What is the primary purpose of repeated reading?

The primary purpose of repeated reading is to read the same text aloud two or more times in a row. This method is effective for improving fluency, which is a crucial component of reading development. By engaging in repeated reading, students can become more familiar with the text, which allows them to focus more on expression and prosody, rather than decoding the words. This repeated engagement also promotes automaticity, enabling readers to recognize words quickly and accurately, ultimately leading to better comprehension as they can devote more cognitive resources to understanding the meaning rather than struggling with the mechanics of reading.

In contrast, summarizing the text after one reading focuses on comprehension but does not necessarily enhance fluency. Analyzing the text in a group setting may support critical thinking but lacks the specific target of developing reading fluency through repetition. Silent reading for comprehension is valuable too but does not utilize the benefits of repeated exposure to the same text in an oral format, which is key in the repeated reading approach.