ABSTRACT
Basic reading skills are needed in order for students to become fluent readers who can quickly and accurately access text. Reading comprehension is dependent on this access. Yet, even with strong instruction in this important area, some students will struggle to acquire the skills needed to be fluent readers. In particular, students who struggle with basic decoding skills will continue to fall behind their typically achieving peers over time (Judge & Bell, 2011). Therefore, in addition to possessing an array of instructional strategies for teaching students to read text quickly and accurately, teachers must also be able to recognize when students are struggling and how to intervene effectively. This is particularly important because student failures in reading affect their motivation and self-concept over time making it more likely that they will disengage from any attempts to improve their reading skills. This in turn results in an ever-widening gap with their same age peers. Minority students, students living in poverty, students who are learning English, and students with disabilities are all at-risk for failing to acquire basic reading skills (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006).
