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Fluency is complex, especially for older students.

In this episode, Janee' Butler shares:

• how fluency instruction looks from early grades to secondary
• about challenges students and teachers face,
• practical strategies for improving fluency,
• a reminder not to forget about student motivation, especially for older students struggling with reading fluently.

The Big Takeway: Reading fluency is essential for older students to be able to comprehend what they read. Teachers need the knowledge of how to help each student!

Want to Learn More?

• Janee's presentation at PaTTAN Symposium 2024: Achieving Adolescent Literacy Proficiency: The Importance of Fluency
• Teaching Oral Reading Fluency to Older Students by Tim Shanahan
• Phonics and Spelling through Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping by Catherine Grace
• Really Great Reading assessments (free)
• DIBELS assessments- 8th Edition (free)
• Plain Talk About Literacy & Learning Conference 2025
• email Janee': janee@mycll.org

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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From June 3, 2022

Today middle school educators from Baltimore City Public Schools join us to discuss their focus on fluency through Continuous Improvement work with fluency using HQC. What is Continuous Improvement? Why is this a useful framework? “Possibly wrong, definitely incomplete” is a mantra that resonates. The educators share their approach, impact, and outcomes for students. Secondary teachers… this one’s for you.

Related Episodes

• Ep. 98: Improving Student Reading Growth in Months with Fluency Instruction and Practice
• Ep. 62: Effective Fluency Instruction with Tim Rasinski

Resources

• Carnegie Foundation Continuous Improvement in Education Resources such as videos, tools, and publications

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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Chase Young discusses the implementation of Reader's Theater in the classroom, providing a detailed framework for the process. He emphasizes the importance of structured practice, fluency, and expression, as well as the benefits of engaging students in dramatic reading. Reader's Theater can be implemented in ELA and other subject areas with grade-level texts. Reader's Theatre improves reading skills and transfers skills to other texts.

Takeaways

• Structured practice is essential for achieving fluency and expression in Reader's Theater.
• Reader's Theater can be integrated with other subjects, providing opportunities for vocabulary and morphology instruction.
• Choosing challenging, grade-level texts is important for meeting grade-level expectations and supporting students' fluency and comprehension.
• Repetition plays a significant role in scaffolding and supporting students' fluency and expression in Reader's Theater. Reader's Theatre is an effective tool for improving reading skills and fluency.

Resources

• Meta analysis - super duper effect size 1.23
• Readers Theatre Plus Comprehension and Word Study 2017
• Free Readers’ Theater Scripts at The Best Class - Chase Young’s website
• Rumpelstiltskin Readers’ Theater Script
• The Methods of Repeated Readings - J. Samuels The Reading Teacher
• More Readers' Theater Scripts at JustTwoTeachers

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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The science of learning is what research says about how our brains learn.
In this episode, Nathaniel Swain discusses the science of learning, emphasizing its connection with the science of reading.

He shares:

• key mindset shifts for teachers
• the significance of coherent curriculum planning
• practical strategies like using mini whiteboards and advanced organizers to enhance student engagement and understanding

He also highlights the need for responsive whole-class instruction and the importance of closing learning gaps early in students' educational journeys.

Resources

• Nathaniel Swain's website
• Harnessing the Science of Learning: Success Stories to Help Kickstart Your School Improvement by Nathaniel Swain
• Asubel’s Meaningful Learning in Action by Sarah Cottingham
• Ep. 63: Kindergarten Teacher Reaches 100% Success Using Evidence-Based Practices
• Ep. 115: Kindergarten TEAM Reaches 100% Success Using Evidence-Based Practices
• Ep. 154: Fluency Instructional Routines with Nathaniel Swain

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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From July 14, 2023

What if you could unlock the secrets to fluency instruction in literacy, and transform your students into confident and skilled readers? Join us as we delve into this crucial topic with Nathaniel Swain, Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University in Australia, who shares his expertise on the three components of fluency: speed, accuracy, and prosody. Let's explore together how balancing speed with comprehension can make all the difference in today's digital age, where skimming and scrolling are the new norm.

We discuss a variety of practical strategies to help students practice fluency in the classroom, such as choral reading and paired reading. Nathaniel also sheds light on the role of technology in simplifying the process of creating engaging materials. Discover how to create an environment that fosters student engagement and understanding, and learn the differences between fluency instruction in primary and intermediate classes.

Finally, we examine the value of fluency in reading instruction and how it can be integrated into the literacy block. Nathaniel explains the self-teaching hypothesis and emphasizes the importance of exposing students to unfamiliar words and challenging texts. Don't miss this insightful episode packed with tips and strategies to help your students become fluent and confident readers!

Resources

• Think Forward Educators
• Five Ways to Focus on Fluency, Think Forward Educators Blog
• Fluency Rubric, Tim Rasinski
• Readers Theater Scripts, Chase Young
• Fluency Resources, Tim Rasinski
• Nathaniel Swain on Writing to Learn, ERRR Podcast

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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The authors of No More “Strategy of the Week”: Considerations for Connecting Comprehension Instruction Back to the Book discuss the importance of teaching comprehension strategies in a text-centered approach. They emphasize the need to move away from isolated strategy instruction and instead focus on using texts as the center of instruction. They highlight the importance of background knowledge, vocabulary, and text structure in preparing students for reading. During reading, they suggest using explicit think-alouds to model comprehension strategies and provide scaffolds for students. They also emphasize the need for students to do the heavy lifting during reading and for teachers to support and guide their thinking. The conversation explores the different stages of comprehension instruction: before reading, during reading, and after reading.

Takeaways

• Teaching comprehension strategies should be done in a text-centered approach, where the focus is on using texts as the center of instruction.
• Before reading, it is important to activate or build background knowledge, pre-teach vocabulary, and attend to text structure.
• During reading, teachers should provide explicit think-alouds to model comprehension strategies and provide scaffolds for students.
• Students should be doing the heavy lifting during reading, with teachers supporting and guiding their thinking.
• Engaging students in meaningful reading experiences and connecting comprehension strategies to authentic texts is crucial for effective comprehension instruction. Explicit strategy instruction is crucial for teaching comprehension skills.
• Modeling how to use comprehension strategies helps students understand how to apply them.
• Providing opportunities for students to practice and apply comprehension strategies is essential.
• Engaging students in discussions and writing activities after reading helps consolidate learning and deepen understanding.

No More “Strategy of the Week”: Considerations for Connecting Comprehension Instruction Back to the Book

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Imagine transforming the way you teach reading. Picture your students not just passively consuming the written word, but actively producing meaning and taking purposeful actions inspired by what they've read. This is the promise of our conversation with Doug Fisher, professor at San Diego State University and renowned author, as he takes us on a journey into the depths of reading comprehension.

We question the effectiveness of common literacy programs and discuss the intricate ties between vocabulary, comprehension, and prior knowledge. How do you feel about the 'letter of the week' approach? Listen as we scrutinize its validity and dig deeper into other foundational reading skills, such as letter recognition and sound blending. We also expose the symbiotic relationship between vocabulary and comprehension, underscoring the pivotal role of knowledge in decoding texts.

We then traverse the landscape of oral language in reading instruction and the implications of isolating reading from writing. Can you guess the impact of these practices on student learning? Doug enlightens us on the significance of comprehension strategy instruction and the importance of developing all elements of reading literacy. To cap it off, our conversation concludes with three practical suggestions that you, as an educator, can apply in your classroom for immediate impact. Prepare to awaken a new perspective on the world of reading.

Resources

• Articles by Natalie Wexler
• Steve Graham: Effective Writing Instruction (video)
• Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students, Harris & Graham (book)

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.

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Imagine facing not only the struggles of growing up in a challenging environment, but also battling a learning difference that went undiagnosed for years.

Hear the inspiring story of Ameer Baraka as he discusses his book: Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia.

Ameer will discuss:

• How he grew up in New Orleans, facing unimaginable obstacles
• His experiences with being misunderstood and how it impacted his life
• How he transformed his life by reclaiming his education while incarcerated
• How he is now dedicated to helping others recognize their potential

By the end of this episode, you'll see how Ameer’s journey not only sheds light on the challenges of dyslexia but also highlights the incredible strength it takes to overcome adversity.

Want to Learn More?

• Undiagnosed: The Ugly Side of Dyslexia by Ameer Baraka

We wrote a book! The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night

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Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.