Dear Families,

As mentioned in the last newsletter; this term teachers are currently implementing explicit fluency teaching to improve the reading outcomes of students.

There are several strategies that can be used to improve fluency in students. This term, we are focussing on the following:

Prep & Year 1

Choral Reading

“Choral reading is reading aloud together. [whole class, small group or student pairs]. When several readers read the same text aloud, the more fluent readers support the less fluent readers, through modelling and leading. The focus tends to be more on accuracy and rate than expression.” (Source: DECYP Evidence-based Strategies for Teaching Fluency document).

Year 2 – Year 6

Repeated Reading

Repeated reading involves students reading the same passage of texts 4-5 times. It can be timed or untimed (timing purpose: to capture gains in rate/to give concrete feedback. (Source: DECYP Evidence-based Strategies for Teaching Fluency document).

How can families support?
At Franklin Primary School, we strongly believe in the connection between school and home and the importance of families connecting with the learning of their children.

So, as you read with your child/ren at home, consider providing some feedback to our young readers on their fluency to support the work being done at school (NOTE: Students can use their home readers or texts from home [if the texts from home are at an appropriate level]. Students can also use the fluency passages that they have read at school – please contact your child’s teachers if you’d like some copies).

In particular,  you can focus on the following 3 Key Areas of Fluency:

Accuracy

• Accuracy refers to pronouncing written words correctly when reading aloud.

Rate

• Rate refers to the speed students read the text and depends on accuracy.
• Faster reading is not better as encouraging students to read quicky can increase errors and reduce comprehension.
• The reading rate should mirror speech as the human brain is wired to oral language. 

Prosody

• Prosody means reading with expression using the appropriate rhythm, tone, pitch, pauses and stresses for the text.
• It is dependent on accuracy and rate.

By talking about the above key areas with your child at home and providing some feedback on their reading, you’ll be helping them to learn.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or your child’s teacher.

Thanks again for your support.

Nick de Tarczynski (Instructional Specialist/AST)