Fluency Instruction : Research-Based Best Practices

Because fluency instruction was identified only recently as a cornerstone literacy subject, it is still unfamiliar terrain for many teachers. This volume fills a crucial gap by offering a thorough, authoritative examination of what reading fluency is and how it should be taught. Contributing authors--who include the field's leading authorities--review the growing knowledge base and provide clear recommendations for effective, engaging instruction and assessment. Special topics include promising applications for struggling readers and English language learners. Throughout, vignettes and examples from exemplary programs bring the research to life, enhancing the book's utility as an undergraduate- or graduate-level text and a resource for inservice teachers.

Timothy Rasinski, PhD, is Professor of Literacy Education at Kent State University. He also helps direct Kent State’s Reading Clinic, which recently won the Ohio’s Best Award for its effectiveness and innovations in working with students who struggle with reading. Dr. Rasinski has written over 150 articles and has authored, coauthored, or edited 15 books on reading education. His scholarly interests include reading fluency and word study and reading in the elementary and middle grades. Dr. Rasinski’s research on reading has been cited by the National Reading Panel and has been published in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, Reading Psychology, and the Journal of Educational Research. He recently served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association and currently serves as coeditor of the Journal of Literacy Research.

Camille Blachowicz, PhD, is Professor of Education at National-Louis University, where she also directs the Reading Specialist Program and the Reading Center. She is the author of several books and numerous chapters, monographs, and articles on vocabulary and comprehension instruction and on working with at-risk readers. Dr. Blachowicz was a Fulbright Fellow in Italy and is active in professional organizations and staff development nationally and internationally.

Kristin Lems, EdD, is Program Coordinator and Associate Professor in the English as a Second Language/Bilingual Education Program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at National-Louis University. Previously, she taught in an intensive postsecondary English as a Second Language program. Dr. Lems was a Fulbright Scholar in Algeria for 2 years, and has authored a book on Teaching English as a Foreign Language methodology for the Peace Corps.