Throwback Thursday

Let's be honest here....who isn't a fan of a throwback? 

On Thursdays I get pretty dang  excited to log onto Facebook and Instagram to see all of the #TBT pics my friends have posted......not that I need another excuse to log onto Facebook and Instagram! Ha!

Some of my buddies like to be pretty mean and find the most embarrassing, ugliest and downright mortifying photos they can find.......while others are nice and just post"awwwwwww that's so cute" pics.

Well.....here is an "awwwwww that's so cute" picture of me and my sis. I am on the left....and she is the one big cheesin' on the right.  I think this is circa 1986.....the good ol' days!    Seriously how cute is my sister....she honestly was the most adorable baby/toddler ever....well....she is still pretty precious even as a 30 year old! 

Despite all the fun you can have posting #TBT pics.....you can also have fun revisiting and rereading some old blog posts.  So go ahead....link up and #TBT an old blog post you wrote years, months or weeks ago!!

To link up add the Throwback Thursday image, and title your post "Throwback Thursday".  Then simply re-post (copy and paste, retype, etc.) a post you have written in the past.  Perhaps it is a post that was beloved by your loyal blog readers, or maybe it is a post that didn't get as much attention as you had hoped.  I would love for you to join the party!

   The post I am revisiting comes from April of 2013 and it is all about fluency!!  Here it is.....

#TBT Flash Fluency

Being a successful reader is comprised of multiple things---fluency being one of them! If a child is trying to read from point a to point b and decodes every word in between ....I can guarantee that child didn't retain a thing!  Thus---fluency is important!!  Ideally, for older students reading should be automatic.  AND--when older students encounter a word they are unfamiliar with (which they will), they should have word attack strategies to decode the word.........

Now, unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world; which means we do have struggling older readers (if you don't, I want to know where you work, haha!).  One great way to help struggling readers, is to help them become more fluent with their reading.

By fluent-- I mean for the students to become more automatic (not prosody or expression--that is for another post another day).  There are several ways to make students become automatic with their reading.

1. Practice Dolch sight words

• Dolch sight words are 220 words which students should not sound out--but simply know by sight. 

2. Practice Fry's 1,000 high frequency words

• Dr. Edward Fry compiled a list of the most frequently used words students would encounter while reading. The 1,000 words are divided into lists of 100--which start out easy and get harder. 

3. Practice with Flash Fluency

• Flash Fluency was developed by The Positive Engagement Project, which did a plethora of  scientific research to create four "no excuse" word lists
• Tide Pool
• For early readers
• 50 sight words from Dolch and Fry
• Low Tide
• One step above early readers
• 150 sight words form Dolch and Fry
• No repeat words
• High Tide
• Grade 2
• 600 sight words and academic vocabulary
• No repeat words
• Tidal Wave
• Grades 3 and up
• 1,000 words
• Sight words and academic vocabulary
• No repeat words

I have heard of Dolch and Fry words---but Flash Fluency words are new to me.  I love Dolch and Fry; and mastering the words does make a huge difference in a child's fluency. However I am intrigued by the whole Flash Fluency program.  I think it is great how the lists don't just include sight words, but also academic vocabulary. Also, the word lists go all the way up to sixth grade--which is awesome because many sight word lists don't stretch that high.

Anyway---click the links above and check out the lists for you and your students. You can download the PDF's for free. Included in the download are word lists, assessments, implementation ideas and fun ways to practice.

Let me know what you think!
Katie


I hope you enjoyed reading my #TBT post.....please link up and add give your old posts some love!!

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