Fluency Timed Reading Assessments

Assess oral reading fluency with a one-minute timed reading to measure the number and accuracy of words read.

Instructional Tips

  • Determine the desired reading rate: Use the Fluency Standards Table to review recommendations for reading rates.
  • Assess with the appropriate passages: Choose from passages with a range of complexity to match students' needs.

Timed Reading Procedures and Scoring

Materials:

  • Two copies of the passage, one for the student and one for the teacher
  • Stopwatch or other timer

Procedure:

  • Administer a one-minute timed reading assessment.
  • Begin timing when the student reads the first word.
  • Say the word if the student is struggling to read it after 3-5 seconds, and have the student continue to the next word.
  • Follow along and record errors as the student reads, making a slash through words that the student misses or cannot read and writing a dash above skipped words.
    Errors include:
    • Skipped words
    • Mispronounced words
    • Word substitutions
    • Words in the wrong order (both or all words counted as errors)
    • Struggling that lasts 3-5 seconds
    Errors do not include:
    • Added words
    • Varying pronunciations resulting from accent, dialect, or difficulty with speech
    • Repetitions
    • Self-correcting a mistake
  • Stop the timer after one minute.

Instructional Tips

  1. Write the student's goal rate in the box provided.
  2. Use the words-per-line totals in the margin to count the number of words read to find the words-per-minute (WPM) rate. Write this number and the date in the chart at the bottom.
  3. In the "Errors" line, record the number of mistakes (slashes) under Read 1 if this is the first reading, Read 2 if it is the second reading, and so on.
  4. Subtract the mistakes from the total number of words read to find the words correct per minute (WCPM).
  5. Divide the words correct per minute (WCPM) by the words per minute (WPM) and multiply this result by 100. This is the student's Accuracy/Reading Rate percentage.
  6. Record this number in the box.

After about four to six readings, students should reach the target WPM standard for their grade level with an accuracy rate of 90 to 95 percent.

Example:

Words Per Minute (WPM): 80
Errors: 6

Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM):
80 - 6 = 74

Accuracy/Reading Rate percentage:
74/80 = 0.9
0.9 x 100 = 90%

Fluency Assessment Passages

Grade 1
  • Bees

    Nonfiction, Lexile 340L
  • Bye, Buddy

    Fiction, Lexile 310L
  • Crunch

    Fiction, Lexile 330L
  • Farm Animals

    Nonfiction, Lexile 460L
  • Kickball

    Nonfiction, Lexile 570L
  • Kim's Flowers

    Fiction, Lexile 220L
  • Larry's Big Feet

    Fiction, Lexile 320L
  • Mountains

    Nonfiction, Lexile 280L
  • The Perfect Puppy

    Fiction, Lexile 290L
  • Rivers

    Nonfiction, Lexile 410L
Grade 2
  • Beetles and Bugs

    Nonfiction, Lexile 580L
  • Chipmunks

    Nonfiction, Lexile 500L
  • The Clumsy Bees

    Fiction, Lexile 680L
  • The Great Candy Caper

    Fiction, Lexile 490L
  • The Haunted House

    Fiction, Lexile 570L
  • Jumping In

    Fiction, Lexile 530L
  • Malcolm the Salamander

    Fiction, Lexile 610L
  • The Old Jungle Gym

    Fiction, Lexile 650L
  • Pet Rats

    Nonfiction, Lexile 550L
  • Skateboarding

    Nonfiction, Lexile 680L
  • Steam Engines

    Nonfiction, Lexile 700L
  • The Sun

    Nonfiction, Lexile 590L
Grade 3
  • Crazy Horse

    Nonfiction, Lexile 920L
  • The First Airplane

    Nonfiction, Lexile 940L
  • The Shopping Cart Mystery

    Fiction, Lexile 850L
  • Silkworms

    Nonfiction, Lexile 620L
  • Surfing

    Fiction, Lexile 890L
  • The Switch

    Fiction, Lexile 890L
  • Three-Point Shot

    Fiction, Lexile 780L
  • The Titanic

    Nonfiction, Lexile 800L
Grade 4
  • Emma's Tree

    Fiction, Lexile 640L
  • Letitia and the Best Bike

    Fiction, Lexile 620L
  • Polar Bears

    Nonfiction, Lexile 950L
  • Popcorn and Cotton Candy

    Fiction, Lexile 930L
  • Space Junk

    Nonfiction, Lexile 1060L
  • Vikings

    Nonfiction, Lexile 1020L
Grade 5
  • Antarctica

    Nonfiction, Lexile 920L
  • Every Little Part

    Fiction, Lexile 860L
  • Exoplanets

    Nonfiction, Lexile 1000L
  • Masterpieces from Mirrors

    Nonfiction, Lexile 920L
  • The Record-Breaker

    Fiction, Lexile 560L
  • The Statue

    Fiction, Lexile 870L