The inter-relationship between component skills and reading comprehension: How fast is “fast enough?”

Session Submission Type: Group Panel

Description of Session

Reading mechanics, such as decoding, fluency, accuracy, are undoubtedly related to a reader’s comprehension of text. Perspectives on how they are related and implications for optimally supporting reading skills development vary. Some consider stages (i.e., from emergent to advanced), while others see progression in an interrelated fashion. These three papers will explore these interrelationships. The first will use data to test the verity of the oft-heard 45-60 words correct per minute “required” for comprehension, and consider comprehension gains at slower rates. The second will also consider rates at which children comprehend across more than a dozen countries, aiming to learn from the data about “required” rates and to consider growth across skills among children followed over time. Finally, the third paper explores how comprehension interacts with all the other skills among second language learners, focusing on how a staged approach can spell disaster for these learners in particular. Each presenter will have 15 minutes, and the discussant 10 so that we can maximize discussion and learning from the audience.

Sub Unit

• SIG: Global Literacy

Chair

• Lesley Bartlett, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Individual Presentations

• The relationship between fluency and comprehension: Evidence from 5 countries - Elizabeth Buckner, FHI 360; Matthew Jukes, Room to Read

• Fluency and comprehension: How fast is fast enough? - Amy Jo Dowd, Save the Children

• Reading and the second language learner: How does comprehension interact with other component skills? - Julia Frazier, International Rescue Committee

Discussant

• Dan Wagner, University of Pennsylvania