How to Give a Quick Fluency Assessment

Summary

This video explains how to conduct a fluency assessment with students. You'll need two versions of the same passage, markers, and a timer. The student reads for 60 seconds while the teacher tracks errors and self-corrections. The first reading is a 'cold read,' and subsequent readings are compared to measure improvement. The teacher calculates the words per minute and accuracy rate to determine the student's reading level. The process includes three assessments throughout the week, aiming to track progress and improve fluency, with the final assessment being a 'hot read.'

Takeaways

• 📝 You need two versions of the same passage—one for the student and one for the teacher to mark errors and calculate accuracy.
• ⏱️ Use a timer to track 60 seconds for the student’s reading to measure fluency.
• 📊 Track errors, self-corrections, and missed words on your copy as the student reads.
• 🔵 The first read is a 'cold read' and can be marked in blue; subsequent reads show progress.
• 📈 Calculate words per minute by counting up to the last full sentence, adjusting for skipped lines.
• ✅ To determine accuracy, subtract errors from total words read, then calculate the percentage.
• 📖 A 96% accuracy rate indicates an independent reading level; lower percentages may indicate instructional or frustrational levels.
• 👂 Offer multiple practice opportunities during the week, including reading aloud together and independently.
• 🟢 Mid-week assessments track progress, with different colors to distinguish each session’s results.
• 🔴 A 'hot read' at the end of the week should show improvement in words per minute and accuracy rate.

Q & A

What materials are needed to conduct a fluency assessment?

You will need two versions of the same passage (one for the student and one for the teacher), a post-it note pad, three different colors of markers or pens, a writing utensil, and a timer.

How is the student's progress tracked during a fluency assessment?

The student's progress is tracked by marking errors, self-corrections, and skipped words on the teacher's copy of the passage. Progress over time is tracked by conducting multiple readings throughout the week using different colored markers.

What is a 'cold read' in a fluency assessment?

A 'cold read' is the first time the student reads the passage without prior practice. The teacher uses a blue marker to track errors during this initial read.

What is a 'hot read' and how does it differ from a cold read?

A 'hot read' is the student's third reading of the passage after practicing throughout the week. It is tracked with a red marker and is expected to show improvement in both words per minute and accuracy compared to the cold read.

How does the teacher calculate words per minute (WPM) after the fluency assessment?

The teacher determines WPM by counting the number of words the student read correctly within 60 seconds. If the student skips lines or words, those are subtracted from the total word count.

How is the student's reading accuracy calculated?

The teacher subtracts the number of errors from the total words read, then divides the correct words by the total words read to get the accuracy percentage.

What are the accuracy percentage ranges for independent, instructional, and frustrational reading levels?

Accuracy rates of 95% and above are considered independent, 90-94% are instructional, and 89% or below is considered frustrational.

What are some methods to practice fluency with students during the week?

Methods include the passage being read to the student, the student reading aloud to the teacher, or the teacher and student reading the passage together simultaneously.

How do teachers track progress over multiple fluency assessments in a week?

Teachers use the same tracker sheet for each fluency assessment throughout the week, using different colored markers (blue, another color, and red) to track the cold, mid-week, and hot reads.

Why is it important to assess a student's fluency more than once during the week?

Multiple assessments help track the student's improvement in reading speed and accuracy, showing how practice impacts their performance over time.