Sometimes parents wonder if it is okay for their child to re-read the same book/s. As parents, we sometimes feel like this may be a waste of time because the child has already read the book in question, they already know what it is about and know exactly what is going to happen.
It is quite common for students to benefit from re-reading books, especially if they are working on becoming increasingly fluent readers. It helps students remember facts and focus on higher levels of comprehension and understanding.
What is fluency?
Fluency is how fluidly someone reads. This includes speed, use of punctuation and ability to read with expression. In order for a student (or adult) to read with fluency, they need to read at an independent reading level or slightly lower. In other words, it is okay for your student to read an easier book.
Concerned about fluency?
As a parent, you can model the reading of a paragraph or a few sentences, the way it is meant to sound and have your student try it with the same text. It does not have to be speed reading, but purposeful and fluid.
How is fluency addressed in the classroom?
There are several strategies to increase fluency, including re-reading. You may also see teachers instruct students through automaticity with sight words, phrasing, reader's theatre, choral reading, paired reading, reading while listening to text, teaching students to recognize the parts of difficult words that they already know (including teaching of and automaticity with prefixes and suffixes), and other methods as well.
What is the expected rate of fluency for my student?
Fluency rates begin to increase in 2nd Grade and begins to take shape in 1st Grade.
Fall expectations:
Grade Average #-words per minute Above Average#-words per minute
2nd 40-50 80
3rd 55-70 100
4th 75-95 120
5th 90-110 140
Teachers assess fluency while completing Reading Running Records with students at the beginning, middle and end of the school year in most grade levels.
Enjoy watching your student read!
