A Qualitative Study of Ontario Teachers’ Conceptualizations of Reading Fluency

Abstract

Research has identified fluency as a central component of skilled reading and as a skill that should be a driving force in the literacy curricula (Kuhn, Schwanenflugel & Meisinger, 2010). Learning to read, teaching children how to read and researching the best way to teach children to be fluent readers is a multifaceted, elaborate process. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which teachers conceptualize reading fluency through interviews. Exploration through a qualitative study provided insights into how seven grade four and grade five Eastern Ontario teachers understand reading fluency. All teachers were found to characterize fluency as primarily reading speed and were found to share the belief that improvement in reading fluency was attributed to the amount of time a reader spent reading a variety of texts. The most prominent finding that emerged from the data was teachers' perception that comprehension should be the instructional focus for junior readers. Discussions with teachers provided insights into reading fluency that enabled the construction of a more detailed picture of classroom reading fluency and instruction in Ontario. The complex task of teaching reading fluency has not been a central topic in pre- and in-service teacher training in Ontario. This study provides an enhanced picture of classroom reading fluency instruction that may lead to opportunities for future professional development specifically designed around reading fluency instruction and best practice.