| Unit 3 |
Unit 3 |
| 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.
More Frequent Monitoring
You may want to monitor some students 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 3 there are opportunities for regrouping every five 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 at the End of Unit 3
To make regrouping decisions at the end of Unit 3, consider children's end-of-unit scores for
- Unit 3 Retelling
- Fluency (WCPM)
- Unit 3 Benchmark Test
Group Time
To continue On-Level or to move into the On-Level group, students should
- score 3 or better on their cumulative unit rubric scores for Retelling
- score 80% or better on the Unit 3 Benchmark Test
- be capable of working in the On-Level group based on teacher judgment
meet the current benchmark for fluency (90–100 WCPM), reading On-Level text such as Student Edition selections
To move to the Advanced group, students should
- score 4 on their cumulative unit rubric scores for Retelling
- read fluently at the rate of 140 WCPM
- score 95% or better on the Unit 3 Benchmark Test
- read above grade-level material (90–100 WCPM) with speed, accuracy, and expression. You may try them out on one of the Advanced leveled readers.
- use expansive vocabulary and ease of language in retelling.
- 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 student miss?
Are they specific to a particular skill or strategy?
- Does the student have adequate background
knowledge to understand the test passages or
selections for retelling?
- Has the student's performance met expectations for daily lessons and assessments with little or no reteaching?
- Is the student performing more like students in another group?
- Does the student read for enjoyment, different purposes, and with 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 (90–100 WCPM)
- score below 60% on the Unit 3 Benchmark Test
- are struggling to keep up with the On-Level group based on teacher judgment
