In this critique of current reading research and practice, the author contends that the extreme ambiguity of English spelling-sound correspondence has confined reading science to an insular, Anglocentric research agenda addressing theoretical and applied issues with limited relevance for a universal science of reading. The unique problems posed by…

The aims of this study were two-fold: firstly, to establish a method of applying consistent letter spacing to documents using MS Word, and secondly, to investigate the effect of increased letter spacing on the reading speeds of readers with low vision. Tests on 14 readers with low vision showed that increased letter spacing benefited their reading…

Schools across the nation are responding to reading assessment mandates by turning to DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills), a program endorsed by the Federal Reading First Grant Office, to assess fluency on a range of reading-related tasks. DIBELS makes strong claims regarding its usefulness in documenting reading progress…

To examine the difference in attention capacity when reading difficult or easy text, a study presented text that varied in difficulty to 22 subjects via a computer monitor. The text was presented in a self-paced manner, one word at a time. Reading times for each word were obtained by computing latencies between key presses. Whenever a flashing…

The study investigated the effects of a closed circuit television (CCTV) system on the reading rates of six visually impaired, college-bound students (16 to 18 years old). After systematic instruction in the use of CCTV, however, the reading rates of all the students increased, regardless of the direction of change exhibited in the preceeding…

Studied the multiplicative gamma model for reading speed originally proposed by G. Rasch (1960/1980). Simulation results suggest that Rasch's extended multiplicative gamma model, if reasonably descriptive, allows for a simple and elegant analysis of test and item response times. (SLD)

In 5 experiments, participants read passages with sentences containing a categorical anaphoric reference. The exemplar referred to was either present in the passage, present but negated, or absent from the passage. Reading times were at least as fast when the exemplar was absent as when it was present, and reading times were slowest when the…

Thirty-two participants were administered 4 verbal tasks, an Implicit Affective Task, an Implicit Neutral Task, an Explicit Affective Task, and an Explicit Neutral Task. For the Implicit Tasks, participants were timed while reading passages aloud as quickly as possible, but not so quickly that they did not understand. A target verbal passage was…

A previous explanation of the sex difference on so-called perceptual speed tests was in terms of a female advantage in accessing and using phonological name codes in making item comparisons. That explanation was extended to a task involving alphabetical transformations without the requirement for comparison of perceptually available items. A…

The body of knowledge on critical components of reading instruction is broad and deep with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension serving as building blocks for literacy. The importance of fluent reading (i.e., with speed, accuracy, and proper expression, as well as comprehension) in the formula for success is widely…

Three practical ways to get the meaning from printed words quickly and efficiently are: (1) previewing; (2) skimming; and (3) clustering. Previewing and skimming are ways of getting through a lot of reading material without reading every word. Previewing is especially helpful for heavy reading like long articles, business reports, and nonfiction…

A study was designed to investigate the effects of a token reinforcement system on the academic performance of a regular third grade classroom (N=22). Two performance tasks were used: oral reading from standard classroom materials and a unique task (a series of sound-symbol associations) designed to study acquisition and retention. The…

Speed reading does not permit the deliberation needed to savor and appreciate literary craftsmanship. (DD)

Results of two studies of elementary school and college students indicate that the processes of automaticity and speed in recognizing the meanings of familiar printed words take slightly different developmental courses. However, the most rapid changes in both measures occur prior to second grade. (PCB)