ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors consider oral reading fluency as an indicator of overall reading competence. They examine theoretical arguments for supposing that oral reading fluency may reflect overall reading competence. The authors summarize several studies substantiating this phenomenon. They provide an historical analysis of the extent to which oral reading fluency has been incorporated into measurement approaches during the past century. The authors deal with recommendations about the assessment of oral reading fluency for research and practice. They describe research examining how oral reading fluency compares to more direct measures of reading comprehension as an indicator of reading competence. The authors show findings of a study exploring how text reading fluency compares to isolated word reading fluency. They also summarize a database comparing silent reading fluency and oral reading fluency as correlates of reading comprehension performance. Theoretical perspectives on the development of reading capacity and empirical databases support M. J. Adams' claim.
