Automaticity In Reading

Over the past decade, fluent reading has been recognized as a central component of skilled reading. This surge of interest is partially due to the identification of fluency as a major component for optimum reading development by organizations such as the National Reading Panel, the National Institute for Literacy, and the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy through the Partnership for Reading and to a broader reconsideration of the role of oral reading in the development of skilled reading (e.g., Rasinski, 2006; Reutzel, Fawson, & Smith, 2008).
Although the extant literature presents a number of definitions of reading fluency, there seems to be a growing consensus that it refers to the ability to read easily and accurately

The nature of the relationship between reading comprehension and automaticity is based in information processing theory. LeBerge and Samuel (1974) argue that human beings have a limited processing capacity. Thus, in order to comprehend texts, a certain level of automaticity has to be present. Without the automaticity in reading, the reader’s cognitive resources are used for bottom-up processes (decoding) leaving insufficient resources for more top-down processes that are also essential for comprehension. Also, and following the theory of cognitive resource limitation, during the process of synthesizing information from a written text, a less fluent reader has to maintain the information read earlier in the working memory for a longer period of time as it takes them longer to read a text. And, because there are limits to how long information can be maintained in the working memory, it might be difficult for slow readers to synthesize new information to the one read earlier and adequately use higher-level reading skills such as making inferences, predicting, and using context. Stanovich’ interactive-compensatory model of reading (Stanovich 2000) also supports the strong relationship between automaticity and reading comprehension. This model posits that readers utilize information from various sources to

It is demonstrated during oral reading through ease of word recognition, appropriate pacing, phrasing, and intonation. It is a factor in both oral and silent reading that can limit or support comprehension. (p. 45)
In recent years, instructional methodologies have been developed that are aimed at achieving reading fluency. Of interest to this paper is the investigation of the effect of assisted reading, specifically listening while reading (LWR), on reading comprehension.
Theoretical framework: listening while reading
Reading fluency can be fostered through a process called assisted reading (Rasinski &Hoffman, 2003). Assisted reading, also called Listening while reading (LWR), involves having the student read silently while simultaneously listening to a fluent rendition of the reading passage. The auditory version of the reading can be performed by a fluent adult reader or by the utilization of various technological devises.
There is a robust body of research evincing that LWR can be an effective method for fluency instruction. Heckelman (1969), Chomsky (1976), and Carbo (1978) have used variations of the method with poor elementary readers. These researchers report positive results from the use of the LWR