Thread by @TheReadingApe

Yes, Destination Reader does appear to be a predominately 'comprehension skills' approach with 'text detectives', inference and prediction elements with a SATs prep element (3 mark answers) all tied together with a dialogic element and a focus on pupil engagement.

https://twitter.com/MadeUpTeacher1/status/1406237657190051840

As such, it lacks a coherent and systematic approach and seems to assume an advanced state of orthographic development for all KS2 pupils - always dangerous. It does have some whole class reading but demands more unmonitored independent reading and peer reading.

Unmonitored reading in primary school is almost useless (NICHD, 2000). As you so rightly ask, where is the fluency practice? Perhaps before that, we should ask, where is the orthographic development that facilitates fluency development?

As this is self-taught (Share, 2002) through extensive contact with words the only way of monitoring this is through whole class monitored reading.

@DavidDidau has an excellent post on why this turn-taking may create redundancy in secondary schools, however, in KS2 we are predominantly focusing on orthographic development where following the articulated text helps develop the word superiority effect (Reicher,1969).

Repeated and assisted reading will help develop automaticity and fluency as will prosody instruction. Much of this is embedded in high mileage, monitored and leveraged daily reading for a sustained amount of time.

It is also worth ensuring regular code instruction in KS2 particularly at polysyllabic level. Not only does this advance orthographic development and unknown work attack strategies it has significant positive effects on spelling - @c_mackechnie has more on this.

Destination Reader has some elements that make sense but it seems very confused as to its research base and seems to base its efficacy on lessons improving rather than reading improving.

Once again in primary, an obsessive rush to the comprehension element of reading whilst ignoring the decoding/word recognition suggests that 'The Simple View of Reading' (Gough and Tumner, 1986) is not so simple to understand.

A little more on prediction:thereadingape.com/single-post/20… and comprehension:thereadingape.com/single-post/20… and the simple view thereadingape.com/single-post/no… and automaticity:thereadingape.com/single-post/20…