System and methods for a reading fluency measure

Abstract

The present invention measures reading fluency, which is simultaneous decoding and comprehension. Whether or not a person is a fluent reader is determined by the size of the visual unit, or sting of letters, used in word recognition In order to measure the size of the visual unit used in word recognition, a lexical decision task (“LDT”) is used in which short and long words are presented on a display device. The person determines if the string of letters formulates a word. The person enters their response on an input device and the results are recorded. A score is calculated that measures reading fluency. The ability to correctly identify a string of letters as a word using holistic processing, rather than letter-by-letter, is the hallmark of a fluent person.

1 . A method for reading fluency, comprising:
 (a) presenting a string of letters from a database;   (b) determining whether the string of letters formulates a word;   (c) inputting a response;   (d) recording a result;   (e) calculating a score from the result; and   (f) measuring reading fluency.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of administering training on said steps (a)-(f). 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of measuring reading fluency includes analyzing the size of a visual unit recognized from the string of letters. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database includes all words of the English language. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of presenting a string of letters from a database is sequential. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of presenting a string of letters from a database is random. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database includes high frequency and low frequency words. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the string of letters range from three to six letters. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the string of letters varies in number of letters in the string. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the string of letters is a collection of words and non-words. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the collection is categorized by grade level of the participant. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the collection is categorized by age of the participant. 
   
   
       13 . A method for reading fluency, comprising:
 administering a lexical decision task;   presenting a string of letters from a database;   determining if the string of letters formulates a word;   obtaining a first result from the lexical decision;   performing a criterion validity task;   receiving a second result from the criterion validity task;   analyzing the first result and the second result; and   determining whether the lexical decision task is a feasible reading fluency measure.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first result is a set of results. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the criterion validity task is one from the following group comprising Curriculum Based Measurement, Woodcock Johnson Word Recognition test, tests of oral reading speed, and Reading Fluency Indicator. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the result includes accuracy and latency of said determining step. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the latency is measured in milliseconds 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for administering a lexical decision task to a participant, comprising;
 a database including a collection of letter strings of words and non-words;   a display device, wherein one letter string from said collection is presented on said display device;   an input device, by which a participant can enter a response whether said letter string is a word or non-word based on a visual unit recognized; and   a processor for recording results from the response, wherein said results includes latency of said response and accuracy of said response, said processor further calculating a score based on the size of said visual unit recognized that measures reading fluency.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said display device is a computer. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said visual unit is a string of letters ranging from three to six letters. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said collection is categorized by grade level of the participant. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said collection is categorized by age of the participant.