Fluency isn’t just for big kids! When we think of fluency, we often picture older students reading smoothly and expressively. But fluency starts much earlier than that. Even our youngest learners can develop fluency skills that will set them up for future reading success.

What is Fluency? Fluency consists of three key components: accuracy, speed, and expression. Accuracy ensures that students read words correctly, which builds confidence and comprehension. Speed, or automaticity, allows students to recognize words effortlessly, freeing up mental energy for understanding. Expression adds meaning and engagement by using proper phrasing, intonation, and emphasis. When these three elements work together, students become fluent readers who can enjoy and understand text more effectively.

For kindergarten and first-grade students, fluency includes:

• Recognizing letters
• Associating letters and sounds quickly
• Reading high-frequency words automatically
• Reading simple sentences with expression

Fluency isn’t about rushing—it’s about reading in a way that makes sense. When students develop fluency, they can focus on understanding what they read instead of struggling to decode each word.

Students also need good examples of fluency…and that’s where good read alouds are important. Students need to hear you read fluently…with speed, automaticity, and expression regularly. It also needs to be in authentic text. If you’d like to read about why pre-reading your read alouds is important, check out this past post.  Fluency in kindergarten starts with foundational skills. Here’s how you can support your young learners.

Letter Fluency AND Letter-to-sound fluency

Letter Fluency AND Letter to Sound Fluency

Before students can read fluently, they need to recognize letters quickly and effortlessly. Simultaneously, students need to make letter/sound associations effortless. The quicker letter and sounds are reproduced, the quicker students can apply this understanding.

Activities:

• Letter Races: Show students a flashcard and have them say the letter name and sound as fast as they can.
• Alphabet Fluency Chart: Provide students with an alphabet chart and have them read it daily, tracking their speed and accuracy.
• Timed Sound Hunts: Give students a letter and have them find words in the classroom that start with that sound.

High frequency word fluency

Recognizing common words instantly is a key part of fluency. Sight Words, High Frequency Words, and Heart Words are words students come in contact with regularly. Using Orthographic Mapping, students will create automaticity with words. Activities:

• Flashlight Words: Write high-frequency words on the board and turn off the lights. Call out a word and have students shine a flashlight on it.
• Sight Word/Heart Word Races: Students race to read as many words as they can from a stack of known words in one minute.
• Read and Jump: Place sight words on the floor. Students read the word and jump to the next one.

phrase and sentence fluency

Once students recognize words, they can start reading phrases and simple sentences fluently.

Activities:

• Echo Reading: The teacher reads a sentence with expression, and students repeat it.
• Phrases on a Ring: Write common phrases on index cards and place them on a ring for quick daily fluency practice.
• Sentence Smoothness: Give students choppy sentences (e.g., “I. like. to. run.”) and have them practice reading them smoothly.

reading with expression

Fluent reading isn’t just fast—it should also sound natural and engaging! Students need practice reading with expression. They need to practice HOW to read a text so that it engages the audience. It’s important to show students what good reading does and doesn’t sound like.

Activities:

• Voice Cards: Have students read a sentence using different voices (happy, sad, excited, tired, etc.).
• Puppet Reading: Give students puppets and have them read aloud in character voices.
• Choral Reading: Read a short text together as a class, focusing on expression and pacing.
• End Mark Reading:  Students can be given a sentence and changeable end marks. Students will read the sentence according to the end mark.

repeated reading and partner reading

The more students practice reading, the more fluent they become. Rereading known texts is an important part creating fluency. Known texts can be sound charts, word cards, pre-taught poems, and texts. 

Activities:

• Repeated Reading Routine: Have students read the same short text three times, each time aiming for smoother reading. When I was in the classroom, students would be introduced to a poem of the week. We would read it daily.

The next week it went home as a homework activity to read to their parents nightly. It was also placed in the art center and the poetry center.

The following week, it was put in the pocket chart center. Yep, my students practiced the poem for 3 consecutive weeks, while they were learning others. They could reread these poems many times…building their fluency with this familiar read.

• Whisper Phones: Students read into a “whisper phone” (PVC pipe) to hear themselves read aloud. (They will only talk in to it too loudly once.)
• Buddy Reading: Pair students up to take turns reading simple books to each other.

using Engaging texts

Not all texts are created equal for fluency practice. Choose books that:

• Have predictable patterns (e.g., “Brown Bear, Brown Bear”)
• Have memorable characters (e.g., “Pete the Cat”)
• Include rhymes and repetition
• Match students’ decoding abilities while still providing a challenge

FLuency Resources

Fluency Activities for Kindergarten and First Grade (opens in a new window) (Florida Center for Reading Research)

Fluency (Reading Rockets)

Fluency Resources and Activities (Five from Five)

Fluency (International Literacy Association)

The Fluency Formula: Practice + Fun = Success! Fluency practice doesn’t have to be boring! When students have engaging activities, they develop fluency naturally and confidently. By incorporating fluency into daily routines, you’ll be setting your students on the path to becoming strong, expressive readers. If you’d like a Fluency Sampler, fill out the form at the end of the text and you’ll get it 19 pages! You will be joining my email list, but you can unsubscribe at any time (although I’d hate to see you go).