What is the term for the fast and effortless word recognition that is developed through extensive reading practice?

The correct term for the fast and effortless word recognition developed through extensive reading practice is automaticity. This concept refers to the ability to recognize words quickly and accurately without needing to pause to decode them. Automaticity is essential for fluent reading, as it allows readers to focus on understanding the meaning of the text instead of getting bogged down in the mechanics of sounding out words.

When students read extensively, they encounter a wide range of vocabulary and text structures, which helps them build this automatic recognition of words. As automaticity increases, reading becomes smoother and more fluid, facilitating better comprehension overall.

While fluency is related and often discussed alongside automaticity, it encompasses not just the speed of word recognition but also includes the expression and pace of reading. Reading comprehension, on the other hand, pertains to understanding what is read, and textual analysis is about breaking down and interpreting various aspects of written works. These aspects may support or enhance the reading process but are distinct from the core ability of automaticity in word recognition.