Fluency is the ability to communicate meaning effectively in a language. It is often divided into four components:

• Accuracy: The ability to produce language without making errors in grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary.
• Rate: The speed at which language is produced.
• Prosody: The use of stress, intonation, and rhythm to convey meaning.
• Comprehension: The ability to understand the meaning of the language that is being produced.

In the context of reading, fluency is the ability to read a text smoothly, accurately, and with expression. Fluent readers are able to read at a rate that is appropriate for the text, and they are able to decode words automatically without having to stop and sound them out. They also read with expression, using different intonations and stresses to convey the meaning of the text.

Fluency is important for both reading and writing. In reading, fluency allows readers to focus on comprehension rather than decoding. In writing, fluency allows writers to express their ideas clearly and concisely.

There are a number of things that can be done to improve fluency, including:

• Reading aloud: Reading aloud helps students to practice decoding words and to develop fluency.
• Repeated reading: Repeatedly reading the same text helps students to become more familiar with the words and to improve their fluency.
• Chunking: Chunking is a strategy that involves breaking down long words or phrases into smaller, more manageable units. This can help students to read more fluently.
• Modeling: Teachers can model fluent reading by reading aloud to students. This can help students to see how fluent reading sounds and to develop their own fluency skills.

Fluency is an important skill for both reading and writing. By providing students with opportunities to practice fluency, teachers can help them to develop this essential skill.