They Can Read the Words… But Are They Really Reading? Jodie Matthews

Just because a child can read the words on the page, does that mean they can really read? It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? We invest enormous amounts of time in teaching children to decode, and rightly so. But what happens when children reach Key Stage 2 and can recognise the words in front of them, yet reading remains slow, laborious or lacking in expression? Or when a child reads a passage perfectly accurately but struggles to tell us what it actually means? This is where reading fluency comes in. And perhaps it’s an aspect of reading that deserves a little more of our attention.

Across primary schools, we’ve made huge strides in our understanding of early reading and the importance of systematic synthetic phonics. But as children move into Key Stage 2, there’s sometimes an assumption that accurate decoding will naturally develop into fluent, confident reading. For some children it does, but for others, that journey needs much more deliberate teaching. So, what exactly do we mean by reading fluency? The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlights three important elements, accuracy, automaticity and prosody. In simple terms, children need to read words correctly, recognise them with increasing ease and read with appropriate expression, phrasing and intonation. When these elements work together, children can devote more of their attention to understanding and enjoying what they read. Think about how much effort a child might use when reading a sentence word by word. If so much of their attention is focused on working out what the words say, how much capacity do they have left to think about what those words actually mean? Fluency helps bridge that gap between decoding and comprehension. And as children move through KS2, where texts become increasingly complex and reading is essential across the curriculum, that bridge becomes even more important.

The good news is that developing reading fluency doesn’t require an expensive programme or a complete overhaul of your reading curriculum. There are some relatively simple, evidence-informed approaches that can make a real difference when used consistently and purposefully. One of the most important is teacher modelling. Children need to hear what fluent reading sounds like. Reading aloud to your class, demonstrating how your voice changes with punctuation, how you group words into meaningful phrases and how expression helps convey meaning, is incredibly valuable. But we can take this a little further by making our thinking explicit. Why did I pause there? Why did I emphasise that word? How did I know the character was feeling frustrated? Suddenly, reading aloud becomes an opportunity to teach children how fluent readers make meaning from text.

Another particularly effective approach is repeated reading. This is exactly what it sounds like: giving children opportunities to revisit the same short passage several times, with a clear purpose each time. The first reading might focus on accuracy and understanding unfamiliar vocabulary. The second might involve echo reading, where children repeat a phrase or sentence after the teacher. A third reading could focus on expression or phrasing, perhaps with children reading together or with a partner. As the text becomes more familiar, children can begin to read with greater automaticity and concentrate more fully on meaning.

The EEF highlights repeated reading and guided oral reading as promising approaches to developing fluency. HFL Education’s Reading Fluency Project also provides an interesting example of how carefully structured opportunities to reread, discuss and explore texts can support children’s fluency and comprehension.

And let’s not forget poetry! Poetry is a wonderful vehicle for developing fluency because it naturally encourages attention to rhythm, phrasing, expression and performance. Imagine introducing a poem on Monday, modelling it beautifully, exploring its meaning and then returning to it for just a few minutes each day. By Friday, children might be ready to perform it together, in groups or even individually. They’ve practised repeated reading, explored vocabulary and developed their prosody, all through a text that is enjoyable and purposeful.

Reader’s theatre offers similar opportunities. Children rehearse a short script, concentrating on how their voice can communicate the characters’ feelings and intentions. There’s no need for costumes, props or learning lines. The focus is on reading the text aloud, and the motivation to perform gives children a genuine reason to practise.

Of course, choosing the right text matters. Children need to experience success, but they also need access to interesting, age-appropriate language and ideas. This is particularly important for older pupils who may be reading below age-related expectations. We don’t want a child in Year 6 to feel that the only texts available to them are written for much younger children. Carefully selected passages, supported by effective teacher modelling and discussion, can allow children to engage with rich texts while receiving the support they need.

It’s also worth considering how we assess fluency. We routinely assess decoding and reading comprehension, but how often do we actually listen carefully to how children read? A short passage read aloud can tell us an enormous amount. Are children reading accurately? Do they recognise words automatically? Are they grouping words into meaningful phrases? Does their expression suggest they understand what they are reading? A simple fluency rubric, like Tim Razinski's popular one, can help teachers identify specific needs and monitor progress.

And perhaps one of the most important messages is that fluency needs to be taught, not just tested. Asking children to read aloud more often is not quite the same as teaching them how to read fluently. Effective instruction involves modelling, explanation, supported practice, feedback and opportunities to apply what they’ve learned independently. We also need to remember that children who are still struggling with accurate word reading may need additional phonics teaching alongside their fluency work. Repeated reading alone won’t address gaps in decoding knowledge.

For school leaders and reading leads, this is also a good opportunity to reflect on how fluency develops across the whole of KS2. Is there a shared understanding of what fluency means? Do teachers know how to model and teach it explicitly? Are there regular opportunities for purposeful oral reading? And do we have a clear approach to identifying and supporting those children who need additional help? We shouldn’t forget that fluency is part of a much bigger picture. Children still need rich vocabulary, language comprehension, background knowledge and plenty of opportunities to read and talk about books. Fluency alone won’t solve every reading difficulty, but it is an essential part of helping children become confident, capable readers.

Ultimately, our ambition isn’t simply for children to get through the words on the page. We want them to understand, enjoy, question, imagine and become absorbed in what they read. When reading becomes less effortful, children have more opportunity to do exactly that. And surely that’s something worth making time for.

If this has got you thinking about how fluency is taught in your own school, we’d love you to join us! Later this academic year, Roade English Hub will be welcoming HFL Education to deliver training based on their highly regarded Reading Fluency Project. Taking place online on Friday 19 March 2027, from 9am to 3pm, the session will explore practical strategies including expressive reading, echo reading, repeated reading and text marking, giving teachers approaches they can take straight back into their KS2 classrooms.

And, as with all Roade English Hub CPD, it’s completely free!

Find out more and check booking details through our Courses and Events page.