Fluency and Comprehension

I did my graduate research in the areas of fluency and comprehension as they relate to reading and other forms of literacy. Without being a giant windbag I will summarize briefly here by saying that fluency, a combination of the rate at which one reads and the expression they apply to the actual text, and comprehension are inextricably linked and that shifts, positively or negatively, in one necessarily affect the other.

Yesterday I was reminded of a topic in which I have, almost without noticing over the past twelve years, developed complete fluency and profound comprehension: school. During the time that I am here in the Bay Area, both at the beginning of the academic year and also now, I have worked as a substitute at Rebecca's school. Yesterday one of their teachers had the flu and I had the chance to spend the day in second grade. I was reminded of something I've known for awhile but had not practiced (in English at least) for quite some time, since last June--the language and culture and life of school.

There is language, there is syntax, there is grammar and semantics and vocabulary and when I look around I see it everywhere, when I open my mouth it just pops out. How do I know when to say "Explain what you mean by that? I think you're on the right track..." and when to say "Now is not a good time, sit down please."--? I'm not sure. All I know is that in this year of everything being different and finding myself often wishing there was a dictionary not just for the fluency and comprehension of Hebrew but also of life, I am glad to return if only every now and then to this form of literacy I have come to know so well.