A contemporary question is whether the script we read in affects our cognition, termed the script relativity hypothesis (Pae in: Script effects as the hidden drive of the mind, cognition, and culture, Springer, Berlin, 2020). The aim of this review is to examine variation in spatial layout (interword spaces and linear-nonlinear configuration) and…

A commonly shared assumption in the field of visual-word recognition is that retinotopic representations are rapidly converted into abstract representations. Here we examine the role of visual form vs. abstract representations during the early stages of word processing--as measured by masked priming--in young children (3rd and 6th Graders) and…

The goal of research on how letter identity and order are perceived during reading is often characterized as one of "cracking the orthographic code." Here, we suggest that there is no orthographic code to crack: Words are perceived and represented as sequences of letters, just as in a dictionary. Indeed, words are perceived and represented in…

Orthographic knowledge in Chinese was hypothesized to affect elementary Chinese text comprehension (four essays) by 80 twelve-year-old ethnic alphasyllabary language users compared with 74 native Chinese speakers at similar reading level. This was tested with two rapid automatized naming tasks; two working memory tasks; three orthographic…

The Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) was designed by Sir James Pitman as a reading teaching medium from which immediate and efficient transition may be made to the alphabet of regular English. Questions and answers covered in this booklet provide information concerning its history, effectiveness, methods of use, teaching areas, and relationship…

This pamphlet deals with the principle of systematizing traditional orthography (TO) to produce initial teaching media and the application of that principle in Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.). Part 1 discusses: three causes of failure in literacy, the need for systematizing TO for the better learning of literacy, TO research with infants,…

While it is appreciated that research on many of the details of early language learning is still required, one of the main themes of this paper is that solutions to the major problems of beginning reading are already known. In general, there has been a sufficiency of research, and what is now needed is action to implement the results already…

THE PASHTO WRITING SYSTEM IS BRIEFLY DESCRIBED HERE FOR SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH. THE PRINCIPAL LETTERS AND THEIR MODIFIED FORMS ARE PRESENTED AND THE PRINCIPLES OF JUNCTURE AND WORD DIVISION ARE TREATED. THE USE OF EACH SYMBOL IS ILLUSTRATED BY EXAMPLES IN PASHTO SCRIPT WITH PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTIONS AND ENGLISH GLOSSES. THE AUTHOR IDENTIFIES THOSE…

Two criteria for a phonemic notation--assignment of symbols to sounds and the influence of purpose--were discussed. Also presented were three purposes of a phonemic notation: (1) as an initial teaching medium, (2) for an intermediate stage or stages of phonemic spelling reform of English, and (3) for an ultimate phonemics spelling reform. Data of…

This article describes the successful use of the initial teaching alphabet at Lenwood Elementary School in Barstow, California. (PD)

Analyzes the relationship of phonology and orthography to the different systems involved in writing and reading. (Author)

AN INVESTIGATION OF TWO INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS FOR BEGINNING READERS WHICH OFFER PHONETIC REGULARITY WAS CONDUCTED AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH WAS THEN COMPARED TO A MORE TRADITIONAL READING APPROACH. THREE METHODS STUDIED AND COMPARED WERE (1) THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET (ITA), (2) THE DIACRITICAL MARKING SYSTEM (DMS), AND (3) A BASAL APPROACH…

The Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.), devised by Sir James Pitman as a simplified alphabet for beginning readers, consists of 44 characters plus a set of rules for standard spellings of English words using these characters. The characters and rules are designed to ensure easy transition from i.t.a. to traditional orthography (T.O.). In September…

Reports on experiments designed to explore the way the processing unit depends on the information in the component letters and the information contained in their arrangements in a familiar letter string. Hypotheses were tested by degrading the quality of individual letters and by spacing the letters irregularly. (CLK)