One of the things I am working on this year is doing some baseline fluency testing. Last year I did so informally, having students bring over books of their choice (or my choosing in some cases), and doing a running record (writing errors/notes in margins of notepad on their reading). That was helpful, but didn't really provide any data that I could use.
This year I wanted to be able to identify those that struggled with fluency, retelling and comprehension. I then want to test them again in December or January to see if their fluency/retelling/comprehension has improved as a result of instructional strategies being implemented. The end goal would be that I'd move them along the reading continuum a little quicker, and with more intentionality.
Why this year and not last? Fluency has never been something I've necessarily taught, but is something where I'll move kids into different books that are appropriate in order to get them to be more fluent. This year my professional growth is centered around reading comprehension and analysis of text, particularly student-led discussions in those areas. Where does fluency connect? Well it is definitely more difficult to participate in those discussions, or make meaning of text, when you are reading in 2-3 word chunks or don't use voice. Plus, not liking to read coupled with being a slow reader can be a deadly combination (I was one of them and it made me hate reading- it took forever!)
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