Fluency and reading comprehension have a crucial and interdependent relationship: reading fluency serves as a bridge to reading comprehension.
In more detail:
Fluency is a key reading skill that directly impacts a child's ability to understand what they are reading. If a reader struggles with fluency, they spend more mental energy decoding individual words instead of focusing on the overall meaning of the text. This divided attention hinders comprehension.
Here's a breakdown of the connection:
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Fluency Defined: Reading fluency involves reading accurately, at a reasonable pace, and with appropriate expression.
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The Burden of Decoding: When readers aren't fluent, they stumble over words, read slowly, and may not recognize words automatically. This effort consumes cognitive resources that should be used for comprehension.
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Cognitive Resources: Reading comprehension requires cognitive resources for tasks like understanding vocabulary, identifying main ideas, making inferences, and connecting information.
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The Bridge: Fluent reading frees up these cognitive resources, allowing the reader to focus on constructing meaning from the text. Fluent readers can effortlessly process words, enabling them to grasp the text's message, purpose, and implications.
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Example: Imagine reading a complex scientific article. If you struggle to decode the scientific terms, you'll likely miss the overall argument. However, if you can read fluently, you can concentrate on understanding the scientific concepts presented.
Therefore, developing reading fluency is not just about reading faster; it's about creating a pathway for deeper and more meaningful comprehension. Fluency provides the necessary foundation for readers to actively engage with the text and build a thorough understanding.
