Prediction of first-graders' growth in oral reading fluency using kindergarten letter fluency

Fifty-nine: first-graders from an ethnically diverse (70% Native American, 18% Hispanic, and 12% European American) rural elementary school participat ed in this study. First-grade students' growth in oral reading fluency (ORF ) was predicted by their kindergarten letter-naming and letter-sound fluenc y using growth curve analysis. Both skills significantly predicted first-gr ade reading growth. Hierarchical multiple regression using initial first-gr ade ORF and kindergarten letter-sound and letter-naming fluency showed that kindergarten letter-naming fluency uniquely contributed to the prediction of first-grade reading growth. On average, students who made limited growth in first-grade ORF produced only eight letter names per minute in kinderga rten. In addition, we found that Native American and Hispanic students did not reliably differ in their reading growth from the other students. Discus sion highlights the use of letter-naming fluency as an early screen for eth nically diverse students in ORF. (C) 2001 Society for the Study of School P sychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.