in a number of other things, including writing, speaking, and comprehension. I feel that fluent writers can write the alphabet with ease and can spell rather well. Fluent speakers are able to communicate well, using proper words and proper grammar. I think that there can also be comprehension fluency, which would include students who are able to use higher order thinking on a regular basis.
In my placement, I have seen reading speed improved by repeated vocabulary, as well as enhanced word recognition through mini lessons. I have also seen prosody through choral readings. I have also seen fluency in my classroom through word walls (common words and student names) and high frequency words throughout the classroom. Finally, through our class readings, I have also noticed that students using phonic analysis as well as syllabic analysis.
Overall, I have learned numerous new ideas about literacy as well as seen various examples throughout my placement. Although I focused most on reading literacy, this was just because I observe this most in my classroom.


Source: Tompkins, Chapter 5