2026 The Fluency Ladder - Book Week
Build confident, expressive readers with The Fluency Ladder—a comprehensive whole-school fluency programme that teaches students how to read aloud with accuracy, phrasing, pace and expression. Rather than grouping students by year level, this unique resource allows children to work at the fluency level that best matches their current reading ability, making it ideal for differentiated instruction across Foundation to Year 6.
Students progress through seven carefully sequenced fluency levels, beginning with finding their voice before developing skills in pausing, phrasing, pacing, expression, character voices and performance. The resource includes 22 original fluency passages, explicit teaching pages, partner practice activities, assessment rubrics, cold-read passages, student tracking sheets and whole-class recording tools, giving teachers everything they need to teach, assess and monitor reading fluency in one resource.
A built-in 90-second fluency screen helps identify students whose primary challenge is decoding rather than fluency, ensuring children receive the right support at the right time. Comprehensive teacher guidance and inclusive assessment pathways also support emerging readers, EAL/D learners and students requiring reasonable adjustments.
Originally created to support the 2026 Book Week theme Symphony of Stories, The Fluency Ladder is designed for use throughout the entire school year. It is perfect for guided reading, literacy rotations, fluency intervention, oral language lessons, reading conferences, Book Week activities and ongoing assessment.
Learning goals
- We are learning to create and deliver short oral presentations to peers.
- We are learning to read decodable and authentic texts fluently using phonic knowledge and to monitor meaning using context and grammar.
- We are learning to create and deliver short oral and multimodal presentations to peers, which include an opening, middle and concluding statement, appropriate vocabulary, gestures, volume and pace.
- We are learning to read texts fluently and use strategies to make meaning.
- We are learning to structure, rehearse and present short oral presentations on new and familiar topics.
- We are learning to confidently read different types of texts aloud with fluency and intonation and use our knowledge of reading strategies, vocabulary, grammar and phonics when reading.
- We are learning to re-read and edit texts for appropriate meaning, structure, grammatical choices and punctuation.
- We are learning to confidently read different types of texts aloud with fluency and intonation and use our knowledge of reading strategies, vocabulary, grammar, phonics, re-reading and self-correction when reading.
- We are learning to plan, rehearse and deliver presentations in an organised manner with relevant facts and description from reliable sources.
- We are learning to plan, rehearse and deliver multimodal presentations for specific audiences and purposes sequenced logically in an organised manner, with appropriate features of voice and relevant information, arguments and facts from reliable sources.
- We are learning to plan, rehearse and deliver multimodal presentations for specific audiences and purposes sequenced logically in an organised manner with appropriate features of voice and relevant facts from reliable sources.
- We are learning to deliver short oral presentations to peers.
- We are learning to read decodable and predictable texts fluently and use strategies to make meaning.
- We are learning to structure and make short presentations on familiar topics.
- We are learning to read less predictable texts fluently and use strategies to make meaning.
- We are learning to confidently read different types of texts aloud with fluency and intonation and use our knowledge of reading strategies, vocabulary, grammar and phonics when reading.
- We are learning to plan and deliver oral or multimodal short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence.
- We are learning to read new and different texts using word identification strategies and self-monitoring strategies.
- We are learning to plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for specific audiences and purposes in an organised manner with multimodal elements and relevant facts from reliable sources.
- We are learning to plan, rehearse and deliver appropriately sequenced multimodal presentations for specific audiences and purposes.
Curriculum alignment
AC9E1LY04
9
Read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic knowledge, phrasing and fluency, and monitoring meaning using context and grammatical knowledge
AC9E1LY07
9
Create and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations on personal and learnt topics, which include an opening, middle and concluding statement; some topic-specific vocabulary and appropriate gesture, volume and pace
AC9E2LY04
9
Read texts with phrasing and fluency, using phonic and word knowledge, and monitoring meaning by re-reading and self-correcting
AC9E2LY07
9
Create, rehearse and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations for familiar audiences and purposes, using text structure appropriate to purpose and topic-specific vocabulary, and varying tone, volume and pace
AC9E3LY04
9
Read a range of texts using phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge to read accurately and fluently, re-reading and self-correcting when required
AC9E3LY07
9
Plan, create, rehearse and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations to inform, express opinions or tell stories, using a clear structure, details to elaborate ideas, topic-specific and precise vocabulary, visual features, and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume
AC9E4LY04
9
Read different types of texts, integrating phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge to read accurately and fluently, re-reading and self-correcting when needed
AC9E4LY07
9
Plan, create, rehearse and deliver structured oral and/or multimodal presentations to report on a topic, tell a story, recount events or present an argument using subjective and objective language, complex sentences, visual features, tone, pace, pitch and volume
AC9E6LY07
9
Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include information, arguments and details that develop a theme or idea, organising ideas using precise topic-specific and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features
AC9E5LY07
9
Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include relevant, elaborated ideas, sequencing ideas and using complex sentences, specialist and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features
AC9EFLY07
9
Create and deliver short spoken texts to report ideas and events to peers, using features of voice such as appropriate volume
ACELY1689
8.4
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular purposes and audiences
ACELY1691
8.4
Read different types of texts by combining contextual , semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge using text processing strategies for example monitoring meaning, cross checking and reviewing
ACELY1710
8.4
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis
ACELY1700
8.4
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements
ACELY1679
8.4
Read an increasing range of different types of texts by combining contextual, semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge, using text processing strategies, for example monitoring, predicting, confirming, rereading, reading on and self-correcting
ACELY1677
8.4
Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence
ACELY1647
8.4
Deliver short oral presentations to peers
ACELY1659
8.4
Read decodable and predictable texts using developing phrasing, fluency, contextual, semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge and emerging text processing strategies, for example prediction, monitoring meaning and re-reading
ACELY1667
8.4
Rehearse and deliver short presentations on familiar and new topics
ACELY1657
8.4
Make short presentations using some introduced text structures and language, for example opening statements
ACELY1669
8.4
Read less predictable texts with phrasing and fluency by combining contextual, semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge using text processing strategies, for example monitoring meaning, predicting, rereading and self-correcting
EN1-6B
old
Recognises a range of purposes and audiences for spoken language and recognises organisational patterns and features of predictable spoken texts
EN1-4A
old
Draws on an increasing range of skills and strategies to fluently read, view and comprehend a range of texts on less familiar topics in different media and technologies
EN2-6B
old
Identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken texts, distinguishes between different forms of English and identifies organisational patterns and features
EN2-4A
old
Uses an increasing range of skills, strategies and knowledge to fluently read, view and comprehend a range of texts on increasingly challenging topics in different media and technologies
EN3-1A
old
Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features
ENe-1A
old
Communicates with peers and known adults in informal and guided activities demonstrating emerging skills of group interaction
EN2-VOCAB-01
new
Builds knowledge and use of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary through interacting, wide reading and writing, and by defining and analysing words
EN3-HANDW-01
new
Sustains a legible, fluent and automatic handwriting style
EN3-SPELL-01
new
Automatically applies taught phonological, orthographic and morphological generalisations and strategies when spelling in a range of contexts, and justifies spelling strategies used to spell unfamiliar words
EN3-CWT-01
new
Plans, creates and revises written texts for multiple purposes and audiences through selection of text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language
EN3-VOCAB-01
new
Extends Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary through interacting, wide reading and writing, morphological analysis and generating precise definitions for specific contexts
EN3-OLC-01
new
Communicates to wide audiences with social and cultural awareness, by interacting and presenting, and by analysing and evaluating for understanding
EN1-UARL-01
new
Understands and responds to literature by creating texts using similar structures, intentional language choices and features appropriate to audience and purpose
EN2-REFLU-01
new
Sustains independent reading with accuracy, automaticity, rate and prosody suited to purpose, audience and meaning
EN2-RECOM-01
new
Reads and comprehends texts for wide purposes using knowledge of text structures and language, and by monitoring comprehension
EN2-UARL-01
new
Identifies and describes how ideas are represented in literature and strategically uses similar representations when creating texts
EN2-OLC-01
new
Communicates with familiar audiences for social and learning purposes, by interacting, understanding and presenting
EN2-CWT-01
new
Plans, creates and revises written texts for imaginative purposes, using text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language for a target audience
EN2-CWT-02
new
Plans, creates and revises written texts for informative purposes, using text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language for a target audience
EN2-CWT-03
new
Plans, creates and revises written texts for persuasive purposes, using text features, sentence-level grammar, punctuation and word-level language for a target audience
EN2-SPELL-01
new
Selects, applies and describes appropriate phonological, orthographic and morphological generalisations and strategies when spelling in a range of contexts
EN2-HANDW-02
new
Uses digital technologies to create texts
EN1-OLC-01
new
Communicates effectively by using interpersonal conventions and language to extend and elaborate ideas for social and learning interactions
EN3-HANDW-02
new
Selects digital technologies to suit audience and purpose to create texts
EN3-UARL-01
new
Analyses representations of ideas in literature through narrative, character, imagery, symbol and connotation, and adapts these representations when creating texts
EN1-RECOM-01
new
Comprehends independently read texts that require sustained reading by activating background and word knowledge, connecting and understanding sentences and whole text, and monitoring for meaning
EN1-REFLU-01
new
Sustains reading unseen texts with automaticity and prosody and self-corrects errors
EN1-PHOKW-01
new
Uses initial and extended phonics, including vowel digraphs, trigraphs to decode and encode words when reading and creating texts
EN1-VOCAB-01
new
Understands and effectively uses Tier 1, taught Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary to extend and elaborate ideas
EN3-UARL-02
new
Analyses representations of ideas in literature through genre and theme that reflect perspective and context, argument and authority, and adapts these representations when creating texts
ENE-UARL-01
new
Understands and responds to literature read to them
VCELY221
Read familiar and some unfamiliar texts with phrasing and fluency by combining phonic, semantic, contextual and grammatical knowledge using text processing strategies, including monitoring meaning, predicting, rereading and self-correcting
VCELY367
Participate in formal and informal debates and plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis
VCELY175
Deliver short oral presentations to peers, using appropriate voice levels, articulation, body language, gestures and eye contact
VCELY187
Read texts with familiar features and structures using developing phrasing, fluency, phonic, semantic, contextual, and grammatical knowledge and emerging text processing strategies, including prediction, monitoring meaning and rereading
VCELY211
Make short presentations, speaking clearly and using appropriate voice and pace, and using some introduced text structures and language
VCELY276
Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence, using appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume
VCELY338
Participate in informal debates and plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements
VCELY245
Rehearse and deliver short presentations on familiar and new topics, speaking clearly and varying tone, volume and pace appropriately, and using supportive props
VCELY256
Read an increasing range of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts by combining phonic, semantic, contextual and grammatical knowledge, using text processing strategies, including confirming, rereading and cross-checking
VCELY308
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular audiences and purposes such as informative, persuasive and imaginative, including multimodal elements
VCELY287
Read different types of texts for specific purposes by combining phonic, semantic, contextual and grammatical knowledge using text processing strategies, including monitoring meaning, skimming, scanning and reviewing
Australian Curriculum covers QLD / SA / WA / NT / TAS / ACT.
Differentiation
Modifications
- Use the fluency screening task to determine each student's starting level before beginning the programme.
- Provide teacher modelling or echo reading before students practise independently.
- Pair less confident readers with supportive reading partners.
- Allow students to rehearse passages multiple times before formal assessment.
- Use the alternative assessment pathways provided for students requiring adjustments or additional support.
Extensions
- Encourage students to perform their fluency passage for another class or at a school assembly.
- Record student readings throughout the year so they can reflect on their fluency growth.
- Challenge students to justify how punctuation, phrasing and expression influence meaning.
- Invite students to adapt narrative passages into reader's theatre performances.
- Extend learning by pairing this resource with The Fluency Performance Board for authentic oral presentations.
Teach it your way
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