DOCUMENT .RESUME ED 071 066 r CS 000 349 AUTHOR Bracken, Dorothy Kendall, Ed.; Malmquist, Eve, Ed. TITLE Improving Reading Ability Around the World: Proceedings of the International Reading Association World Congress on Reading. (3rd, Sydney, Australia, August 7-9, 1970). INSTITUTION International Reading Association, Newark, Del. PUB DATE 71 NOTE 247p. AVAILABLE FROMInternational Reading Association, 6 Tyre Avenue, Newark, Del. 19711 ($5.50 non-member, $4.50 member) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC -$9.87 DESCRIPTORS Automation; Child Language; *Developmental Reading; *Foreign Countries; *International Education: Listening; *Literacy; Motivation; Psycholingaistics; Reading Comprehension; Reading Difficulty; *Reading Improvement; Reading Readiness; Reading Research; Teaching Methods ABSTRACT A collection of 28 papers deals with reading in various parts of the world. The following countries are represented: Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, I-1,7.tn, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States. The papers are organized under four main headings: (1) Developmental Reading: This section discusses reading readiness, reading instvction, automation, and programing.(2) Reading Problems: Topics included are educational and environmental causes, psycholinguistics, mental capacity, and psychological and motivational problems.(3) Resz.Arch Contributions: Research reports and research reviews are presented on such topics as teaching methods, comprehension, listening, and children's language, and (4) Challenges for the Future: This part eoncerns the future of reading education in general and the challenges in specific countries in particular. Tables and references for individual papers are included. (This document previously announced as ED 059 007.) (AW) U S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS COCUMENT HAS BEEP. REPRO. OUCEO cXACTLY AS RE. CIVE0 FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATM* ORIG INATING IT POINTS OF VISW OR OPIN- IONS STATED 00 NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EOU CATION POSITION OR POLICY -IMPROVING READING ABILITY 1.1 AROUND THE WORLD DOROTHY KENDALL BRACKEN, Southern Methodist University and EVE mAutguisr, Linkoping University Editors Proceedings of the Third IRA World Congress on Reading Sydney, Australia August 7-9, 1970 Ira INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION Six Tyre Avenue Newark, Delaware, United States of America INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION OFFICERS 1971-1972 PresidentTheodore L. Harris, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington President-ElectWilliam K. Durr, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan PastPresidentDonald L. Cleland, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania DIRECTORS Term expiring Spring 1972 Thomas C. Barrett, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin Constance M. McCullough, San Francisco State College, San Francisco, California Eileen E. Sargent, Nicolet Union High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Termexpiring Spring 1973 Marjorie S. Johnson. Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Robert Karlin, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York Olive S. Niles, State Department of Education, Hartford, Connecticut Term Expiring Spring 1974 William Eller, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York William J. Iverson, Stanford University, Stanford, California Eunice Sham! Newton, Howard University, Washington, D.C. Executive Secretary-TreasurerRalph C. Staiger, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware Assistant Executive SecretaryRonald W. Mitchell, International Read- ing Association, Newark, Delaware Publications CoordinatorFaye R. Branca, International Reading Asso- ciation, Newark, Delaware Program arranged by the International Congress Committee Dorothy Kendall Bracken, Ethel M. King, Canada United States May Marshall, Australia Marie M. Clay, New Zealand Constance M. McCullough, Mildred A. Dawson, United States United States Ralph C. Staiger, United States Eve Malmquist, Sweden, Chairman PERMISSION TO REORODUCE THIS COPY Copyright 1971 by the international Reading Association. Inc. RIGHTED MAMMAL HAS BEEN GRANTED Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 70.155288 "International Reading Association TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE US OFFICE OF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE EHIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PER -MISSIONOT THE CEry RIGHT OWNER Foreword IN Tills AGE when so many conflicting ideologies are propounded so ag- gressively by various segments of the world's population, the development of maturity in language skills takes on increased importance. Few would question the postulate that language is, perhaps, the only means by which man builds a meaningful model or construct of reality and exis- tence. And again, it is possibly the most efficacious means by which man can react to, adjust to, and control and/or shape his environment. Furthermore, language is the only means by which man can apprise others of his perceptions of an object, a relationship, an event, ora situation. What is a citizen's responsibility to society? A major responsibility of the world's citizenry is to appraise the environment in which they live, to decide upon a course of action through logical reasoning, and then to apprise contemporaries of their decisions and/or judgments. Upon this premisethat the communication process is an essential char- acteristic of democratic forms of government which demands of its citizens the ability to communicate effectively and with insight and critical analysisit follows that reading, one of the facets of the total language arts spectrum, is and will remainone of its most important and indispensable phases. Through reading, more than any other phase of the communicative process, the responsible citizen can analyze a more varied and clearer record of past events, a writer's perceptions of current events, andcan ultimately build a valid construct of reality and existencehis environ- ment. Through reading (a broad definition is suggested) the perceptive citizen can determine the role he must play in hisown social group: the community inthestateorprovince;the - stateorprovince in the nation; the nation in world affairs; and, duringsome morrow, the world in interplanetary litigations. The IRA planning committee for the World Congress, whichwas held in Sydney, Australia, in August, 1970, was cognizant of the necessity for world literacy. A superficial perusal of thepapers contained in these proceedings attests to each author's concern for and dedicationto "Im- proving Reading Ability around the World." A careful reading and study of these papers reveals the organisation categorized under the following headings: Developmental Reading, Reading Problems, Re- search Contributions, and Challenges for the Future. It also becomes apparent that each country represented at the Congress selected its most astute scholars to explore with the audience their perceptions of reading iii problems as found in their countries, as well as suggestions for the ulti- mate improvement of reading abilities. An invitation is extended to all to thoughtfully read the papers con- tained in this volume. It will be a provocative and enriching experience. Donald L. Cleland, President International Reading Association 1970-1971 iv Contents Foreword iii Donald L. Cleland, U.S.A. Introduction vii Eve Malmquist, Sweden and Dorothy Kendall Bracken, U.S.A. DEVELOPMENTAL READING 3 An International Challenge Helen Huns, U.S.A. 16 Readiness Is All Hugh W. S. Philp, Australia 22 Prereading Programs: An Examination of Some Guiding Principles Margot Higgins, Australia 28 Variables in Beginning Reading Instruction John E. George, U.S.A. 38 Reading Instruction for Nine- to Twelve-YearOlds Kathleen K. Clayton, u.s.A. 46 Reading Instruction for Twelve- to Eighteen-YearOlds A. W. Anderson, Australia 52 Automation and Programing in the Teaching of Reading Robert Farrar Kinder, U.S.A. READING PROBLEMS 59 Problems of Reading and Readers: An International Challenge Eve Malmquist, Sweden 72 Educational aml Environmental Causes of Reading Problems Jack W. Humphrey, U.S.A. 79 Psycho linguistic Considerations: The Inte+action of the Reader and the Task of Reading John Elkins, Australia 88 Mental Capacity Problems R. G. Cochrane, Australia 96 Psychological and Motivational Problems Albert J. Han is, u.s.A. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS 107 Research on Methods of Teaching Reading Theodore L. Harris, U.S.A. 115 Research on Comprehension in Reading Jonathan Anderson, Australia 122 Research and Practice in Improving Listening Dorothy Kendall Bracken, U.S.A. 132 Research on Language and Reading in Pakelia and Polynesian Groups Marie M. Clay, New Zealand 142 Research on Children's Written Language in Social Studies Anthony H. Mc Naughton, New Zealand CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE 151 New Developments in Education Seth Spaulding, France 162 The Future of Reading Constance M. McCullough, U.S.A. 171 Reading in Iran William G. Carr and Elizabeth Carr, U.S.A. 180 Reading in Australia T. J. O'Connell, Australia 188 Reading in Canada Ethel M. King, Canada 195 Reading in Germany Franz Biglmaier, Germany 200 Reading in Great Britain Mary H. Neville, England 206 Reading in India Chinna Chacko, Nepal 212 Reading in New Zealand. Don Holdaway, New Zealand 218 Reading in South Africa Gideon Slander, South Africa 226 Reading: An International Challenge Nila Banton Smith, U.S.A. 241 Program Participants Introduction TO A GREATER EXTENT the problems of the worldconcern us all. We can no longer ignore those W110 live in anotherpart of the country,