Although many English language learners are able to comprehend basic texts, they still face the obstacle of reading far below the optimal rate. Research suggests that 250 words per minute is the target reading speed for fluent second language reading. In order to develop their reading speed, students need to practice reading at an accelerated pace with texts that have little or no new vocabulary that might slow them down. For this reason, Compass Publishing has developed the Reading for Speed and Fluency series.
Activities at the beginning of each chapter to activate students' background knowledge on each chapter's theme
Difficult vocabulary introduced before reading the passages to allow students to read quickly
New vocabulary introduced through photos and classroom interaction
Questions relating to the information in the passage ensure students' comprehension remains high as their reading speed increases
Reading passages throughout each book are almost exactly the same length to allow students to see their reading speed increase
Photos help students relate to the reading passage's content
