What is defined by a child's rate of reading, accuracy, expression, and phrasing?

Fluency is characterized by a child's rate of reading, accuracy, expression, and phrasing. This aspect of reading development indicates how smoothly and efficiently a child can read text. Fluent readers can quickly recognize words, which allows them to focus on the meaning of the text rather than the mechanics of reading.

Fluency is crucial because it supports better comprehension; when children can read fluently, they can understand and engage with the material more effectively. The combination of speed, precision, and expressive reading helps them to convey meaning and emotion, making the reading experience more enjoyable and impactful.

In contrast, comprehension refers to the ability to understand and interpret what has been read, vocabulary pertains to the knowledge of words and their meanings, and phonics involves the relationship between sounds and the letters or groups of letters that represent those sounds. While all these components are vital in literacy development, fluency specifically describes the smoothness and expressiveness of reading, making it the correct choice in this context.