Implications for Reading Instruction NRP (NICHD, 2000) Questions

Are guided repeated oral reading procedures effective in improving reading fluency and overall reading achievement?The NRP (NICHD, 2000) noted that the answer to this question was a “clear yes” (p. 3). Improvements in word recognition, fluency, and comprehension were noted. Thus, teachers should utilize these procedures in the classroom.

            What do results of the meta-analysis of guided oral reading procedures show? Guided oral reading was found to have a moderate effect size for improving reading achievement. The highest impact was for reading accuracy, followed first by reading fluency, and then by reading comprehension. The data show that “instruction in guided oral reading is effective in improving reading” (NRP, p. 3). Results such as these leave little doubt as to the importance of oral reading activities in the classroom.

            Is there evidence that encouraging students to read on their own is effective in increasing reading fluency and overall reading achievement? The NRP (NICHD, 2000) noted that there was not convincing evidence, based on their research analysis, that encouraging children to read on their own was effective in increasing reading fluency and overall reading achievement. Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2006c) summarized it thus: “No research evidence is available currently to confirm that instructional time spent on silent, independent reading with minimal guidance and feedback improves reading fluency and overall reading achievement…the research suggests that there are more beneficial ways to spend reading instructional time than to have students read independently in the classroom without reading instruction” (p. 22).

            Can fluency be encouraged through instructional procedures? The NRP (NICHD, 2000) found that when teachers encourage repeated oral reading with feedback, students exhibit important and meaningful improvements in their reading performance, whether the students are good readers or those who struggle with reading.

            Is it important to increase fluency? Reading comprehension may be aided by fluency. Further, skilled readers read words in an accurate and efficient manner. Less skilled readers may struggle with how fast they read, thus making further “reading to learn” activities arduous and labored. When reading activities are laborious, we may try to steer clear of them. “One of the major differences between good and poor readers is the amount of time they spend reading. Many studies have found a strong relationship between reading ability and how much a student reads” (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2006c, p. 22).

            Are these results ready for implementation in the classroom? The NRP (NICHD, 2000) found many well-described instructional approaches to improving fluency via repeated oral reading. These approaches, as well as other classroom implementation questions, were outlined in great detail by Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2006c). They include the following (with information provided for each).

• Model fluent reading, and then have students reread the text on their own. Teachers should read to students every day. Students need to hear how good reading sounds. Teachers should remember to read effortlessly and with expression. In the primary grades, teachers may choose to read from “big books,” using their finger or a pointer under words as they read. They can also explain why they read in a certain fashion. For example, “See how I changed my voice in between these ‘talking’ or quotation marks?” Following this modeling, teachers should have students reread the text. This rereading should be done aloud. Other benefits of reading to children include increasing their schema—knowledge and understanding of things, vocabulary, and interest in reading.
• Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance. Four rereads are usually sufficient to improve reading fluency. Teachers should provide guidance and feedback on this oral reading (e.g., “Yes. That’s the way to read with expression” or “The period means you stop at the end of the sentence. Now show me.” or “That word is discover. What word? Start over at the beginning of that sentence, please.”). There are several ways to have students practice rereading text materials orally. These include: student-adult reading (where students read one-on-one with an adult), choral reading (where students read as a group or with another fluent adult reader), tape-assisted reading (where students listen to a fluent reader who reads at about 80-100 words per minute and then try to read aloud with the tape), partner reading (where paired students take turns reading aloud to each other), and readers’ theater (where students rehearse and perform a play for others; they read from scripts, thereby having a reason for rereading text).
• Have students read materials at their independent level. Students should practice reading aloud from text that contains mostly words that they know or can read easily (we discussed decodable text previously). This reading should be at the students’ independent reading level. The independent level means that students misread no more than 1 in 20 words (thereby showing 95% accuracy). An instructional level is challenging but manageable; students show 90% accuracy in this reading (no more than 1 error in 10 words). This level is where instruction is provided by the teacher. The frustration level is difficult for students; it is where they show less than 90% accuracy on reading the text (make more than 1 error every 10 words). We do not want students to experience reading at this level.The text that students read should be relatively short. About 50-200 words is sufficient, depending on the age of students. A variety of reading materials should be used (e.g., stories, poems).
• What should I do about silent, independent reading in the classroom? SSR should not be used in place of direct reading instruction in the classroom. However, students should be encouraged to read independently outside of the classroom. They can always read during independent work time during school hours or other times when they are waiting for new activities to begin.
• When should fluency instruction begin? When should it end? Fluency instruction is useful when you notice that students are not reading with ease and accuracy (they make more than 10% word recognition errors). It is also useful for students who do not read with expression or those who do not understand what they read. If your students are already reading fluently, instructional time spent on this activity is not needed.
• Is increasing word recognition skills sufficient for developing fluency? Interestingly, reading words in isolation may not generalize or transfer to reading words in text. Thus, Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2006c) noted that “isolated word recognition is a necessary but not sufficient condition for fluent reading” (p. 26). Students need to practice reading aloud in connected text to improve reading fluency.
• Should I assess fluency? If so, how? Simmons and Kame’enui (2006) provide fluency goals for first, second, and third grades. Students should read at least 60 wpm by the end of first, 90 wpm by the end of second, and 120 wpm by the end of third grade. Washington State’s Reading First committee also established a mid-year goal for first graders of 40 wpm by January of their first grade year.

 

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