Congruence in Philosophy and Pedagogy of Reading.

ABSTRACT The pradtice of teaching reading. should be based on the nature and dignity of human beings..The major prctlea in the of reading is that the reading model onwhidh pedagogy is based is inconsistent with this view of persons. The view that reading is a skills-determined, linear piocess.in which readeri,decode, process, and retrieve information is based on a computer model and timplies that skills teaching, should. be preeminent.. ,Reading is not 'a linear' process, however, but a cyclical and .synergistic.actiVity, an interaction between the reader, content, and strategies; this model is more promisingas a teaching model than is the linear model. Tile teaching of reading must consider the relation of the text to tile readers', understandings and attitudes as:well as strategies; these .stritegies do not develop in isolation from their Specific recommendationg from this theory include the following: select texts that are meaningful to the reader; recognize that learning to read is a lifelong ,process; affect .the reader's knowledge, feelings, and inclinations about the reading task; encourage students tc see the relationship between text and previous knowlft94 suggest and model strategies that are appropriate to the tejit; provide much reading opportunity in school; use content area readings; and recognize that comprehension may not be testable by standard measures. (DF)