Virtually all theories of visual word recognition assume (typically implicitly) that when a pathway is used, processing within that pathway always unfolds in the same way. This view is challenged by the observation that simple variations in list composition are associated with qualitative changes in performance. The present experiments demonstrate that when reading aloud, the joint effects of stimulus quality and word frequency on RT are driven by the presence/absence of nonwords in the list. Interacting effects of these factors are seen when only words appear in the experiment whereas additive effects are seen when words and nonwords are randomly intermixed. One way to explain these and other data appeals to the distinction between cascaded processing (or interactive-activation) on the one hand versus a thresholded mode of processing on the other, with contextual factors determining which mode of processing dominates.

Virtually all theories of visual word recognition assume (typically implicitly) that when a pathway is used, processing within that pathway always unfolds in the same way. This view is challenged by the observation that simple variations in list composition are associated with qualitative changes in performance. The present experiments demonstrate that when reading aloud, the joint effects of stimulus quality and word frequency on RT are driven by the presence/absence of nonwords in the list. Interacting effects of these factors are seen when only words appear in the experiment whereas additive effects are seen when words and nonwords are randomly intermixed. One way to explain these and other data appeals to the distinction between cascaded processing (or interactive-activation) on the one hand versus a thresholded mode of processing on the other, with contextual factors determining which mode of processing dominates.

In a series of five experiments I examined whether intention (as operationalized by task set) affects the processes involved in reading. The Task Set paradigm (Besner & Care, 2003) was used in all experiments. On each trial subjects were cued to perform one of two tasks on each trial, on half the trials the cue appeared before the target (750 SOA) and on the other half of trials the cue appeared at the same time as the target (0 SOA). In Experiment 1, nonword letter length and complexity did not interact with SOA when reading aloud. This suggests that target processing awaits the implementation of a task set. In Experiment 2 and 3, when only words were presented, word frequency and SOA interacted such that there was a smaller effect of word frequency at the 0 SOA relative to the 750 SOA. This suggests that lexical processing can go on in parallel with cue decoding. However, in Experiment 4, when words and nonwords were combined there was no interaction between word frequency and SOA. Participants appear to now wait to read the target word until the cue is processed, therefore reading aloud words can be affected by intention. Finally, in Experiment 5, when the task was to generate an antonym (instead of reading aloud), word frequency was additive with SOA. This suggests that at least some aspect of semantic processing (when generating an antonym) is delayed until cue processing is complete. These results, considered alongside results from the Psychological Refractory Period paradigm are taken to imply that sublexical processing uses both attention and intention. Critically, lexical and semantic processing may not require a form of attention, but they can be affected by intention. This runs contrary to the received view that reading aloud is automatic in the sense that it does not require intention, thus a radical change in how we think about the process of reading aloud is needed.

Participants read aloud a set of nonword letter strings, one at a time that varied in the number of letters. The standard result was observed in two experiments; the time to begin reading aloud increased as letter length increases. This result is standardly understood as reflecting the operation of a serial, left to right translation of graphemes into phonemes. The novel result is that the effect of letter length is statistically eliminated for nonwords that have been repeated a small number of times. This elimination suggests that these nonwords are no longer always being read aloud via a serial left to right sublexical process. Instead, the data are taken as evidence that new orthographic and phonological lexical entries have been created for these nonwords, and that they are now read at least sometimes by recourse to the lexical route. Experiment 2 replicates the interaction between nonword letter length and repetition observed in Experiment 1 and also demonstrates that this interaction is not seen when subjects merely classify the string as appearing in upper or lower case. Implications for existing dual route models of reading aloud and Share???s self-teaching hypothesis are discussed.

In a series of five experiments I examined whether intention (as operationalized by task set) affects the processes involved in reading. The Task Set paradigm (Besner & Care, 2003) was used in all experiments. On each trial subjects were cued to perform one of two tasks on each trial, on half the trials the cue appeared before the target (750 SOA) and on the other half of trials the cue appeared at the same time as the target (0 SOA). In Experiment 1, nonword letter length and complexity did not interact with SOA when reading aloud. This suggests that target processing awaits the implementation of a task set. In Experiment 2 and 3, when only words were presented, word frequency and SOA interacted such that there was a smaller effect of word frequency at the 0 SOA relative to the 750 SOA. This suggests that lexical processing can go on in parallel with cue decoding. However, in Experiment 4, when words and nonwords were combined there was no interaction between word frequency and SOA. Participants appear to now wait to read the target word until the cue is processed, therefore reading aloud words can be affected by intention. Finally, in Experiment 5, when the task was to generate an antonym (instead of reading aloud), word frequency was additive with SOA. This suggests that at least some aspect of semantic processing (when generating an antonym) is delayed until cue processing is complete. These results, considered alongside results from the Psychological Refractory Period paradigm are taken to imply that sublexical processing uses both attention and intention. Critically, lexical and semantic processing may not require a form of attention, but they can be affected by intention. This runs contrary to the received view that reading aloud is automatic in the sense that it does not require intention, thus a radical change in how we think about the process of reading aloud is needed.

The aim of this study is to investigate the illustrations in a classical children’s book in order to see how the pictures can support reading comprehension during reading aloud in the classroom. The study analyses three different Swedish editions of Alice in Wonderland with the aid of analytical questions inspired by Maria Nikolajeva’s analysis in Bilderbokens pusselbitar (2000). The three editions show dissimilarities in the use of illustrations to assist pupils in their understanding of the text. One of the editions in particular stands out in that it provides detailed pictorial information in connection with descriptions of people and places that pupils might otherwise find hard to understand. The aim of this study is to investigate the illustrations in a classical children’s book in order to see how the pictures can support reading comprehension during reading aloud in the classroom. The study analyses three different Swedish editions of Alice in Wonderland with the aid of analytical questions inspired by Maria Nikolajeva’s analysis in Bilderbokens pusselbitar (2000). The three editions show dissimilarities in the use of illustrations to assist pupils in their understanding of the text. One of the editions in particular stands out in that it provides detailed pictorial information in connection with descriptions of people and places that pupils might otherwise find hard to understand.

The purpose of this study is to find out how three teachers in Sweden work with literature and fiction in school. The main focus of this study is to examine for what reasons the teachers use literature and fiction as a pedagogic tool. Research shows that using fiction in school as an education tool can develop pupils writing and linguistic improvement. The teachers who were interviewed in this study seem to have a positive attitude to fiction.  They also believe that fiction is increasing the pupils´ vocabulary and that group discussions about reading are important because the pupils learn to reflect reading. The interwied teachers´-mention that fiction has a positive effect on pupils’ general language development. The method which was used in this essay is qualitative interviews. The participants have between 3 to 16 years of experience in their work field and the interviews were recorded and took place in their class room.

Läsförståelse är ett komplext arbete som kräver att läsaren behärskar flera olika strategier för att kunna bemästra olika texter. Det ökande kravet på förståelse för vad man läser ställer allt högre krav på lärare att förse elever med de verktyg som krävs för att kunna läsa olika typer av texter. Studien avser att ta reda på hur lärare på en skola i årskurserna F-3 arbetar med läsförståelse samt vad lärarnas uppfattningar kring läsförståelse är. Totalt har fem stycken lärare med olika lång arbetslivserfarenhet medverkat i studien. Materialet har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer som sedan transkriberats och analyserats. Resultatet visar på att lärarna och den presenterade litteraturen till stor del är av samma åsikt gällande läsförståelse och dess betydelse. Högläsning i hemmet redan som liten är av stor betydelse för den fortsatta utvecklingen av läsförståelse. Diskussion är det arbetssätt som de intervjuade lärarna framhåller som det absolut främsta sättet att lära ut läsförståelse på för just dem och deras elevgrupper.

Purposes and Procedures: According to many scholars (Huck et al., 1983; Chambers, 1983; Trelease, 1985; Kimmel and Segel, 1988), reading aloud is a powerful way to reach children academically and emotionally. Because reading aloud has the potential to affect children and because reading aloud occurs most often at the elementary level, this study was designed to investigate the factors that influence teachers' selection of trade books for use in readaloud sessions in their kindergarten classrooms. Participants included six kindergarten teachers with varying levels of experience, and data were collected in the naturalistic setting through means of interview, focused book review, and think-aloud procedures designed to approach the participants' thinking from a variety of angles. Fieldtesting was conducted to help strengthen the inquiry design and provide an opportunity for realistic application of the method chosen for analysis (Rubin and Rubin, The Art of Hearing Data, 1995). Analysis included color-coding for identification of concepts and themes both in individual interviews and across cases. Findings: All six participants readily acknowledged the importance of reading aloud in the classroom, and, though time and length of readaloud sessions in their classrooms vary, each of these teachers includes it in her daily program. Further, these teachers indicated that there are a variety of factors which influence their choices, factors falling within several categories: purpose for reading, students' needs and desires, characteristics of books themselves, books' potential to enhance literacy growth, and issues of controversy. Further, these participants indicated their use of a variety of pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading strategies which they believe helps enhance the readaloud session for their students. Conclusion: The results of this study promote the idea that kindergarten teachers recognize the importance of reading aloud and that they consider carefully their trade book selection. Perhaps also the results could provide a springboard into further, more issue-focused or specific research regarding the factors found to influence teacher choice. / Ed. D.

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