Fluency

         It has been said again and again that READING WITHOUT COMPREHENSION IS NOT READING AT ALL.For what is reading if there is no understanding of what was read? We often tell our learners that reading is a wonderful experience because it can take them to places, even magical worlds. But how can this happen if they can't understand what they are reading?

          Herein enters fluency. It is a very important component in reading. It is the bridge between word recognition and comprehension (National Institute of Literacy (NIFL) 2001). According to them, fluency plays a vital role in reading because the reader spends lesser time in decoding words thereby having more time in understanding the text. In order for a learner to have fluency, he needs to have the ability to read accurately, fast, quick and with prosody. Observing markers, intonation, phrasing, stresses and pauses contribute largely in comprehending the text. For instance, the word PRESENT. If it is used as a noun the stress should be on the first syllable. Reading it with the stress on the 2nd syllable will mean a different thing already. It will become a verb and therefore, the sentence (I will give my father a present) will be wrong if the stress is on the 2nd syllable. This is just a simple example on how prosody helps comprehension and fluency. Chunking or phrasing has the same effect. The meaning of sentences will be different when chunked wrongly. 

         Fluency In Reading can be developed.

          A teacher can model for the learners. A more fluent classmate can model also for the lesser fluent ones. A great opportunity for reading repeatedly should be observed by the teacher inside her reading class. This gives learners of reading practice and learn to mimic their teachers.

           What materials can be used?

• Choral reading.
• Reading with a model teacher
• Reader's Theater
• Tape-assisted reading
• partner reading

          It is also important to note that monitoring student progress can be motivating enough for them to take to themselves the task of reading even when not asked to. A NEPP corner should also be readily available inside each classroom to encourage young readers to read, read, read and read until they cannot read anymore.

Ciao!