Free Fluency Rubric

Through providing literacy intervention and private tutoring, I've encountered many students with significant reading struggles.

Too often, the immediate conclusion is to say these students cannot comprehend the text -- that they don't understand anything they read. However, with further observation and assessment, I find many students who have difficulties in reading are able to decode some words, recognize even more high frequency words, and can understand text with 100% mastery when its read to them.

So, how do we bridge the gap between being able to decode and independently comprehend? Focus on building fluent readers. Many studies confirm fluency instruction is a major component of reading success. A fluent reader can read accurately (minimal to no reading errors) at a conversational pace with expression.

When students "read like a robot", they're spending more brain power on sounding out words and have little energy left to figure out the meaning behind the words (comprehend).Your child may come home with fluency passages, so it's important you know what to look for to help build him/her into a strong, fluent reader.

Print this fluency rubric and have it next to you while your child reads aloud. Look through each category and circle the descriptor that aligns with how your child is reading. This chart is teacher created and modified by a fluency scale from Timonthy Rasinski.

Want to make sure your child has a strong reading foundation so they can easily move up in reading levels quickly and without you having to feel like you’re forcing them to read? Learning to read is fun in the Raising Readers program. Click here to learn more.