Why Re-Reading Decodable Books Builds Fluency (and Confidence!) in Young Readers

At Montessori Makers Learning, we believe in the power of intentional, developmentally aligned literacy practices. One simple but profoundly effective strategy? Re-reading decodable books. While it may feel repetitive to adults, re-reading is one of the most important tools we can give children as they build fluency, comprehension, and confidence in their early reading journey.

What Is Fluency—and Why Does It Matter?

Reading fluency is more than just speed. According to the National Reading Panel (2000), fluency is the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. Fluent readers don’t have to labor over each sound—they recognize words quickly and can focus their attention on understanding what they read.

Fluency serves as a bridge between decoding and comprehension. Without it, a child may know phonics rules but still struggle to make sense of text because the effort of decoding overwhelms their cognitive bandwidth.

Why Re-Reading Decodable Books Works

In a Montessori environment—where independence, repetition, and mastery are foundational—re-reading fits seamlessly with core principles of practice and child development.

Here’s why it works:

1. Builds Automaticity

Each re-read strengthens a child’s brain pathways. With every return to a familiar text, decoding becomes smoother and faster. Eventually, words that once required sound-by-sound effort are recognized instantly—a key milestone in reading fluency.

2. Reduces Cognitive Load

When the mechanics of decoding become automatic, a child’s brain is freed up to focus on meaning, tone, and comprehension—core aspects of reading success.

This aligns beautifully with Montessori principles of deep engagement and concentration, allowing the child to connect with the material rather than just “get through it.”

3. Builds Confidence and Independence

There’s nothing like the moment when a child says, “I can read this one all by myself!” Re-reading gives children a sense of ownership. As the text becomes more familiar, their confidence soars—encouraging self-direction and intrinsic motivation.

4. Supports Mastery of High-Frequency and Tricky Words

Most decodable books—like those created by Montessori Makers Learning—include intentional exposure to sight words and tricky words. Repetition helps these words become part of the child’s visual memory bank, supporting faster recognition in future texts.

Montessori Connection: The Role of Repetition

Repetition in Montessori isn’t “drill and kill”—it’s choice-driven, interest-led, and self-paced. We often see children return to the same material (the Golden Beads, the Moveable Alphabet, a favorite phonetic object box) until they reach personal mastery. Re-reading decodable books is a direct extension of this developmental pattern.

How to Support Re-Reading in the Classroom

Here are a few best practices for getting the most out of re-reading:

• Make it a habit so the child knows that this is just a part of the process. Ownership matters.

• Encourage expression and intonation during re-reads to build prosody.

• Pair with follow-up questions: "What part was your favorite this time?" or "Did you notice anything new today?"

• Model your own re-reading by sharing your favorite books and stories that you’ve enjoyed more than once.

Helpful Resources

• Montessori Makers Learning Decodable Book Series – Includes sight word and tricky word lists to scaffold re-reading and fluency.

• The Fluent Reader by Timothy Rasinski – A foundational book on the research and strategies for building fluency. While this isn't a Montessori resource, it does have some helpful information to understand various strategies for improving fluency in readers, particularly when thinking about elementary-aged children.

✨ Final Thought

Re-reading is not a sign of going backward—it’s a sign of moving forward with intention. Just as Montessori materials are designed for repetition and refinement, so too are decodable books meant to be revisited with joy and purpose.

At Montessori Makers Learning, we encourage educators to celebrate each re-read as a step toward confident, capable, and fluent reading.