Definition

fluency is the ability to read accurately, smoothly and with expression.  Fluent readers recognize words automatically, without struggling over decoding issues.  They sound natural, as if they’re speaking.  Non-fluent readers read slowly and sound choppy. Fluency is important because it bridges between word recognition and  comprehension.  It allows students time to focus on what the text is saying.  They are able to make connections between what  they are reading and their own background knowledge. Therefore, they are able to concentrate on comprehension. On the other hand, non-fluent readers have to spend more time decoding,  leaving less time for comprehending  the text.  They will often have to read the same passage over several times to attain comprehension.

Even when students recognize words automatically, they are not fluent if they don’t read with expression.  To read with expression a student should be able to divide a word into chunks, using proper phrasing.  Not paying attention to punctuation often changes the meaning of the text.  For example:
The children, without their toys, feel sad.
or
The children without their, toys feel sad.

Key Messages

• Reading Fluency is a constrained skill

• Reading fluency is dependent on the development of other skills i.e. automa1city, accuracy and prosody

•Reading Fluency should be explicitly taught

•Reading Fluency is essen1al for comprehension