Which symptom is most associated with readers who read slowly and stumble over words?

• A. Slow decoding
• B. Visual processing disorder
• C. Lack of reading fluency
• D. Phonemic awareness deficit

Answer: (C)

Reading fluency is the ability to read smoothly, accurately, and with appropriate speed and expression. When a reader moves slowly and keeps stumbling over words, it signals that word recognition isn’t automatic and decoding is effortful. That extra effort slows the entire reading process, making it hard to maintain pace and rhythm, which is the essence of fluent reading. Visual processing issues would show up as trouble interpreting letters or keeping track of lines, not specifically as slow, hesitant reading. Phonemic awareness deficits affect the ability to hear and manipulate sounds, which matters most in early decoding, not the ongoing ease and speed of reading once decoding is established. So, the symptom described most closely points to a lack of reading fluency.