Oral Reading Fluency Norms: A Valuable Assessment Tool for Reading Teachers

• Published in: The Reading teacher Vol. 59; no. 7; pp. 636 - 644
• Main Authors: Hasbrouck, Jan, Tindal, Gerald A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2006; International Reading Association; International Reading Association, Order Department; International Literacy Association
• Subjects: assessment; Child Health; childhood; Children; Cognitive development; criterion; Curriculum Based Assessment; Diagnostic Tests; early adolescence; early childhood; Educational aspects; Educational evaluation; Elementary School Students; Federal Programs; Fluency; Grade 2; Grade levels; Intervention; Language acquisition; Language fluency; Measures (Individuals); Norms; Open reading frames; oral; Oral Reading; Oral reading fluency; Reading Achievement; Reading comprehension; Reading Difficulties; Reading Fluency; Reading Improvement; Reading Instruction; Reading Skills; Reading teachers; Screening Tests; Student Evaluation; Student Improvement; Study and teaching; Teachers; United States; New York; United States > US; Texas
• ISSN: 0034-0561; 1936-2714
• DOI: 10.1598/RT.59.7.3

In 1992, the authors collaborated to develop a set of norms for oral reading fluency for grades 2–5. Since then, interest in and awareness of fluency has greatly increased, and Hasbrouck and Tindal have collaborated further to compile an updated and expanded set of norms for grades 1–8. This article discusses the application of these norms to three important assessment activities related to improving students' reading achievement: Screening students for possible reading problems Diagnosing deficits in students' fluency Monitoring the progress of students receiving supplementary instruction or intensive intervention in reading An overview of the history and purpose for developing measures of oral reading fluency is also presented.