Although literacy theories and definitions for fluency differ slightly, most literacy scholars and researchers hold the common belief that reading fluently means reading accurately with few errors, reading quickly, and reading without interruption or miscues; however, fluency is much more than reading quickly and accurately. The process of reading fluently is more about comprehension and less about accuracy. In other words, reading fluently means something different to each individual reader. Reading is an ebb and flow process that is dynamic. In his article, "Time and Tide: The Dynamic Nature of Oral Reading," Alan Flurkey (2002) argues, "For much of the reading research community, 'fluent reading' is characterized as word identification that is rapid and accurate. The alternative view offered here describes reading as a process of meaning construction--the reader constructs personal meaning by transacting with written text" (p. 15). While comprehending WITHIN text, students must practice fluency in the traditional sense by establishing accuracy, choosing good-fit books, and participating in rereading activities AND acknowledge that the miscues they make are a result of their need to comprehend and reflect on what they have just read.
Flurkey, A. (2002). Time and tide: The dynamic nature of oral reading. Hofstra Horizons. (Spring). 13-18. |