The Role of Reading Fluency in Academic Achievement

When I started teaching, we didn’t focus on fluency. Sure, we administered running records and occasionally touched on prosody in our assessments, but we never measured automaticity. There was a general belief that timing students or focusing too much on speed could harm their emotional well-being. We were told that pushing kids to read faster might turn them into speed readers who would lose their love of reading. It wasn’t until later in my career that I truly understood the importance of fluency and why it plays such a crucial role in student achievement.

What is Reading Fluency?

Reading fluency is the combination of accuracy, speed, and proper expression (Moats, 2020; NRP, 2000). Fluent readers can read smoothly, accurately, and at an appropriate pace, which indicates their competence and confidence with reading. Prosody, often referred to as expression, is a part of fluency. It involves the rhythm and tonal qualities of speech, including phrasing and expression, which help readers convey meaning. In my early years of teaching, we primarily focused on prosody, not realizing that accuracy and speed are also vital components of fluency. We thought that focusing too much on those aspects might cause harm to the kids, but in hindsight, I see how incomplete our approach was.

Why is Fluency So Important?

Fluency is critical because it allows students to spend less cognitive energy on decoding words and more on understanding the text. When students struggle with fluency, they spend excessive time decoding, which negatively impacts their comprehension (Moats, 2020). Many times, we teach to accuracy alone—if Johnny can read all the words, he’s ready to move to the next level. However, fluency isn’t just about reading words correctly; it’s about reading them automatically, with speed and expression. If a student like Johnny isn’t automatic in recognizing words, even if they can answer questions correctly in the moment, it could impact their comprehension later, especially with more complex texts. Over time, the gaps in fluency can make it harder for students to keep up with more difficult content.

How Do We Measure Fluency?

One simple way to measure oral reading fluency is by having a student read a grade-level passage for one minute and calculating the correct words per minute (WCPM, CWPM). This short assessment provides valuable insights. A single minute can reveal a lot about a student’s fluency and predict how well they will comprehend a text. Reflecting on all the time spent administering running records to determine instructional levels—sometimes taking weeks and requiring substitute teachers—shows me how inefficient that process was. A fluency assessment can often be done with an entire class in just two or three periods, providing much quicker feedback.

How Else Can We Use Fluency Assessments?

Fluency measures, particularly speed and accuracy, are excellent for screening and progress monitoring. By assessing fluency regularly, teachers can track student progress and adjust instruction as needed. These assessments can also be used within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to determine if a student needs to move between tiers of intervention. Since fluency assessments are often norm-referenced, they are generally more reliable and valid than other assessments, giving educators a more accurate picture of students' reading abilities.

Effective Ways of Teaching Fluency

Several strategies can

help students develop fluency:

• Choral Reading: The entire class reads together, which helps students practice pacing and expression in a supportive environment.

• Echo Reading: The teacher reads a passage, and the students repeat it, mimicking the teacher’s expression and pace.

• Buddy Reading: Pairs of students read together, allowing them to model fluency for each other and provide feedback.

Fluency instruction should focus on developing automaticity in word recognition, and it should include adult and recorded models of fluent reading (Lane, 2014). These strategies not only help improve fluency but also make reading more enjoyable and engaging for students.

Conclusion

Reading fluency plays a pivotal role in academic achievement, and it’s essential that we, as educators, recognize its importance and incorporate effective fluency instruction in the classroom. Fluency isn’t just about reading quickly—it’s about reading accurately, smoothly, and with understanding. By measuring fluency, monitoring progress, and using strategies like choral reading and buddy reading, we can help students become more confident and competent readers, ultimately improving their comprehension and academic performance.

References

Lane, H. (2014). Evidence-based reading instruction for grades K-5. (Document No. IC-12). University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center. http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

Moats, L. C. (2020). Speech to print: Language essentials for teachers. Paul Brookes Publishing