Selecting texts that students can read independently with high accuracy primarily supports which outcome?

• A. Reading fluency and comprehension
• B. Memorization of vocabulary lists
• C. Avoiding challenging texts
• D. Skipping difficult sections

Answer: (A)

Reading texts that a student can read with high accuracy on their own helps build fluency by making decoding automatic, so the reader can focus more on the meaning of the text rather than on sounding out every word. When decoding is smooth, reading feels natural, and the reader develops proper pace and expression. This fluency supports comprehension because attention isn’t pulled away by difficult words or frequent errors; the student can link ideas, infer meaning, and track how information fits together across sentences and paragraphs. Texts at the right independent level also provide enough new language and concepts to grow vocabulary and background knowledge in context, which further strengthens understanding over time. In short, choosing materials that students can read accurately and independently is most effective for developing both how well they read and what they understand.

Vocabulary lists learned in isolation aren’t the same as vocabulary gained through context-rich reading. Pushing a student to skip challenging sections or avoid harder texts would limit growth, whereas selecting appropriately challenging material and working through it builds both fluency and comprehension.