The Importance of Automaticity and Fluency For Efficient Reading Comprehension

Abstract

continued on page 17 The reading process involves two separate but highly interrelated areas–word identification and comprehension. It is well established that difficulties in automatic word recognition significantly affect a reader’s ability to efficiently comprehend what they are reading (Lyon, 1995; Torgesen, Rashotte, and Alexander, 2001). Even mild difficulties in word identification can pull attention away from the underlying meaning, reduce the speed of reading, and create the need to reread selections to grasp the meaning. Many students who struggle to learn to read are able, with appropriate instruction, to compensate for initial reading problems by becoming accurate decoders but fail to reach a level of sufficient fluency to become fast and efficient readers. Thus, the development of techniques for improving automaticity and fluency is critical. Although the research is clear that a systematic alphabetic approach to teaching beginning and struggling readers is more effective than a whole word approach (Adams, 1990; Chall, 1996; Snow, Burns, and Griffin, 1998), the most effective ways to develop fluency are less well understood. Although current research has given us some direction about effective methods for increasing fluency (National Reading Panel, 2000), further systematic research is needed to give us more comprehensive answers to questions concerning the best methodologies, types of materials, and length/intensity of interventions necessary for optimal gains. The purpose of this article is to suggest some techniques that are consistent with the research and have been found to be either clinically effective or logically appropriate.

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