Teaching Oral Reading Fluency in the Classroom: a Focus on Helping African American Males Close the Reading Achievement Gap

Declining reading achievement among males has been a subject of interest in educational research for several years. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), recent standardized tests reveal that the widest gender divide in learning achievement is in reading (NCES, 2007). The recommendations discussed in this text can provide classroom teachers and school administrators with assistance as they prepare to utilize oral reading fluency instructional routines which will benefit all students regardless of race or gender, yet sensitive to African American males.