Chapter 8 - Flint

In Chapter 8 of Flint, I enjoyed reading about Reading with Fluency and how, in many cases, students who read quickly are not garnering meaning from the text. As a general statement, I think that many believe that “Good readers read fast.” Readers associate a slower pace as being less fluent and a worse reader than their speed reading neighbor. I liked the ideas set forth in the Flint text, including Partner Reading, Repeated Readings and Reader’s Theater. I wonder, though, how effective these practices may be, given their dependence on reading aloud.

As a student, I must say that I find reading aloud to be somewhat of a hindrance to literary development. As a future teacher, I know of course that it is a necessary part of this process, and is one of the only true ways to assess a reader and their abilities. I know, though, from personal experience, that reading aloud is a factor in students comparing their reading speeds, fluency abilities, and their abilities to make meaning out of text. I must agree with the Flint text that using authentic and natural language, in conjunction with high-frequency words, is one of the most effective tools in gaining an actual understanding and assessment of student’s abilities when reading aloud.