Nonsense Word Fluency Part 3: Instructional focus for each stage of word reading

Welcome to the final post in the three part series about nonsense word fluency!  Today we will spend time on the instructional focus for each stage of word reading. But....before we jump to that, lets remember two important things. 

1. We know that giving students a nonsense word fluency assessment is important!  If you don't know, then read part one in this series by clicking here. This will tell you all the reasons why nonsense word fluency assessments are crucial.

2. We know the three stages of word reading are sound by sound, partial blends and whole word reading. Want more information about that?  Then click here to check out part two of this blog series which defines the three stages.

So....what exactly should the instructional focus at each stage of word reading be?   

When students are in stage one: sound by sound reading, teachers should first make sure that students are accurate at the letter sound level.  Teachers can do this by doing a simple letter sound assessment. Download a free assessment from Reading Rockets by clicking here. If students are not accurate at the letter sound level, more instruction should be given to letters and sounds.  

If a student IS accurate with letters and sounds, instructional time should be spent on onset and rime.  For example in the word /cat/, students should first identify and say the rime /at/ and then add the onset /c/ to the rime.  

It is great practice to have students spot the vowel and then blend to the end.  For more ideas check out this blog series on stopping sound by sound reading.  

When students are in stage two: partial blends, teachers should make sure students are accurate with partial blends.  If students are not accurate, make sure they have a mastery of short vowels and all letter sounds and keep working on spotting the vowel and blending to the end. 

If students ARE accurate, instructional time should be spent on getting students to do rime reading inside their brain.  Ask students to silently blend the onset and rime and then produce the whole word aloud.  You may sound like a broken record, "Tony great job sounding out that rime and onset, but try doing it inside your brain on the next word."   

When students have achieved stage three: unitizing the whole word, it is imperative you make sure students are accurate at this level.  If students are inaccurate instruction should focus on accuracy with partial blends and rime/reading done in the reader's brain. 

If the student is accurate at this level his/her instructional focus should be on automaticity and fluency in connected text.  This means reading, reading, reading!