This forum article is a response to the article by Alandeom W. Oliveira, Patterson Rogers, Cassie F. Quigley, Denis Sambursky, Kimberly Barss, and Seema Rivera, The article explores agency from the perspective of both personal action and an understanding of causality within environmental systems, and it explores environmental read-alouds as…

One hundred percent literacy is a relatively modern goal. According to The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago (n.d.), writing was invented in 3200 BC. However, it was not until the Industrial Revolution, in the 19th century, that large numbers of ordinary people began to read and write. Today, most people believe that becoming a…

The current authors reply to a response by Bowers on a comment by the current authors on the original article. Bowers (2010) mischaracterizes the goals of parallel distributed processing (PDP research)--explaining performance on cognitive tasks is the primary motivation. More important, his claim that localist models, such as the interactive…

The current authors reply to a postscript by Coltheart, Tree, and Saunders which was in response to the current authors response on a comment by the current authors on the original article. The current authors begin by responding to the final challenge posed by Coltheart, Tree, and Saunders (2010). They believe that both experimental and…

Woollams, Lambon Ralph, Plaut, and Patterson (see record 2007-05396-004) reported detailed data on reading in 51 cases of semantic dementia. They simulated some aspects of these data using a connectionist parallel distributed processing (PDP) triangle model of reading. We argue here that a different model of reading, the dual route cascaded (DRC)…

A commentary on Williams's (2012) invited article on the use of adapted vocabulary learning interventions focuses on three areas: (a) Vocabulary interventions with storybook reading originally designed for hearing children can be adapted for deaf children. (b) Teachers are invited to reflect on how the read-aloud process in English differs from…

The connectionist triangle model of reading aloud proposes that semantic activation of phonology is particularly important for correct pronunciation of low-frequency exception words. Our consideration of this issue (Woollams, Lambon Ralph, Plaut, & Patterson, 2007) (see record 2007-05396-004) reported computational simulations demonstrating that…

J. C. Ziegler, C. Perry, and M. Zorzi (2009) have claimed that their connectionist dual process model (CDP+) can simulate the data reported by S. O'Malley and D. Besner. Most centrally, they have claimed that the model simulates additive effects of stimulus quality and word frequency on the time to read aloud when words and nonwords are randomly…

As a first and second grade teacher at a public, progressive, East Village school, the word assessment is a daily part of the author's life. Assessment means watching and knowing the children in all areas. It is figuring out, as effectively as possible, how their minds and personalities work. Though she has found a place in her teaching for…

In these days of increased testing and continued failure of inner-city and poor rural schools to meet the grade, it is becoming more and more necessary to turn to the public library to help students reach the ever-increasing goals being set for them. It seems somewhat unfair to hold the schools solely responsible for continued failure when the…

Discusses the therapeutic uses of literature and reading to children who are chronically ill or hospitalized for various reasons. (JK)

Having students read aloud can help the teacher identify reading skills and plan or modify learning activities as appropriate. Effective reading tasks promote thinking, stimulate imagination, and prompt discussion. (JOW)

Advocates stories, poems, and other fictional forms as healing agents, using the distinctive configuration of "The Physicians' Desk Reference" (a comprehensive description of the drugs physicians prescribe). (SR)

Enumerates reasons why parents should read aloud to their children. (SR)

Reveals how reading Joan Phipson's "A Tide Flowing" was an enriching experience to the students in a secondary school English classroom. (HOD)