Teaching Reading with PLATO: An Overview of the New PLATO Reading Solution and How To Use It. Revised. Technical Paper.

This Technical Paper focuses on the new PLATO[R] reading curricula which represent an innovation in the computer-based teaching of basic reading skills and advanced reading comprehension strategies for adults and young adults in secondary and postsecondary academic settings, as well as adult/job skills training. The first section is divided into two parts. The first part describes what may be termed the cognitive-constructivist view of reading, the prevailing view of the reading process influencing education. The second part of this section describes several concepts that elaborate on and complement that view, concepts which are particularly important when teaching reading. The second section focuses on the need for new curricula in secondary and post-secondary reading, and provides a brief overview of governmental standards. The third section gives an overview of components in the PLATO[R] curricula in reading, and how they fit together. There are five series: Essential Reading Skills (ERS); Reading Strategies; Advanced Reading Strategies (ARS); Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension; the Vocabulary Builder Editor; and Reading for Information (RFI). The following sections discuss each of the five in greater detail, describing the course structure and instructional design for each. The final section discusses teaching with the PLATO[R] reading curricula. Appendixes include a list of acknowledgements and a table with information on reading products discussed in this Technical Paper. (Contains 15 references.) (AEF)