Reading fluency is highly correlated to reading comprehension of the child. The more fluent the child is, the more he tends to understand what he is reading. If the child can automatically read and recognize the words, then the brain can go to work and focus on understanding its meaning. So, it is very important for our children to have the right foundation in reading. If he can read successfully early on, he will be more likely succeed in school.
How did they measure fluency in reading? By facilitating the oral reading fluency test. It is a test which asks the child to read a certain unfamiliar passage and measure the amount of time he finishes reading. A second grader should be able to read at least 60 words per minute to qualify as a fluent reader.
As an example, let your child read the passage below, if he can finish reading it in about a minute (less than a minute is better), then he has developed fluency in reading. Then, try asking questions about the passage like "What is the name of the dog?" to check the child's comprehension ability.
There was a fat and fluffy puppy named Dogo. The family he lived with loved him very much. Dogo was an obedient dog and he took care of the house. But he didn't eat all of his food. One day he went for a walk with his owner, Lucas, and got lost. Lucas was very sad but luckily Dogo showed up soon after. Lucas picked him up and took him to his house.
How did your child do? Hoping your child passed this oral fluency reading test and simple comprehension test. Below is a video explaining more about the importance of fluency in reading and comprehension for additional information.
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