Fluent Reading Theory and Techniques

Fluent reading is indispensable for successful comprehension. Fluent readers read smoothly, without hesitation and with comprehension. Grouping words into grammatical and meaningful units or chunks is one of the fundamental processes for fluent reading. Although the importance of chunking ability for reading fluency is widely acknowledged, researches on the role of this matter do not seem to be currently in vogue. Generally, in a second language (L2) or foreign language (FL) learning context, despite some researchers’ awareness of its prominence of pedagogy, reading fluency has been ignored and did not receive much attention as it did in the field of first language (L1). A major reason accounting for this absence may pertain to researchers and educators giving more weight to accurate word decoding and comprehension rather than speed reading, which is understandable in view of generally greater difficulty in L2 reading comprehension than in L1. Nevertheless, understanding fluency in reading is no less important in L2 reading, since L2 learners desire not only to comprehend L2 texts well, but also to read them quickly and smoothly. Studies have shown that many L2 readers read laboriously and far more slowly than in their native language. Reading slowly may imply poor comprehension, lack of automaticity when decoding word meanings, and lack of pleasure while reading. One activity that meets the fluency development conditions is speed reading, while dimension of reading fluency is reading rate, or reading speed. This study was motivated by the desire to understand L1 and L2 learners’ fluency in reading. Common methods for developing reading fluency and improving reading rates are through repeated reading and timed reading, which their significance and repercussions for L1 and L2 are discussed. This study is based on qualitative and quantitative research methods and strategies under mixed approach. Techniques of field notes, observation, and researches, in addition journals, books and related articles are used in order to gather multiple data.

Keywords:

fluent reading , speed reading , reading rate , repeated reading , timed reading