What developmental expectation is common for fluent readers?

Fluent readers exhibit a high level of proficiency in reading, which means that their decoding skills have developed to the point where they can read smoothly and quickly. This fluency involves not just the ability to decode words accurately but also to do so with expression and appropriate pacing, allowing for better comprehension of the text.

As readers progress in their skills, they move from relying heavily on decoding individual letters and sounds to recognizing whole words and phrases, which contributes to their overall reading fluency. This transition marks a significant developmental expectation for fluent readers, as they no longer need to painstakingly decode each word but can instead process language more naturally and automatically.

In contrast, while recognizing visual clues, associating letters with sounds, and representing words with single sounds are essential skills in the early stages of reading development, they do not completely capture the essence of fluency. Fluency encompasses a broader range of skills that includes smoothness and comprehension in reading, making the development of decoding fluently a central expectation for skilled readers.