Literacy skills enhance our opportunities in life. This is no less true for individuals who are blind and fluent in braille. Those who attain proficiency in braille enjoy greater independence, success, and personal well-being. Unfortunately, braille readers are at increased risk of reading failure and its devastating consequences due to struggles with developing reading fluency—the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. When readers are fluent, they can concentrate less on decoding individual words and focus more on comprehending the text.

This article explores the importance of reading fluency and its relationship to comprehension for braille readers. We describe how evidenced-based strategies shown to enhance fluency for print readers can be adapted to improve braille reading fluency. In addition, the value of early and consistent braille instruction provided by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired is discussed and recommendations for families are offered.