Theories, Models, and Strategies for Learning to Read.

Descriptions of models of the initial acquisition stages of reading development and of methods for teaching beginning reading are provided in this conference report which not only describes individual models and strategies, but also draws together and summarizes current thinking in this area. The models range from the behavioristic works of Thorndike and Skinner to the field of cognitive learning models of Singer and Gibson. Included in the latter are the linguistic theories ranging in outlook from attention to simple decoding to concentration on meaning of clauses and sentences. It is argued that a hierarchical structure of tasks does exist in reading, that it is possible to provide instruction at various levels of the structure, and that it is further possible to determine hierarchies from analysis of factors involved in reading behaviors. It was also argued that since different instructional procedures seem to produce their best results in one or two of several skill areas perhaps some attempts at matching methods to individual readers would provide the most successful reading instruction for all. A bibliography is included. (MS)