The effects of repeated reading on the fluency and comprehension skills of elementary-age students with learning disabilities , 2001-2011: A review of research and practice

• Published in: Learning disabilities (Weston, Mass.) Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 1 - 33
• Main Authors: Strickland, Whitney D, Boon, Richard T, Spencer, Vicky G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Learning Disabilities Worldwide, Inc 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Comparative Analysis; Demographic aspects; Drills (Practice); Education; Elementary School Students; Evaluation; Instructional Effectiveness; Intervention; Learning Disabilities; Learning disabled; Literature Reviews; Methods; Program Effectiveness; Reading; Reading Achievement; Reading Comprehension; Reading Fluency; Reading Instruction; Reading Programs; Reading Research; Reading skills; Study and teaching; United States
• ISSN: 1937-6928; 1937-6936

This article provides an extensive review of the literature on the use of repeated reading to improve the reading fluency and comprehension skills of elementary-age students with learning disabilities. A systematic review of the published literature from 2001 to 2011 was conducted and nineteen (N = 19) research-based repeated reading studies were identified. Based on the criteria for inclusion, repeated reading research has been conducted using four main approaches: (a) repeated reading as the primary intervention, (b) repeated reading compared to other reading interventions, (c) repeated reading in combination with other reading interventions, and (d) repeated reading as part of a reading program. Overall, the results suggest that repeated reading is an effective strategy to increase students' reading fluency and comprehension skills. Findings indicated moderate to large gains in reading fluency and comprehension on practiced passages. However, these gains showed only minor to moderate transfer to novel passages. Implications for classroom practice, limitations, and future research directions are presented.