From Reading and Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan & Dr. Howard Margolis
Reading Fluency: Part II – Helping Daniel
A Guest Post by
Lorraine Griffith, M.A.Ed
West Buncombe Elementary School, Asheville NC
A Guest Column by
Patrick McCabe, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Doctoral Program in Literacy
St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY
There is a strong correlation between the size of a child’s vocabulary and his reading ability.
In fact, one of the best predictors of success in reading is the quantity of words children know. While there is a correlation between words known and reading ability, and good reading comprehension requires a good vocabulary, a good vocabulary does not insure good reading comprehension. In other words, just teaching your child vocabulary words does not mean that she will automatically comprehend what she reads. Reading comprehension requires more. It requires the ability to relate ideas presented, not just knowledge of what individual words mean.
Reading Fluency: Part I
A Guest Post by
Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.
Professor, Kent State University
A recent survey of “What’s Hot and What’s Not” in Reading found that reading fluency is no longer a hot topic and that it should not be hot. As a person who has written widely about reading fluency and have done a fair amount of research into fluency, I found this a bit disturbing. From my work in the Kent State University Reading Clinic, I know that many children who experience significant difficulty in reading have problems in fluency. When appropriate fluency instruction is provided, overall reading achievement improves, sometimes dramatically.
Shortly after meeting me, parents often ask, “What program and services does my child need to overcome his reading disabilities?” They’re surprised when I say, “I don’t know enough about your child and his problems. Tell me more. Exactly what problems does he have? With what components of reading does he struggle? What can’t he do?” My response often surprises and disappoints them. Here’s my explanation.
A Reading Evaluation Needs to Pinpoint the Problem: The Five Areas of Reading
To be effective, programs that aim to improve the reading of children with reading disabilities need to focus on the child’s specific difficulties. Identifying those difficulties requires an evaluation from a reading specialist.
