| Unit 5 |
Unit 5 |
| Monitoring Fluency |
Assess and Regroup |
Ongoing assessment of student reading fluency is one of the most valuable
measures
we have of students’ reading skills. One of the most effective ways to
assess fluency is taking timed samples of students’ oral reading and measuring
the number of words correct per minute (WCPM).
How to Measure Words Correct Per Minute—WCPM
Choose a Text
Start by choosing a text for the student to read. The text should be:
- narrative
- unfamiliar
- on grade level
Make a copy of the text for yourself and have one for the student.
Timed Reading of the Text
Tell the student: As you read this aloud, I want you to do your best reading and to read as quickly as you can. That doesn't mean it's a race. Just do your best, fast reading. When I say begin, start reading.
As the student reads, follow along in your copy. Mark words that are read incorrectly.
Incorrect
- omissions
- substitutions
- mispronunciations
- reversals
Correct
- self-corrections within 3 seconds
- repeated words
After One Minute
At the end of one minute, draw a line after the last word that was read. Have the student finish reading but don't count any words beyond one minute. Arrive at the words correct per minute—WCPM—by counting the total number of words that the student read correctly in one minute.
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More Frequent Monitoring
You may want to monitor some children more frequently because they are falling far below grade-level benchmarks or they have a result that doesn’t seem to align with their previous performance. Follow the same steps above, but choose 2 or 3 additional texts.
Fluency Progress Chart Copy the chart on the next page. Use it to record each student’s progress across the year.
In Grade 4 there are opportunities for regrouping every six weeks—at the end of Units 2, 3, 4, and 5. These options offer sensitivity to each child’s progress although some teachers may prefer to regroup less frequently.
Regroup for Unit 6
To make regrouping decisions at the end of Unit 5, consider students’ end-of-unit scores for
- Unit 5 Retelling
- Fluency (WCPM)
- Unit 5 Benchmark Test
Group Time
score 3 or better on their cumulative unit rubric scores for Retelling
meet the current benchmark for fluency (115–125 WCPM), reading On-Level text such as Student Edition selections
To continue On-Level or to move into the On-Level group, students should
- score 80% or better on the Unit 5 Benchmark Tests
- be capable of working in the On-Level group based on teacher judgment
To move to the Advanced group, students should
- score 4 on their cumulative unit rubric scores for Retelling and demonstrate expansive vocabulary and ease of language in their retellings
- score 95% on the Unit 5 Benchmark Test
- read above-grade-level material fluently (115–125 WCPM)
- be capable of handling the problem solving and investigative work of the Advanced group based on teacher judgment
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
- What types of test questions did the child miss?
Are they specific to a particular skill or strategy?
- Does the child have adequate background knowledge
to understand the test passages or selections for
retelling?
- Has the child's performance met expectations for daily lessons and assessments with little or no reteaching?
- Is the child performing more like children in another group?
- Does the student read for enjoyment, different purposes, and varied interests?
Students would benefit from Strategic Intervention if they
- score 2 or lower on their cumulative unit rubric scores for Retelling
- do not meet the current benchmark for fluency (115–125 WCPM)
- score below 60% on the Unit 5
Benchmark Tests
- are struggling to keep up with the On-Level group based on teacher judgment
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| Benchmark Fluency Scores |
| Current Goal: 115–125 WCPM |
| End-of-Year Goal: 130 WCPM |
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