Johnny Can't Read

Abstract

This paper describes an empirically based model depicting how three classes of variables are thought to influence reading. The classes include text-related, teacher-related, and student-related variables. The model is based on an interactive theory of the process of reading, meaning that efficient readers use both top-down (conceptually derived) and bottom-up (phonemically derived) mental processing when engaged in contextual reading. For each of the three variable classes (teacher, text, and student), an empirical base is built, demonstrating the importance of each to the interactive reading act. Discussion of the differential ease with which each of the three classes of variables may be controlled is included, with implications drawn for teaching poor readers.