The National Reading Panel has identified 5 essential components of reading instruction, all of which are needed to achieve the complex skill of reading, one of which is oral reading fluency (ORF). The Alabama Reading Initiative endorses teaching a scientifically research-based reading program to fidelity to raise ORF scores. In a rural Alabama county, 15% of Grade 1 students in a school did not meet the ORF goal on the Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Skills (DIBELS) test. The theoretical framework of this study was based upon the automaticity theory, which identifies ORF as a major component of reading. The purpose of this study was to examine whether small-group or whole-group instruction was more effective in increasing the ORF portion of the DIBELS test. Sixty-five students participated in small-group instruction, and 60 students participated in whole-group instruction. Students were tested in December and April using the DIBELS assessment for ORF. A quasi-experimental pretest posttest design was used. The gain scores of the DIBELS were analyzed using a simple parametric t test for independent samples with a between-subjects design to determine the effect of whole-group and small-group reading on the ORF rates of the Grade 1 students. The results did not indicate a significant increase of one program over the other program in the ORF rates of students who participated in small-group or whole-group reading. As long as a reading program is taught to fidelity, either whole-group or small-group reading will improve ORF. The study will benefit students by providing the most effective program to help achieve ORF and become more effective readers. Administrators will benefit by knowing that tax dollars are being spent wisely on an effective program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]