Fluency Practice Passages

Why Use Fluency Practice Passages

Fluency is a key foundational skill that helps students read complex text with greater understanding. When students read with accuracy and expression at an appropriate reading rate, they build fluency that can support their comprehension. Repeated reading practice with short passages improves automaticity and provides opportunities to practice and improve word recognition and automaticity.

How to Use Fluency Practice Passages

Passages are available at different levels of text complexity and can be used for one-on-one reading, independent timed reading, or partner timed reading.

• One-on-One: Read the Fluency Practice Passage aloud so the student can hear fluent reading. Have the student read the passage. If the student stumbles on a word, read the word aloud and have the student repeat it.
• Independent Timed Reading: Give the student a stopwatch to time the reading. The student starts timing as he or she begins a passage and stops it at the end of the passage. Have the student record the reading time on a chart or graph.
• Paired Readings: Have students work in pairs and time each other. At the end of one minute, the partner with the timer says, "Stop," and circles the last word read. This partner then marks the number of words read on the chart at the bottom of the page. After several readings, the partners switch roles.

Timed Reading Procedures

You will need:

• Two copies of the assessment passage—one for the student and one for the instructor
• Stopwatch or clock
• Pencil
• Clipboard (so students will not see what you are writing)

Administer a one-minute timed reading assessment. Tell the student that if she or he has trouble (struggling for more than 3 to 5 seconds), you will say the word so she or he can keep reading. Start timing when the student begins reading the first word of the passage (the student will not read the title). After one minute, say "Stop," stop the timer, and circle the last word read.

Resist the urge to correct errors during the reading. Errors and self-correction will be accounted for in the score. If the student has extreme difficulty, stop the assessment. Reassure the student that she or he will redo the assessment after further instruction and practice.

During the assessment, follow along word-by-word on your copy of the passage. Make a slash ( / ) through any words the student misses or cannot read without help. Mark a dash above words skipped.

Errors include:

• Skipped words
• Mispronounced words
• Word substitutions, including incorrect forms of the word
• Words in the wrong order; both or all words are counted as wrong
• Struggling that lasts for 3 to 5 seconds, or more

The following are not considered errors:

• Added words
• Varying pronunciation due to accent, dialect, or speech impediment
• Repetitions in which the wording is correct
• Self-correcting a mistake; the word is scored as correct. 

Timed Reading Scoring

1. Write the student's goal rate in the box provided.
2. Count the total words the student reads in one minute using the words-per-line totals listed in the margin. This is the student's words-per-minute (WPM) rate. Write this in the chart at the bottom, along with the date of the reading.
3. Count the number of errors (slashes). Record the number in the "Errors" line for the read.
4. Subtract the number of errors 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 words-per-minute standard for their grade level with an accuracy rate of 90 to 95 percent.

Example: