

First Steps to Fluency: How Young Learners Become Independent Readers with Virginia Quinn Mooney
May 16, 2025
Virginia Quinn Mooney, a dedicated first-grade teacher, dives into the essentials of reading fluency for young learners. She emphasizes the significance of fluency in enhancing comprehension and shares dynamic strategies, like partner reading and engaging read-alouds. Virginia highlights the power of expression and prosody, recommending the incorporation of songs and poems for richer reading experiences. Her insights are invaluable for educators seeking to foster confident, independent readers in their classrooms.
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Episode notes
Fluency Connects Decoding to Comprehension
- Fluency in K-2 centers around automatic word reading and expressive prosody.
- It bridges decoding skills to comprehension, essential even for beginning readers.
Use Shared and Partner Reading Daily
- Use shared reading with echo and choral reading to model fluent reading.
- Incorporate partner reading daily to reinforce fluency in both decodable and authentic texts.
Strategic Partner Reading Tips
- Partner students strategically by pairing readers who vary slightly in ability.
- Teach partner reading behaviors explicitly, including voice modulation and helping each other with difficult words.