What is fluency, accuracy, and decoding?

Before we begin delving into FAD, it is critical that we define reading, as well as the three elements that make up our acronym: fluency, accuracy, and decoding.

Reading: “A complex, multidimensional process in which readers bring their own meaning and experiences to the printed page to obtain meaning from it” (Opitz & Rasinski, 1998).

The three components of
effective reading

Fluency: Refers to the ability to read at an acceptable developmental rate with prosody and to make written language sound like spoken language. Fluency is a multi-dimensional concept that consists of three support structures: accuracy, automaticity, and prosody.


Accuracy: "I can read the words" (Boushey & Mosher, 2006).


Decoding: The ability to correctly pronounce the written word. Just because one is able to decode written words, however, does not mean that he or she is able to comprehend the words.

Through our research, we found that fluency has not been researched as a critical component of reading until recently. Due to the recent increased interest in fluency as a crucial reading component, not much research has been conducted in the way of determining the effect of fluency on reading comprehension. Because of this rise in studying fluency by leading researchers, the FAD group's motto is "FAD: It's what's in right now!"

While much of the research we found discusses a loose correlation between fluency and comprehension, Rasinski, amongst others, argues that in order to reach greater levels of comprehension, one must be able to exert his or her cognitive energy on comprehension, rather than fluency, accuracy, and decoding. Therefore, if a reader is expending much of his or her cognitive energy on fluency, accuracy, and decoding, he or she will be less likely to comprehend texts.

Through our collaborative process, we have identified the many ways in which elementary, middle, and high school teachers have addressed, or failed to address, fluency, accuracy, and decoding in their own classrooms. In our quest of becoming teachers who promote a balanced literacy program, we aim to brainstorm and present ways in which fluency, accuracy, and decoding can be effectively addressed in your own classrooms.

Therefore, we would like you to share some ways that you already address teaching fluency, accuracy, and decoding in your own classroom. What is your opinion on one or each of these areas in the ultimate pursuit of creating efficient and effective readers? Are these components important? Why or why not? What is one question you have about one or all of these components? Please comment below. Please be prepared to share your thoughts in class as well.