When most people hear the word “fluency,” they think of learning languages. If you’re fluent in a language, you can easily communicate, understand, and express ideas in that language without much effort. But fluency extends beyond language—it applies to any subject, skill, or discipline. A fluent mathematician can quickly interpret equations and patterns, just as a fluent musician can instinctively play a song without reading every note. Fluency is about developing automaticity and confidence, allowing learners to focus on higher-level thinking rather than struggling with basic mechanics.

We often take primary language learning for granted and undersell the amount of graduated support we received along the way. When you were a baby, adults didn’t speak to you as they would to a college professor. Instead, they exaggerated sounds, used gestures, responded to babbles, and incorporated rhymes and songs to make language accessible. And, importantly, no one expected babies to speak in full sentences immediately—it took time, support, and practice. Learning a new subject or skill follows the same pattern. Students need scaffolding, repeated exposure, and varied opportunities to interact with new concepts before mastery.