Preface xi

1 Introduction to the study of reading 1

What is reading? 2

The relationship between written and spoken language 4

How to study reading development and reading difficulties 14

Overview of the rest of this book 20

Key point summary 20

Further reading 21

Definitions 22

2 Skilled word reading 25

Word reading: Assessment and sources of variation 26

Models of skilled word recognition 36

Key point summary 42

Further reading 43

Definitions 44

3 The skilled comprehender 47

What do we forget and what do we remember? 48

Local and global coherence 52

Models of text representation 59

Key point summary 63

Futher reading 64

Definitions 64

4 Learning to read words 67

Ways to read words 68

Skills and knowledge that aid word reading development 74

Phases of word reading development 81

What drives word reading development? 85

Key point summary 91

Further reading 93

Definitions 93

5 The development of reading comprehension 95

The relations between word reading, listening comprehension and reading comprehension 96

Skills and knowledge that support reading comprehension 99

Reading comprehension development 112

Key point summary 117

Further reading 118

Definitions 118

6 Developmental dyslexia 121

Developmental dyslexia: Definitions and characteristics 122

Theories of dyslexia 126

A look at subtypes: Are all dyslexic children the same or do different types of dyslexic exist? 134

Dyslexia across the lifespan: Precursors, compensation and consequences 140

Key point summary 144

Further reading 145

Definitions 146

7 Reading comprehension difficulties 147

What is poor reading comprehension? 148

Sources of discourse comprehension failure 153

Causes of discourse comprehension failure 164

The consequences of poor discourse comprehension 166

Key point summary 168

Further Reading 169

Definitions 170

8 Instruction and intervention 171

Instruction and interventions for word reading 172

Instruction and interventions for reading comprehension 179

Support and instruction for reading development 185

Key point summary 188

Further reading 189

Definitions 190

9 The assessment of reading 191

Assessment matters 192

Word reading assessment: What, when and how? 196

The assessment of reading comprehension: What, when and how? 201

Key point summary 209

Further reading 210

Definitions 210

10 The Simple View of Reading: A framework for the study of reading development and reading difficulties 213

The Simple View of Reading: A brief overview 214

The Simple View of Reading and reading development 215

The Simple View of Reading and reading difficulties 218

The Simple View of Reading: An evaluation 219

Reading development and reading difficulties: Implications 220

Conclusions 221

Further reading 222

Definition 222

Bibliography 223

Glossary 247

Index 253