StatusIn preparation · the full piece will follow our opening
Speed and understanding
Fluency matters: a child who reads smoothly has attention left over for meaning. But a child can read quickly and understand little. The goal is a pace that suits the text and the purpose, not the fastest pace possible.
What good readers do
They notice when they’ve lost the thread and go back. They ask questions of the text, connect it to what they know and picture what’s happening. These habits can be taught, and they make reading more enjoyable as well as more useful.
Fluency frees attention for meaning.
How to practise at home
Pause a story and ask what a character might be thinking. Read a short news article together and talk about what the writer wants you to believe. Praise your child for noticing when they’re confused; it’s a sign of a good reader, not a weak one.
What you’ll take away
- 01Fluency frees attention for meaning.
- 02Good readers notice when they’re lost.
- 03Talk about what a text means, not how fast it was read.
