Which principle related to growth in literacy is best demonstrated by planning activities such as reader's theater, repeated readings, fluent reading across genres, and exposure to narrative and informational texts?

• A. A reader who can fluently decode words can give full attention to comprehension
• B. Fluency does not affect comprehension
• C. Repeated readings are not related to growth in literacy
• D. Exposure to varied texts does not impact reading growth

Answer: (A)

Fluency in decoding frees cognitive resources for understanding. When a reader can recognize words quickly and accurately, they can devote mental effort to meaning, connections, and purpose rather than sounding out every word. Activities like reader’s theater build fluency through practice, expression, and pace, helping reading sound natural and convey meaning more clearly. Repeated readings reinforce word recognition and prosody, moving toward automaticity and reducing the mental load during comprehension. Reading fluently across genres exposes students to different text structures and vocabulary, helping them handle a range of texts with greater ease. Exposure to both narrative and informational texts expands background knowledge and vocabulary, which supports understanding and inference. Together, these practices show how developing fluent decoding supports comprehension, making it possible to grasp ideas, analyze information, and remember what was read.