Gender differences in oral reading fluency: are there implications for identifying low-progress readers?

Although there is a large body of research focusing on the importance of oral reading fluency (ORF), fewer studies have examined gender differences or variability of boys' scores. The purpose of this study was to examine these issues. Approximately 210 students in Years 2 to 5 were assessed on the WARP and TOWRE at three points during the school year. There were no statistically significant gender differences in mean scores or variability on either measure. Boys and girls demonstrated almost identical rates of progress. It is concluded that gender is not a strong or consistent predictor of student performance on measures of ORF.