In first grade, one of our biggest goals is helping students grow as confident, capable readers. This year, our classrooms are buzzing with early literacy strategies designed to strengthen both reading fluency and accuracy which are two essential skills that set the foundation for long-term reading success.
One of the most effective practices we use is repeated reading, often done through partner reading or small-group practice with our decodable skills books. Each unit includes a carefully crafted decodable text that aligns with the specific phonics patterns students are learning. This means every story is intentionally built to give students the right kind of practice at the right time.
During repeated reading, students read the same text several times. While this may sound simple, the impact is powerful. With each reread, students become more familiar with the words and sentence patterns. Their brains spend less effort on sounding out individual words and more on reading smoothly, understanding the story, and even adding expression. As decoding becomes more automatic, comprehension naturally increases.
This process also boosts confidence. Children can feel themselves getting better by reading a little faster, stumbling less, or adding more expression than before. That sense of success is incredibly motivating, and it helps students view themselves as real readers.
Repeated reading does more than reinforce phonics skills; it supports the development of a lifelong love for reading. When students experience their own growth and understand that practice makes them stronger, they begin to approach new texts with curiosity instead of hesitation.
By building fluency, accuracy, and confidence now, we are helping our first graders develop the tools they need for rich, joyful reading experiences for years to come.