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Decoding is best addressed through a specific, sequential phonetic program, such as that originally developed by Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham, in which phonetic awareness is developed in a systematic, multi-sensory tutorial.
Fluency
Fluency is “the rapid, prosodic flow with which a skilled reader reads. When a fluent reader reads aloud, it sounds as though he or she is speaking . . . This mirroring of spoken language supports comprehension, facilitates self-monitoring and self-correction, and makes reading enjoyable” (Carreker, S. 2005 in Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, 2nd Edition, ed. Birsh,J. New York, Brookes Publishing).
Oral reading fluency is defined as "the ability to project the natural pitch, stress, and juncture of the spoken word on written text, automatically and at a natural rate." (Richards, Meribeth. "Be a Good Detective: Solve the case of oral reading fluency." The Reading Teacher. 53:7 April 2000, p. 534). This is important, according to Richards, because oral reading fluency is "a critical aspect of reading performance and instruction" and a "necessary condition for good comprehension and enjoyable reading experiences." (Nathan and Stanovich, 1991, in Richards, p 534).
Using a Text Reader to Work on Fluency
Practice activities may help students develop reading fluency. It is important that students work with material at or below their independent reading level, using text-to-speech software. If material is too difficult, students may focus at the word level only, rather than work on prosody — phrasing and rhythm. Choosing the right level will help students achieve success and improve confidence. Be sure to allow time for students to comment on the experience and keep a record or journal of their comments, for future reference.
1. After students become comfortable with several reading exercises, have them track their reading time and do repeated reading practice alone with the computer or with a partner (R. Felton, J. Torgeson, M. Meyers).
2. Students should set a goal of reading a little faster than they which they may at first be comfortable, but not an impossible rate. "Dowhower (1989) suggested a goal of 75 WPM [words per minute] and 98% accuracy with good expression" (Richards, p. 536).
3. Have students read a selected passage — a paragraph, for example — with synthesized speech once, and then repeat at a slightly faster speed. Students should time their first and successive readings, and chart improvement.
4. Encourage students to practice reading orally just slightly behind the synthesized voice, like an echo.
5. Discuss the activities: How does this help? Can you relate this to another activity in your life, such as jogging or learning to swim?
Using Technology for Reading Comprehension
The primary aim of the Landmark College study skills curriculum is the development of a student's active reading abilities. It is not enough for a student to be able to literally understand the material as it is read. Students must have a system for recording their understanding that will be available for writing assignments, tests, and exams. The primary reason that Landmark College uses the Kurzweil™ 3000 program, is it has incorporated tools that support the systems the College uses for active reading.
Active Reading Process
In active reading, students use a combination of skills to interact with, process, and organize information from readings. Students benefit from learning a process to help them recognize topic shifts noted by headings and subheadings. They should learn how to skim, as well as to identify and highlight main ideas and supporting details. A color-coded highlight scheme helps make distinctions. Once these skills are in place, students learn to write margin notes and to summarize these notes.
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