1	Introduction to Theory From Lenses on Reading by Diane H. Tracey and Lesley Mandel Morrow, 2006
2	Definition “Theory is an explanation of how the facts fit together.” It is “the act of proposing (1) which facts are most important for understand [a topic] and (2) what sorts of relationships among the facts are most significant for producing this understanding. Theory is what makes sense out of facts. Theory gives facts their meaning” (Thomas, 1996, p. 4)
3	Why is theory important to teachers? Theory is closely linked to classroom practice It helps teachers interpret the events happening in the classroom It relates directly to the decisions teachers make regarding classroom tasks Provides a foundation for making instructional decisions
4	Teachers who understand theory Can articulate WHY they are doing what they are doing in class and align their classroom practices with their theoretical beliefs Can position educational research within a theoretical framework and make decisions regarding its appropriateness to their classroom practice and to the field in general
5	Teachers who do not understand theory Often cannot articulate coherently why they choose one kind of classroom practice or materials over another “Many teachers…have adopted conflicting features from a variety of learning theories without ever realizing that they were basically contradicting in nature and could not be brought into harmony with each other” (Bigge and Shermis, 1992, p. 3).
6	Reading Theories from 400 B.C.E to 1899
7	Mental Discipline Theory Can be traced to the writings of Plato and Aristotle Ancient Greece Believed the mind was like a muscle that needed to be exercised regularly through repetitive reciting of texts The mind lies dormant until it is exercised
8	Associationism Dates back to ancient times Is a theory of psychology and education devoted to study of how learning occurs Examines how events or ideas can become associated with one another in the mind Aristotle speculated about 3 different kinds Contiguity—things that happen together become associated in the mind (brushing teeth, taking shower, getting dressed) Similarity—things that have similar features and properties are associated together (grocery lists organized by category Contrast—association by opposition (light and dark, high and low)
9	Unfoldment Theory Direct reaction to ancient theories and developed at beginning of 18^th century Learning was facilitated through a natural unfolding of the mind based on curiosity and interest Rather than cultivating the mind through mental discipline, some believed that cultivating feeling and passion through development of a natural unfolding of person interests was better Pestalozzi believed children need informal instruction from adults and created philosophy of child centeredness. Educational environment must be warm and nurturing Instruction based on student interests Reading instruction used familiar objects, pictures, and storylines
10	Structuralism and Early Scientific Foundations of Reading Structuralism as education and psychology theory was an attempt to explain how the mind worked. Studied perception, not reading Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) German psychologist. His American assistant J.M. Cattell investigated aspects of reading process such as letter and word recognition, legibility of print, and attention span. Cattell reported that subjects’ speed for reading letters connected in words were faster than their speed for reading disconnected letters
11	More structuralism/psychology Javal (in Paris in 1870’s) conducted early reading research by looking at eye movements Found that eye movements during reading occurred in small jumps that are not smooth or linear. This phenomenon is called “saccade”
12	More structuralism/psychology Quantz—”eye-voice span” Time lapse between eyes’ exposure to print and subjects’ enunciation
13	More structuralism/psychology Huey—examined perception, reading rate, subvocalization, nature of meaning Psychologists focused on reading as a perceptual process and looked at reaction times, eye-voice span, reading speed, lip movements during silent reading NO ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO WHETHER THE READER WAS COMPREHENDING