(Pexels, n.d.)
Fluency/ La fluidité
Once students are able to decode texts using phonological awareness, they must learn to read texts fluently. According to Faver (2008), "the ultimate goal of a fluent reader is to read at a normal speaking pace while comprehending what is being read"(p 350).
"Reading fluency consists of three key elements: accurate reading of connected text at a conversational rate with appropriate prosody or expression"(Spear-Swerling, 2019 p. 96)
Teaching Fluency through music
Reading fluency depends on accuracy, automaticity and prosody (Spear-Swerling, 2019). Once students are capable of decoding through developing phonemic awareness, they must work on fluency so that less time is spent on processing words, and more time can be spent on processing meaning.
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"When a fluent student reads, he or she literally seems to float along the lines, enunciating a clear stream of words while adding necessary expression - pure music to the teacher's ear.”
(Archer et al., 2013, p. 96)
One of the main approaches to teaching fluency is through repeated reading (Songs and music naturally lend themselves to repeated listening and reading which helps to improve reading fluency. “Prior knowledge of a song’s lyrics allows students to identify the printed words by matching them to the lyrics in their auditory memory”(Hines, 2010, p. 18). Reviewing lyrics while listening to the song helps to model fluent reading. Providing lyrics can build motivation to read since they provide assisted reading support. Students can track words as they hear them and also sing along (choral read) (Rasinski & Samuels, 2011).
Fluency lessons and activities
This is a repeat listening activity where students need to follow along and fill in the missing lyrics. There is also a short text that students can partner read to practice prosody.
The supplementary text provides background knowledge and historical significance to the song. Once students have heard the song, they are more motivated to read and learn more about the artist. Since the text is short it is easy to re-read multiple times inorder to increase fluency.
Print multiple copies of the lyrics, cut the sections and place them in envelopes.
Listen to the song then in small groups have students read their paper aloud and work together to place the lyrics in order. Once groups have their first order, relisten to the song and verify their lyric order by following along.
While listening to music in class, turn on the lyrics function (in spotify) and it will track the words as they are sung. Providing supplemental slide shows to introduce songs is another way to practice choral reading in class There are many lyrics versions of songs online (see sample below) that help build the connections between spoken and written word