Read Naturally Rationale
The READ NATURALLY program provides a method to improve reading fluency. Most struggling readers have fluency problems and spend little time reading. The READ NATURALLY program combines three powerful strategies for improving fluency: teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring.
Struggling Readers Often Have Fluency Problems
Students that read word-by-word, haltingly, slowly, and laboriously are displaying typical characteristics associated with fluency problems. Research demonstrates a strong correlation between fluency and reading comprehension (Armstrong, Breznitz, Knupp, Lesgold). Consequently, teachers need to develop the fluency of their students in order to address comprehension problems.
Struggling Readers Do Not Read Enough
Students become fluent readers by reading (Allington). Yet in our elementary and secondary schools, students read an average of only seven to eight minutes a day (U.S. Department of Education). Struggling readers read even less – hardly enough time to become proficient at something as difficult as learning to read. Struggling readers cannot or will not independently read the books in classroom libraries. When asked to read quietly, they sometimes pretend to read. Often these students cannot read the textbooks and anthologies in their classrooms. Also, poor fluency is a self-perpetuating problem. Struggling readers read fewer words during their instructional and independent reading time that the gab between them and their peers continually widens.
What Struggling Readers Need to Become Fluent
Struggling readers need a safe, structured, and highly motivated opportunity to engage in reading on a daily basis. Research supports teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring as ways to involve struggling readers in the act of reading, to improve their fluency and to accelerate their reading achievement.
Teacher modeling improves the reading fluency of students. (Eldredge and Quinn, Heckelman, McAllister, Reitsma.) Teacher modeling consists of proficient reader modeling good, correct reading for a less able reader. Dyad reading, echoic reading, NIM (neurological impress method) and choral reading are examples of this strategy.
Repeated reading also improves fluency (Dowhower, Herman, Knupp, Koskinen, Larking, O’Shea, Rashotte, Richek). With this strategy, the student reads a story of 100 to 200 words many times until able to read it fluently.
Finally, daily monitoring of student progress improves student achievement (Schrunk). The student becomes more involved in the learning process, and the teacher remains aware of each student’s progress.
Combining teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring creates a powerful tool to improve the reading fluency of struggling readers.
For further details about the research behind READ NATURALLY, email info@readnaturally.com.
*Parents are welcome to visit the READ NATURALLY labs at North Scott Junior High and North Scott High School.
