In order for a reader to be able to read and understand a text there is a great deal of work that they must do in their head. As shared in The Importance of Strategies, readers use a variety of strategic actions and strategies to process what they are reading. Maintaining fluency is one of twelve strategic action we will explore in this Strategic Action Series.

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Strategies Change Over Time

When young children begin reading, they may use very simple strategies like memorizing or remembering the words in a story and reciting them as they see the pictures. As they learn more about letters, words, and books, they will begin using strategies like:

Pausing when something doesn’t make sense (self-monitoring)
Looking at the picture, thinking about the sentence, and looking at the first letters to make sure what they have read “looks right,” “sounds right,” and “makes sense.” (cross-checking sources of information)
Reread a word to read it correctly when they misread the word the first time. (self-correcting)

As young readers have more and more time to read and experience books, they develop their ability to use more sophisticated strategic actions as they read.

IMPORTANT REMINDER

It is important to note that readers use strategic actions simultaneously. Unfortunately, many children view them as separate actions or even as their goal of their reading. This may be the case if you’ve ever heard your child say, “This week I am inferring.” This happens when strategies are talked about in isolation or if your child does most of their strategy work with worksheets. Even though we may attempt to strengthen a strategic action by talking about it in isolation, it is always important to remind your child that they use many strategic actions and strategies to understand what we are reading.

Here is an example shared by Fountas and Pinnell in Guided Reading (2e)

A child who is monitoring her understanding of key words might solve one by taking it apart by syllables, connect to known words, gain insight into or infer the motives of a character, and predict what the character will do to resolve the problem she has analyzed.

Even though these actions are listed in a sequence, many take place simultaneously. Our brains can work so quickly and can do such much.

Now let’s take a look at Maintaining Fluency, a strategic action identified by Fountas and Pinnell (Literacy Continuum, Expanded Edition, 2017).

Maintaining Fluency

Maintaining Fluency occurs when all strategic activity is taking place rapidly and smoothly. Remember that fluency is not the same as reading fast. When readers first begin reading they may slow down to point so that they control word-by-word matching and left-to-right directionality. They quickly learn to move along with good momentum. This momentum is essential for comprehension. When a reader has to slow down too much, they typically struggle with comprehension. The goal is to maintain a pace that is just right for comprehension. You can learn more about developing fluency here.

Check out the Reading Level Specific Posts to see questions you can ask or prompts you can give to support your child’s use of this strategic action.

5 Fantastic Strategies to Encourage Maintaining Fluency

1. Reread with Confidence

Great for any Reading Levels

Strategy Steps

When you have to pause to figure out a word, go back to the beginning of the sentence.
Reread the sentence making sure to read all the words with confidence (like you always knew it)
Notice how you understand the sentence better as you reread it with confidence.

You can prompt your child to think about the title by asking the following prompts:

I noticed you stopping to figure out that word. Make sure you go back and reread the sentence once you figure out that word.
Go back and read the whole sentence.
Read it again.
Reread.

2. Read the Punctuation

Great for Reading Levels D and up

Strategy Steps

1. Look ahead to the end of the sentence.
2. Notice if there is an exclamation point, a question mark, or a period at the end of the sentence.
3. Now read the sentence making your voice match the ending punctuation.
4. (if applicable) If you noticed any punctuation in the middle of the sentence (comma, dash, or semicolon), read up to the punctuation, take a short break, and then read the next group of words.

Remind your child that if they read the sentence with the wrong punctuation in mind, it could change the meaning of the sentence and confuse them.

You can prompt your child to pay attention to punctuation by asking the following questions:

Look ahead at the end of the sentence – what do you see?
What does that mark tell you to do?
That’s a question mark – can you make your voice rise as you read this sentence?
That’s an exclamation mark – can you read this sentence with more expression?
That’s a period. Did you pause before moving on?

3. Pay Attention to Quotation Marks

Great for Reading Levels E and up

Strategy Steps

When you notice quotation marks remember that everything inside them is dialogue.
Read what is in the quotation marks to sound like the character is talking.
When you read the words outside of the quotation marks, remember that the narrator is speaking.
Read what is outside the quotation marks in a narrator voice.

You can prompt your child to pay attention to quotation marks by asking the following questions:

Where does the talking start?
Can you switch your voice when you see the quotation marks?
The dialogue and narrator sounded the same. Can you back and try reading that part again?

4. Match Your Voice to the Feeling

Great for Reading Levels E and up

Strategy Steps

Think about how the character feels.
- If your child is reading a book with pictures, encourage your child to check the pictures to know more about how the character is feeling.
Think about how you sound when you feel that way.
Read the dialogue to match the character’s feelings.

You can prompt your child to match their voice by asking the following questions:

How is the character feeling?
How would it sound when that character talks?
Can you check the picture to help you figure out the character’s feeling?
Can you make your voice match the character’s feeling?
What’s happening now?
Does your voice match that?
Did how you read that make sense with the story?

5. Move Your Eyes Along

Great for Reading Levels E and up

Strategy Steps

Let your child know that when you are reading smoothly, your eyes should be ahead of the words you are currently reading. This gives your brain a preview of what’s coming next so you know where the natural pauses are in the sentence. This is helpful to practice with a text your child is already familiar with so your child can put all of their attention on their fluency. Make sure that you don’t communicate that faster is better leading your child to race through the words.

Try to let your eyes go ahead as you read the words.
Read as smoothly as you can.

You can prompt your child to move their eyes quickly across the text by asking the following questions:

Were you letting your eyes preview what is coming?
Can you go back and smooth it out?
Can you try to read this part in one breath, and let your eyes move ahead on the line?

Check out these posts for more strategies to support strategic actions:

Resources:

Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2017). Guided reading: Responsive teaching across the grades. Heinemann.
Pinnell, G. S., & Fountas, I. C. (2007). The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades K-8: Behaviors and Understandings to Notice, Teach, and Support. Heinemann.
Serravallo, J. (2015). The reading strategies book: Your everything guide to developing skilled readers (Vol. 11). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.