What is text reading fluency and is it a predictor or an outcome of reading comprehension? A longitudinal investigation

Abstract

Text reading fluency refers to the ability to read connected texts with accuracy, speed, and expression (prosody), and has garnered substantial attention as an important skill for reading comprehension. However, two fundamental questions remain-the dimensionality of text reading fluency including text reading efficiency (accuracy and speed) and reading prosody, and the directionality of the relation between text reading fluency and reading comprehension. These questions were addressed using longitudinal data from Grade 1 (M_age = 6.36 years) to Grade 3 (M_age = 8.34 years). Majority of children were White (approximately 60%) and African American (26%) with 39% to 52% from low-SES backgrounds, depending on the grade. Text reading fluency, word reading, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension were measured. Results from confirmatory factor analysis revealed that text reading fluency is a multidimensional construct with a trifactor structure, which has a general factor that captures common ability across text reading efficiency and reading prosody as well as local and specific factors that are unique beyond the general factor. However, the general factor was the most reliable factor, whereas local and specific factors were not reliable. The directionality of the relation between text reading fluency and reading comprehension was addressed by examining two competing structural equation models-text-reading-fluency-as-a-predictor/mediator model and text-reading-fluency-as-an-outcome model-and data supported the former. These results indicate that text reading fluency is a multidimensional construct, and it acts as a predictor, mediating the relations of word reading and listening comprehension to reading comprehension. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Figure 1.

Dimensionality models fit to the prosody and text reading efficiency variables. Note. Smth = Rating scale smoothness; pace = Rating scale pacing; Phrase = Rating scale phrasing; Expr = Rating scale expression & volume; Pause Freq = pause frequencies; Pause Dur = Pause durations; F0 Δ = F0 Change; Int Cont = Intonation Contour; TRE 1- TRE 3 = Text reading efficiency passages 1–3.

Figure 2.

Mediation models fit to the word reading, listening comprehension, text reading fluency, and reading comprehension data. Models 1a and 1b indicate text reading fluency as the mediator; models 2a and 2b indicate reading comprehension as the mediator. The measurement model portion for word reading (i.e., LWID, WIATWR, SWE), listening comprehension (i.e., OWLS, WJOC), reading comprehension (i.e., WJPC, WIATRC), and text reading fluency (i.e., prosody and text reading efficiency indicators, including specific factors for Ratings, Pause, Prosody: Ratings and Pause, and Prosody: Pitch) was estimated but not included in the figure for ease of interpretation. Baseline measures were also included in the model but excluded from the figure for figure simplicity. T1-T5 = Time 1-Time 5.

Figure 3.

Standardized path coefficients for the final mediation models for Model 1a (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) and Model 1b (Time 3, Time 4, Time 5). The full structure of text reading fluency as fit in the dimensionality models and the baseline levels of text reading fluency and reading comprehension were included in each model but were not included in this figure for simplicity. See Figure S2 in the Online Supplemental Materials for full models. T1-T5 = Time 1- Time 5. ^ns = not significant at p < .05; *** = p < .001; ** = p < .01; * = p < .05