Sounding Smooth

One component that directly effects comprehension is fluency.  This validates the need for children to be able to read the high frequency words quickly and accurately.  They should not be getting bogged down sounding out the words that are introduced during the school year; therefore, continual reinforcement is necessary. Flashcard drill is the fastest way to acquire new words. 

When a child (or grown up) reads, it needs to sound like we talk.  No "robot reading" or "speed reading".  It is hard for kids to understand that reading fast does not mean reading well.  The only way to instill this is to model, model, model what good reading sounds like.  This is true during the time that you are reading aloud to your child as well as during the time that your child is doing the reading.  It is okay to say, "Read it like this" and demonstrate how it should sound with an emphasis on a particular word, or with the proper speed or spacing of phrases.  Have your child parrot it back to you so they can feel and hear what it should sound like.  Fluency takes a lot of practice and is built almost exclusively by rereading the same text over and over.  This is a good time to use poetry.  Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein both cater to children's experiences and senses of humor.