Perspectives on oral reading fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension in bilingual learners from Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Background: While oral reading fluency (ORF) is linked to reading comprehension (RC) in African languages, the role of vocabulary remains underexplored. Objectives: This study investigated the relative contributions of ORF and vocabulary to RC in the first and second languages of three bilingual groups: Akan-English in Ghana, isiZulu-English in South Africa, and Shona-English in Zimbabwe and examined the ORF rate needed for 80% comprehension in each language. Method: A quantitative correlational design was used. Learners in Ghana (n = 158), South Africa (n =104), and Zimbabwe (n = 122) were assessed through convenience sampling. Constructs measured included: ORF, RC and receptive vocabulary tests. Results: Oral reading fluency was a strong predictor of RC in first and second languages. Learners needed to read between 89 and 109 words correct per minute (WCPM) in English to achieve 80% comprehension. For African languages ORF thresholds ranged from 47 WCPM (isiZulu) to 55 WCPM (Akan). Conclusion: Oral reading fluency emerged as a critical prerequisite for RC across bilingual populations. Without adequate ORF skills, vocabulary knowledge cannot support comprehension. Contribution: This study provides novel data on reading fluency and comprehension in under-researched African languages, particularly Akan and Shona. It proposes preliminary ORF benchmarks for Ghana and Zimbabwe and validates existing benchmarks for South Africa.