What aspect of reading does 'prosody' enhance?

Prosody refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech, playing a critical role in how individuals articulate written language. It enhances reading fluency, which is the ability to read smoothly and with appropriate expression. When readers demonstrate prosody, they not only process words correctly but also convey meaning through their voice's pitch and tone, making the reading experience more engaging and comprehensible.

In developing fluency, prosody helps students to connect with the text, understand nuances in meaning, and break down sentences in a manner that reflects natural spoken language. This aspect of reading allows readers to maintain a decent pace while also comprehending the emotional and contextual layers of what they are reading, facilitating better understanding and retention of the material.

The other choices do not encapsulate the essence of what prosody specifically enhances. Vocabulary understanding is related to word knowledge, phonemic segmentation deals primarily with sound units in spoken language, and writing coherence pertains to how well ideas flow in written text. Each of these areas plays a role in literacy but does not address the effects of prosody on reading fluency directly.