What role does fluency play in reading comprehension?

• A. Fluency allows readers to read without pauses, impacting comprehension negatively
• B. Fluency helps to enhance comprehension by focusing on decoding
• C. Fluency enables smooth reading, allowing focus on comprehension
• D. Fluency is unrelated to reading comprehension

Answer: (C)

Fluency is crucial to reading comprehension because it enables smooth, effortless reading. When a reader is fluent, they can read text at a natural pace, which means they have less cognitive load dedicated to decoding words. This allows them to allocate more mental resources to understanding the meaning of the text as a whole.

When fluency is present, readers can focus on the content, making connections to their prior knowledge, and engaging with the text at a deeper level. This interaction enhances comprehension as they are not struggling with the mechanics of reading but instead can immerse themselves in the story or informational content being presented.

In contrast, less fluent readers may spend a significant portion of their cognitive energy on decoding, which reduces their ability to comprehend the material effectively. Thus, the presence of fluency directly supports comprehension by allowing readers to process information more holistically.