FLUENCY ASSESSMENT

Fluency is the ability to read aloud quickly, accurately, and with prosody.

• rate: the speed at which a child reads
• accuracy: the degree to which words are read correctly
• prosody: reading with expression and intonation

To be a fluent reader, students must have automaticity, or the ability to decode words effortlessly.  Once students can decode words quickly and accurately, they are able to focus on comprehension, which is the ultimate goal of reading.  Student who are able to read with limited interruptions to their reading are able to gain meaning from what they read. Automaticity also leads to prosody, or appropriate expression when reading.

The T-PRO Fluency Assessment measures rate, accuracy, prosody, and comprehension.  Rate and accuracy are calculated from a timed reading passage.  Prosody and comprehension are measured through a rubric and open-ended questions.  The comprehension aspect of this assessment is vital, as comprehension is the end goal for all readers.

The T-PRO Fluency Assessment offers teachers valuable information about students’ reading habits.  This information can be used to drive interventions and classroom reading instruction.  Although they are not intended to replace formal interventions, a number of supplemental resources are available to download.