Final answer:
The most accurate statement is that as children get older, verbal comprehension becomes more important than oral reading fluency for reading comprehension. While early reading focuses on fluency, understanding complex text is vital in later education stages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question Which statement best describes the relative importance of oral reading fluency and verbal comprehension as factors in reading comprehension? involves understanding the development of reading skills over time. The most accurate statement is: a. As children get older, verbal comprehension becomes more important than oral reading fluency. This is because while oral reading fluency is critical in the early stages of learning to read, as students progress in their education, the ability to understand and process complex texts (verbal comprehension) becomes more significant for overall reading comprehension.
Oral reading fluency refers to the ability to read text aloud smoothly and accurately, with appropriate pacing and expression. Verbal comprehension, on the other hand, is the ability to understand and interpret the meaning of spoken and written language. In the context of reading comprehension, verbal comprehension is the ability to make sense of the text and derive meaning from it, which becomes increasingly important for academic success as children move through higher grade levels.