A Comparison of Two Reading Fluency Methods: Repeated Reading to a Fluency Criterion and Interval Sprinting

Teachers have used the method of repeated readings to build oral reading fluency in students with and without special needs. A new fluency building intervention called interval sprinting uses shorter timing intervals (i.e., sprints) across a passage. This study used an alternating treatment design to compare repeated readings and interval sprinting for three participants with or at-risk for reading deficits. The results show that the participants attained the fluency criterion on one of the reading practice procedures after approximately the same number of sessions without consensus as to the procedure. Compared to readings in the first phase, students demonstrated higher average initial readings and reached criterion as fast or faster in the second phase, demonstrating reading transfer.