When conducting fluency instruction, what should the teacher prioritize for effective learning?

The correct focus for fluency instruction is on expressive reading and proper pacing because these elements contribute significantly to a student's overall comprehension and engagement with the text. Expressive reading involves using appropriate intonation, rhythm, and emotion, which reflects the reader's understanding of the material. Proper pacing ensures that students can maintain a fluid and comfortable reading speed, which helps them to process and understand the content better.

Prioritizing expressive reading and pacing allows learners to connect more deeply with the text, enhancing their ability to convey meaning and emotion through their reading. This ultimately supports their development as skilled readers who can interpret and analyze various texts effectively.

Other elements, while important in their own right, do not support fluency as comprehensively. For instance, reading speed alone can lead to hurried, inaccurate reading that hampers comprehension. Silent reading tasks can be useful for individual practice but do not provide the guidance and feedback necessary for developing expressiveness and pacing. Similarly, individual reading assessments are valuable for understanding a student's reading level, but they do not actively promote fluency development in the same way that practicing expressive reading and pacing does.