Ep. 153: Science of Reading Beyond Phonics: Fluency Instruction and Assessment with Jan Hasbrouck
Jul 7, 2023
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Jan Hasbrouck, an expert in fluency instruction and assessment, joins Melissa and Lori Love Literacy to discuss tips for assessing and teaching fluency. They debunk myths, explain the Hasbrouck-Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Chart, and emphasize the importance of automaticity and expression in fluency. They also explore the optimal reading range, challenges for dyslexic students, the significance of prosody, and the value of the Orph assessment tool. The speakers share their love for reading, dedication to literacy and education, and passion for teaching and helping struggling children.
Assessing fluency is important for evaluating reading abilities and should be addressed alongside other foundational skills.
Words correct per minute (WCPM) provides valuable insights into a student's fluency level and potential comprehension skills.
Improving fluency requires targeted instruction focusing on accuracy, rate, and prosody, while reinforcing the connection between fluency and comprehension.
Deep dives
The Importance of Assessing Fluency
Assessing fluency is a valuable tool in evaluating a student's reading abilities. It measures a student's accuracy and rate of reading, providing insights into their fluency levels. While fluency is not the sole indicator of comprehension, it serves as a crucial component in the reading process. Teachers can use tools like the Hasbrooke-Tindall Oral Reading Fluency Chart or commercially available assessments to assess fluency. It is important to note that fluency should be addressed alongside other foundational skills such as language development and word recognition. By identifying areas of weakness, teachers can tailor interventions to help students improve their fluency and ultimately enhance their reading comprehension.
The Benefits of Words Correct Per Minute Assessment
Words correct per minute (WCPM) is a widely used assessment tool to measure fluency. While it may not capture the full complexity of fluency, WCPM provides quick and valuable information on a student's reading abilities. It can indicate a student's automaticity, or the ability to read accurately and at an appropriate rate. By timing a one-minute reading passage and counting the number of words read correctly, teachers can gain insights into a student's fluency level and potential comprehension skills. WCPM is a valuable piece of the assessment puzzle, alongside other measures of comprehension and prosody.
Fluency Instruction Strategies
Improving fluency requires targeted instruction tailored to individual students' needs. This instruction should focus on both accuracy and rate. For students struggling with word recognition, interventions should include decoding and encoding exercises. This helps students develop necessary skills to recognize words and decode them fluently. Practicing word lists and reading passages can also enhance rate and automaticity. It is important for teachers to reinforce the connection between fluency and comprehension, emphasizing that fluent reading allows for better understanding of text. Additionally, teachers can address prosody or expression by modeling appropriate reading and engaging students in discussions about the purpose of reading with fluency.
Understanding Orph as a Valuable Tool
Despite some misconceptions, orph, or words correct per minute, is a valuable assessment tool. It provides a snapshot of a student's reading fluency and can be used alongside other assessments to inform instruction. Orph should be seen as a quick check, similar to taking someone's body temperature to gauge health. While it does not measure comprehension directly, research shows that orph correlates with comprehension skills. By understanding the role of orph and its limitations, teachers can use it effectively to support students' reading growth.
Empowering Students through Reading
The love for literacy and education stems from a deep sense of fulfillment and passion. Teachers find joy in seeing their students learn and grow, especially those who face challenges. Working with struggling readers helps teachers make a meaningful impact on their students' lives. The ultimate goal is to empower students with the skills they need to become proficient readers. By addressing fluency and other foundational skills, teachers can provide tailored instruction, instilling hope, optimism, and a love for lifelong learning in their students.
Today we talk about fluency and assessment with Jan Hasbrouck. She shares tips and tricks for how to to best assess and teach fluency. She also debunks frequent fluency misunderstandings and explains the scientific evidence that underlies the Hasbrouck-Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Chart.
Note: During the podcast, we mentioned we would link Jan’s previous studies on ORF. But… we want to make sure the most recent information (Fluency Norms Chart 2017 Update) is the one that is prioritized for instructional use, so we’ve linked that to avoid confusion.