Notes that the fluent reader needs rapid perception, the ability to use semantic and syntactic clues, and sophisticated comprehension strategies. (MKM)

Concludes that poor readers benefit from a cooperative strategy that gives them practice toward fluency in a supportive situation. Explains how repeated reading works and offers a strategy for using it. (FL)

This step-by-step manual can be used to guide primary-grade students through retellings. The following will be discovered: (1) Developmental retelling strategies that match the reading level of each student; (2) How to build the foundation for quality retellings with activities that help students understand a story's events, sequence, and…

Research has shown that students can be taught to comprehend the material better while they are reading. Successful instruction of this type has usually focused on the teaching of comprehension strategies--that is, intentional actions students can use during reading to guide their thinking. Such strategies improve both understanding and memory.…

This report describes a program for increasing reading fluency through the implementation of several reading interventions. The elementary students of the two targeted regular education classes and the one mild-moderately impaired program exhibit difficulty in reading fluently, which impedes them from becoming independent learners. Evidence for…

These official primary trait scoring guide presents details of the 6-point scoring system used in third-grade Oregon schools to evaluate students' performance in oral reading fluency and in comprehension (as measured through retelling). The oral reading fluency benchmark portion of the scoring guide is broken down into phrasing, flow, and pace…

Cognitive strategy instruction is currently garnering much attention in the literature as an effective means of teaching children who display learning difficulties in a wide variety of academic areas. In reading, the Paraphrasing Strategy, which is one of an array of strategies used in the Strategies Intervention Model (SIM) (Schumaker, Deshler, &…

Without the development of reading fluency as part of reading instruction, teachers may end up with a classroom full of students who read roughly and slowly, and who may not completely gather the important information from the text. One strategy to increase fluency is the fluency development lesson (FDL) that includes seven steps modeled by the…

Discusses how a literacy intervention program found success among struggling readers in prison. Describes "Turning a New Page," an unconditional literacy project that develops vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and self-esteem in the older, reluctant reader. Concludes that older, reluctant readers need motivation and respect in learning…

Explains why the Clinton administration's answer to illiteracy, embodied in the "America Reads Challenge," in the United States is not a solution and only diverts accountability from the failure of the public-education system. It argues that phonics is the best way to teach reading and provides the principles of reading instruction. (GR)

Evaluates the effectiveness of the "Horizons Fast Track A-B" program on first-grade students' decoding skills and oral reading fluency. Notes that two classes used "Horizons Fast Track" and two classes used a Silver, Burdett, and Ginn (SBG) curriculum. Finds that classes that received "Horizons" instruction…

Discusses Readers Theatre, an instructional activity that combines several effective research-based practices, and leads to increased engagement with literacy even in very resistant readers. Considers the theory and research behind Readers Theatre. Describes the process of choosing and writing texts for performance, and preparing for performances.…

Findings from a study which compared methods for improving students' (N=20) reading fluency indicate: (1) both repeated readings and listening-while-reading treatments were effective in improving reading fluency and, (2) neither treatment was superior to the other in improving reading fluency. (IAH)

Focuses on the development of and research into well-articulated models of reading fluency instruction that make fluency an integral part of the regular reading curriculum. Brings to light ways in which reading fluency instruction can be made an important part of and an achievable goal for the general reading curriculum. (SR)

Examines factors related to the slower reading of text by reading-disabled compared to average readers. Finds phonological awareness and digit-naming speed consistently related to speed and errors on initial reading and on reading for a fourth time. Finds an independent relationship between phonemic sensitivity and fluency. (RS)