Evaluating Reading Speed and Comprehension in the Digital Era

This systematic literature review (SLR) thoroughly investigates the use of digital tools for assessing reading fluency and comprehension, including how they are identified, their empirical effectiveness, and the contextual barriers faced in today's classrooms. Following the PRISMA 2020 framework closely, an initial selection of 35 peer-reviewed articles, published from 2012 to 2025, were located on several prominent databases: ERIC, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Taylor & Francis Online. Under rigorous application of the inclusion criteria, 19 articles were included for synthesis. The digital tool(s) used for assessment were then categorized as screening, diagnostic, or progress perception. When measuring reading fluency, the primary form was reported in standardized measures such as Words Per Minute (WPM) or Words-Correct Per Minute (WCPM) or some framing of either, and comprehension was possibly assessed in various formats including multiple choice, cloze, or in multimodal format. The review demonstrates that, generally, digital tools have similar (i.e., reliability and validity) psychometric properties of the tool, improve student motivation and engagement, and in some cases, has added value in pedagogical situations compared with paper assessments. Key barriers for implementation included inequitable access to technology, lack of digital literacy, and barriers to interface access. On the other hand, significant potential exists in the attainment of scalable assessments, providing highly practical diagnostic feedback to students, and easy embedding back into aspects of taxonomic practice. This review supports the significance of strong professional learning for teachers, careful calibration of tools, and ongoing research on newer digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and adaptive learning models. By collating this body of research evidence which is singularly located in a range of places, this paper offers practical actionable evidence to educators, policy makers and researchers for the effective use of digital reading assessments.