Because the spelling of many words in the English language (and in many other languages as well) depends on their morphemic structure, children have to have some knowledge about morphemes in order to learn to read and write. This raises the possibility that children gain much of their explicit knowledge about morphemes as a direct result of…

Introduces the articles in the special issue as sharing a concern with the role of morphological skills in the learning of alphabetic orthographies. Discusses how the articles offer a cross-section of different perspectives, techniques and populations. Notes several pieces of evidence that morphological awareness, while related to phoneme…

Offers an introduction to this themed journal issue dealing with the cognitive processing of the Chinese and the Japanese languages. Discusses processing Chinese, processing Japanese, and research needs. (SR)

States that based on a study of reading skills of 56 developmental dyslexics, A. Castles and M. Coltheart have proposed that there are at least two varieties of childhood dyslexia--impairment of lexical reading and in the operation of the sublexical procedure. Takes issue with their proposal on theoretical grounds. Argues that their study's…

Considers the prospects and need for a psychologically plausible connectionist model of the development of word recognition skills. Emphasizes the importance of phonological skills as precursors and facilitators of learning to read. Argues that it may be possible to develop a connectionist model which will be more consistent with evidence from…

Introduces this special issue. Discusses the analysis-by-synthesis principle of text-to-speech conversion; some classroom and research issues in designing "usable" computer texts; and the criteria of hypertext. Emphasizes the importance of the contextual aspects of text and hypertext and situated learning. (RS)

Examines options for computer support for reading text within a supportive reading environment called "Responsive Text." Notes that Responsive Text is one of a number of programs that utilize computer speech in concert with graphics, text manipulation, and questions, to make text more accessible to poor readers while providing reading instruction…

Discusses the role of decoding in the framework of reading research and current instructional issues. Emphasizes the importance of decoding as part of the reading and language arts curriculum. Provides instructional implications. Suggests that, although many children learn to read without difficulty using literature-based approaches, many children…

Maintains that practitioners have a goldmine of evidence upon which to design effective educational programs for beginning and problem readers. Outlines current knowledge of the beginning stages of reading acquisition for both normal and problem readers and relates this knowledge to current language arts curricular practices. (BS)

Submits that children recognize their first words in a different way than they later decode. Compares the hypothesis that sight words are recognized as wholes to the hypothesis that sight words are recognized as parts. Finds support for the idea that first words are recognized by "selective association." (BS)

Applies theoretical reasoning concerning transitional knowledge to a problem in literacy development. Examines a longitudinal data set composed of 46 children each of whom completed 6 stories over a 2-year period. Suggests that detecting children who are in transition for emergent to conventional literacy has critical implications for classroom…

Reviews several lines of convergent research to discuss the relationship between developmental dyslexia and slow symbol naming speed. Describes the interactive development of orthographic and phonological codes, and methodological problems leading to underestimation of the importance of individual differences. Argues that an understanding of…