Argues that educators must address the challenge of helping all students read fluently. Presents strategies to improve student performance in reading speed, accuracy, and the ability to chunk meaning into units or gists. Advises teachers to encourage students to increase reading speed as they encounter an unfamiliar word, use repeated readings,…

Discusses the concept of reading flexibility; suggests a two-step instructional procedure (termed ReFlex Action) for teaching children to be flexible in reading rate and purpose. (DD)

Discusses methods and research related to increasing children's reading rates to improve their comprehension and self-esteem. Concludes that the improvement of reading rate should be an established component of any reading program. (MG)

Presents and discusses findings from exploratory research on the effect of grouping and pace on reading acquisition. (RB)

Reviews 11 studies originally analyzed by Bergquist to support the contention that children can be trained to increase their reading rates without any loss of comprehension along with more recent work. Concludes that rapid reading results in a decrease in the accuracy of comprehension. (FL)

The effects of assisted reading (in which students listen to the passage and then read it along with the teacher prior to reading the material independently) on three elementary students with learning disabilities were evaluated using a multiple baseline design. Assisted reading resulted in more words read correctly, fewer words read incorrectly,…

Examines the temporal processing deficit hypothesis. Administers a comprehensive battery to reading disabled adults and elementary students (reading-level controls). Finds that the timing tasks shared little variance with phonological sensitivity and contribute little unique variance to word reading. Provides evidence for the involvement of naming…

Acknowledges that symbol naming speed is an important correlate of reading skill. Proposes an informal model and reviews evidence for several of its links. Concludes that use of such a model may focus research questions more finely and lead to a more precise conceptualization of the basis for naming speed-reading relationships. (SG)

Describes methods for increasing the reading fluency of slow readers; presents a step-by-step method for developing fluency through oral reading. (MAI)

Three tables present data from 22 braille-reading blind children, ages 6 to 12, including demographic data (such as years of braille use, IQ, age, hand movement type, and reading rate); highest and lowest reading rates, by years of braille instruction and IQ scores; and oral reading rates. The methodology used is suggested for teachers doing…

The effects of key words and previewing on the rate of words read correctly and the reading comprehension of a language minority student (age 10) were analyzed. The student read more words correctly and answered more comprehension questions accurately after the material was previewed and key words were discussed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A synthesis of research on interventions designed to build reading fluency in students with learning disabilities identified 24 studies on various interventions. Results suggested that effective interventions include explicit models of reading fluency, multiple opportunities to read familiar text repeatedly, independently, and with corrective…

Evaluation of the use of repeated readings to increase the reading fluency of four elementary students with low vision found the intervention was effective in improving all four students' reading fluency without adversely affecting error rates or comprehension. Students' improved reading rates also generalized to classroom reading. (DB)

Three instructional approaches have worked well in increasing reading fluency of students with reading difficulties: previewing; hypothesis/test training; and repeated readings. However, it is crucial that students also receive instruction in reading comprehension. (CB)