Summary of Chosen Reading

A Historical Perspective on Reading Research and Practice by Patricia A. Alexander and Emily Fox is a focus on the historical transformation of the study of reading over a fifty year period. Alexander and Fox looked at particular eras and the main views and research of those times.  The researchers also looked at both sides of opposing theories of the time. They first looked at 1950-1965.  At that time the post war baby boom increased the number of students in schools and emphasized reading problems. The main research of this period focused on Skinners behaviorist theory and remediation was thought to be the solution to students reading difficulties. From my understanding of the reading phonics was used and the thought process was that students could be trained how to read.  The Gestalt theory opposed behaviorism with a linguistic stance.

Then Alexander and Fox looked at 1966-1975 where the field began to look at different disciplines in regards to reading. The researchers discuss Noam Chomsky and his theory of universal grammar. Chomsky’s idea is that every human being is hardwired with a system of grammar in their brains. Reading research took on a psycholinguistic stance that all human beings had the ability to read.  At the end of this period it was found that reading had to be looked at aside from speaking and acquiring language.

During the period of 1976-1985 the federal government began funding reading research and the fields of psychology, communications and English formed a community of research.  There was a focus on reader’s knowledge and how well that helped them read.

1986-1995 saw research in social and cultural anthropology.  This research focused on literacy and real world situations that took on a more social approach.

 Alexander and Fox label the current period “The Era of Engaged Literacy” (51) because readers are no longer reading in just the traditional ways. Hypermedia was introduced during this time and offered non linear texts.  Research was also done on motivation and student interest.  The researchers bring up the fact that young readers may develop their reading skills more quickly through technology, but they have never lived in a world without the World Wide Web and have to learn to evaluate where their sources are coming from.

In the end Alexander and Fox explain the importance of their historical perspective.  We can learn from reviewing the literature and research of the past and see how the field has transformed as well as look to what the future may hold in reading research.