8/15/2024

Six Fun Strategies for Increasing Reading Fluency

If decoding, speed, and accuracy in silent reading are a struggle for some readers, imagine how much more difficult it might be to read aloud. These students might struggle with fluency, which is the ability to read a text with accuracy, speed, and proper expression. With increasing pressure to accelerate student learning, teachers must have effective and engaging tools and reading fluency strategies for the classroom.

While strategies such as choral reading, group reading, and shared reading are all great for learning and practicing oral fluency, some students might prefer to practice their skills in a one-on-one setting. In many cases, it may not be feasible for a teacher to spend a lot of one-on-one time listening to each student read out loud. Fortunately, there’s another option. 

Paired reading, also known as "partner reading," allows teachers to pair up students to take turns reading text aloud to each other. In this blog post, we offer six evidence-based partner reading strategies for increasing reading fluency in a way that’s fun and engaging for students.

First Things First: Why is Fluency So Important?

According to one study, students with strong oral fluency skills are more likely to succeed in other parts of the literacy acquisition process (Fuchs et al., 2001). This is because fluency functions as a bridge between being able to read or decode words and being able to comprehend what is being read. Students who don’t master reading fluency might get stuck in the middle of this bridge—they might be able to decode the words they’re reading, but they won’t be able to fully understand or get meaning from them.

Increasing students’ reading fluency is a crucial part of the literacy acquisition process. The human brain is amazing, but it can only handle a certain amount of tasks at one time. In becoming fluent readers, words need to be recognized instantly by the reader, making the reading process automatic and freeing up attention and cognitive energy to focus on comprehension.

Best Partner Reading Activities to Increase Reading Fluency

Now that we’ve covered why fluency is so important, here are six in-class activities that can help struggling students. These reading fluency strategies are a fun way to get students excited about reading, and they’re all based on the science of reading.

1. Pair a high-fluency reader with a low-fluency reader

This strategy makes it easier for teachers to create positive peer modeling for struggling students. Teachers can pair low-fluency readers with friends or work partners who have high reading fluency, so struggling readers can hear their friends pronounce tricky words, add expression, and use a natural rhythm when reading aloud. Since students will be working one on one instead of in a group or a large class, there is less social pressure and embarrassment about disfluencies.

2. Group same-level readers together

A different take on traditional leveled reading groups involves forming leveled reading pairs. Although pairing up two students who both struggle with reading fluency may seem counterintuitive, there are several benefits to this approach. First, students who are self-conscious about reading aloud may be more willing to give it a try if their partner shares the same struggles. Second, students have a chance to privately share helpful reading strategies with each other. Finally, when students are working in pairs, the educator has flexibility to walk around the classroom and interact as needed, making it easier to provide additional guidance.

3. Allow students to pick their own reading partners

Everyone has preferences, and students are no exception. With this in mind, why not let students create their own pairs for an oral reading activity? Struggling readers who prefer to read aloud with another struggling reader will be able to choose that option, while those looking to learn by example from a more fluent reader can do so as well.

4. Choose interesting and individualized texts

Paired reading allows teachers to select different texts to suit different needs, rather than trying to find one text that fits the needs of a group or even the whole class. Educators can also allow student pairs to pick books about topics that interest them. For instance, two students who are on the same sports team might want to read a story about their particular sport, while a pair who enjoys superheroes may like to take turns reading from a comic book or graphic novel. 

5. Choose plays or dialogues for students to read aloud

Reading a text aloud can feel a bit unnatural, especially for struggling readers. However, dialogue can feel much more natural to read aloud with a partner. Future thespians may also benefit from the stage cues noted in plays to help give context to their reading. These cues can even help students connect the written material with the inflections and expressions they naturally use when speaking.

6. Provide tips about giving positive, helpful peer feedback

Before beginning paired reading activities, educators can have a class discussion about positive ways to support and correct classmates. Instead of the teacher explaining rules and suggesting phrases, students can get involved by creating a collaborative list for paired reading. Examples of rules include "No interrupting" or "Be respectful," while suggested phrases could be "You might want to try…" or "This is pronounced…" as opposed to "You're wrong." Setting up rules for positive feedback from the outset helps make partner reading a safe space for struggling readers.

Using Science to Inform Reading Instruction

The science of reading is a method of teaching literacy based on gold-standard evidence that shows exactly how the human brain learns to read. Fluency is one of the foundational reading skills, and it is crucial to moving students from learning to read into reading to learn. It’s important educators have a full understanding of what the foundational reading skills are, and have tools to implement reading strategies that are effective and facilitate student success.

To learn more about helping students develop reading to learn, take a look at this white paper. Here, we take an in-depth look at effective, proven strategies educators can use to support their students' success. Once students make this shift, they are more likely to find success in all areas of their academics.