About this video

• Video Title: Dr. Jan Hasbrouck - Reading Fluency
• Channel: Learning Difficulties Australia
• Speakers: Dr. Jan Hasbrouck
• Duration: 00:49:18

Overview

This video features Dr. Jan Hasbrouck discussing the concept of reading fluency, its importance, components, and how it develops. Dr. Hasbrouck elaborates on the scientific and practical aspects of fluency, referencing research and her own work, to provide a comprehensive understanding for educators.

Key takeaways

• Definition of Reading Fluency: Fluency is defined as the ability to read text accurately, quickly, and with appropriate expression. It's a complex skill that develops over time through progressions.
• Components of Fluency: The three core components of reading fluency are accuracy, rate, and expression. Accuracy is considered the foundation, followed by rate and then expression.
• Importance of Accuracy: Achieving a high level of accuracy (around 95% for established readers, and even higher for emerging readers) is crucial for comprehension. Inaccurate reading negatively impacts understanding.
• Appropriate Rate: An "appropriate rate" for reading is described as mirroring the speed of natural speech, avoiding reading too fast, which can overwhelm comprehension, or too slowly, which can also hinder understanding. The 50th to 75th percentile on established norms is suggested as a general guideline.
• Role of Fluency: Fluency acts as a bridge between basic word recognition and deep comprehension. It enables readers to focus on meaning rather than solely on decoding words, and also fosters motivation for reading.
• Assessment of Fluency: While speed calculations (like words correct per minute) are part of assessment, a comprehensive evaluation requires considering all components of fluency. Rating scales are used to assess expression, and norms like the Hasbrouck-Tinall norms provide benchmarks for rate.
• Teaching Fluency: Effective fluency instruction involves a multi-faceted approach that builds accuracy, automaticity (combining accuracy with rate), and facilitates comprehension and motivation. It requires carefully orchestrated practice and a combination of various instructional strategies.

Here are the main topics covered in the video:

• Defining Reading Fluency: The video begins by defining reading fluency not just as reading quickly, but as the ability to read text accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with suitable expression. It's presented as a skill that develops progressively over time, rather than an innate ability.

• Components of Fluency: Accuracy, Rate, and Expression: Dr. Hasbrouck breaks down fluency into its three core components. Accuracy is emphasized as the foundational element, crucial for comprehension. Rate is discussed in terms of reading at a speed that mirrors natural speech, and expression involves conveying meaning through prosody like tone and pitch.

• The Importance and Purpose of Fluency: The video highlights that fluency serves as a critical bridge between decoding words and comprehending text. By enabling automatic word recognition, fluency frees up cognitive resources for understanding the meaning of the text, which is the ultimate goal of reading.

• Assessment of Reading Fluency: Different methods for assessing fluency are discussed, including oral reading fluency (ORF) measures like words correct per minute, and the use of rating scales to evaluate expression. The Hasbrouck-Tinall norms are presented as a resource for understanding appropriate reading rates across grade levels.

• The Mechanics and Complexity of Fluency: Dr. Hasbrouck delves into the underlying skills that contribute to fluency, such as decoding, phonemic awareness, and orthographic knowledge (sight words). This illustrates that fluency is a complex construct resulting from the coordinated execution of multiple abilities.

• Teaching Reading Fluency: Effective instruction in reading fluency is presented as a multifaceted process. It requires attention to accuracy, automaticity (combining accuracy with rate), and the ultimate goal of comprehension, supported by ample, well-orchestrated reading practice.