The Truth About Reading Fluency

When most people think about how to teach reading fluency, they picture kids racing through passages, trying to beat the clock, all while their teacher frantically counts words per minute.

But if you’ve ever sat with a student who reads quickly but has no idea what they just read, you know something is off.

Reading fluency isn’t just about speed—it’s about accuracy, expression, and understanding.

So how do you teach it the right way?

In this article, I’ll break down what reading fluency really is, why so many strategies fail, and how to teach fluency in a way that actually sticks—backed by the Science of Reading and built into our Orton-Gillingham based curriculum.

What Is Reading Fluency (Really)?

Reading fluency is the ability to read with:

1. Accuracy – reading the words correctly

2. Rate – reading at a smooth, appropriate speed

3. Prosody – reading with expression, phrasing, and intonation

These three components combine to allow students to read effortlessly—freeing up brainpower for comprehension.

If a student has to sound out every word laboriously, they lose the meaning of the sentence. If they guess at every third word, they lose trust in the process. And if they read like a robot? Well, no one’s enjoying that.

Fluency is where decoding meets confidence.

Why Fluency Matters (According to Science)

The Science of Reading tells us that reading fluency is a bridge between phonics and comprehension. Students who struggle with fluency are often stuck in the “decoding” phase. They’re still working so hard to figure out words that they can’t focus on meaning.

Here’s the catch:
Most fluency issues are actually decoding issues in disguise.

That’s why teaching fluency is not just about timed passages. It starts with strong phonics instruction—and then uses repeated, targeted practice to build automaticity.

We’ve embedded this process directly into our Teach Me to Read with Orton-Gillingham Curriculum, so students don’t just learn how to read… they learn how to read fluently.

The 5 Mistakes People Make When Teaching Fluency

Before we dive into what to do, let’s talk about what not to do.

1. Focusing only on speed
   Speed without accuracy or comprehension is meaningless.

2. Skipping decoding instruction
   Students need strong phonics skills before fluency can develop.

3. Using un-decodable texts
   If a student hasn’t learned the patterns in the book, it’s not practice—it’s punishment.

4. Expecting fluency too early
   Fluency develops after mastery—not before.

5. Ignoring expression
   Fluent readers sound like natural speakers. Robotic reading ≠ fluency.

How to Teach Reading Fluency: 7 Strategies That Actually Work

Now let’s talk about what works—strategies that help students become fluent readers for life.

1. Start With Phonics Mastery

Fluency isn’t magic. It’s muscle memory.

Students need to be able to decode words effortlessly before they can read fluently. That’s why we focus heavily on phonics first—short vowels, digraphs, blends, silent e, and beyond.

📘 Use our Complete Decodable Curriculum to build phonics mastery before jumping into fluency.

2. Use Decodable Texts That Match the Student’s Level

Reading practice should never involve words a student can’t decode. Period.

✅ Match texts to the student’s most recent phonics skill
✅ Avoid “leveled readers” that push sight-word memorization
✅ Reuse stories from your phonics lessons for fluency practice

3. Use Echo Reading to Model Fluency

Students need to hear what good reading sounds like.

How it works:

• You read a sentence with correct pacing, expression, and phrasing.

• The student repeats it after you.

• Repeat with longer phrases and passages as confidence builds.

This is especially helpful for students who struggle with prosody (expression).

4. Incorporate Repeated Reading With Feedback

Reading the same text multiple times builds speed and confidence.

✅ Day 1: Read for accuracy
✅ Day 2: Re-read for fluency
✅ Day 3: Read with expression

Give supportive feedback like:
“You read that smoothly!” or “Try that again with a little more expression.”

5. Use Timed Reading—The Right Way

Timing can be useful, but only if it’s used for tracking progress—not pressure.

Use a short passage the student can already decode. Then:

✅ Time their first read
✅ Track words read correctly
✅ Set a goal for improvement over the week
✅ Celebrate growth—even if it’s small

6. Practice Phrasing and Expression

Don’t just read fast—read with feeling.

✅ Highlight punctuation in the text
✅ Practice changing your voice for characters
✅ Break long sentences into chunks and read with rhythm

Fluent readers sound like they’re talking. Help students get there one phrase at a time.

7. Build Fluency Into Your Daily Routine

You don’t need a separate fluency block. Build it into your existing reading time:

• Re-read yesterday’s story

• Warm up with familiar sight words

• Do a one-minute fluency sprint at the end of the lesson

With just 5–10 minutes a day, you’ll see big changes.

How to Tell If a Student Is Fluent

Here’s a quick fluency checklist:

• Do they read most words correctly?

• Do they read smoothly without frequent pauses?

• Do they sound like they understand the meaning?

• Can they retell or summarize what they just read?

If the answer is yes to most of these, fluency is on track. If not, go back to decoding and build back up.

Final Thoughts: Fluency Is the Bridge, Not the Goal

Reading fluency isn’t just about sounding fast—it’s about reading confidently, accurately, and with understanding.

And for most students, fluency is the result of strong decoding skills plus consistent, repeated reading of the right kind of text.

If you’re tired of watching students struggle through page after page with no improvement, it’s time to stop guessing and start teaching fluency the way the brain learns best.

👉 Our Orton-Gillingham Based Curriculum gives you everything you need to move students from slow, choppy reading to fluent, joyful reading—without the overwhelm.