Over the years, teachers have looked for the best way to teach their students to read. There are those who believe that teaching sight words is the best way to teach while others believe that a foundation in phonics instruction is a must. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect that phonics instruction has on the oral reading fluency of students in third through fifth grades. Can direct phonics instruction increase the oral reading fluency of upper elementary students who are below grade level? This mixed methods study takes a look at the effect of direct phonics instruction on the oral reading fluency of students who are above the grade level in which phonics are included in reading standards. Students in a rural school in Georgia participated in this study in which DIBELS Next was used to measure oral reading fluency. Students who were determined to be below grade level were given a systematic program of direct phonics instruction for 15 minutes daily. Information collected from DIBELS Next along with teacher surveys and anecdotal notes, was compiled to get a well-rounded picture of effects of phonics instruction on students' ability to read fluently. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]