Fluency: Part 2: Definition of Terms

Directions: The following bold words are important to understand to prepare yourself to teach phonemic awareness and phonics. Please read each definition carefully. Make sure you understand the differences between the terms.

Fluency—the ability to read a text accurately and quickly, recognize words automatically, group words quickly to gain meaning, and read aloud effortlessly and with expression.

Automaticity—the fast, effortless word recognition that comes with a great deal of reading practice. Automaticity refers only to accurate, speedy word recognition, not to reading with expression, distinguishing it from fluency.

Student-adult reading—reading one-on-one with an adult, who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Choral reading—reading aloud simultaneously in a group.

Tape-assisted reading—reading aloud simultaneously or as an echo with an audio-taped model.

Partner reading—reading aloud with a more fluent partner (or with a partner of equal ability) who provides a model of fluent reading, helps with word recognition, and provides feedback.

Readers' theatre—the rehearsing and performing before an audience of a dialogue-rich script derived from a book.



Echo reading—a technique where in a proficient reader models reading text and the child immediately repeats (echoes) what was read.

Neurological impress method—a technique where in a proficient reader reads text into the ear of a child who is also reading it. This is done simultaneously.