The Psychology of Reading: Theory and Applications

Incorporating cognitive, neuropsychological, and sociocultural perspectives, this authoritative text explains the psychological processes involved in reading and describes applications for educational practice. The book follows a clear developmental sequence, from the impact of the early family environment through the acquisition of emergent literacy skills and the increasingly complex abilities required for word recognition, reading fluency, vocabulary growth, and text comprehension. Linguistic and cultural factors in individual reading differences are examined, as are psychological dimensions of reading motivation and the personal and societal benefits of reading. Pedagogical Features: *End-of-chapter discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. *Explicit linkages among theory, research, standards (including the Common Core State Standards), and instruction. *Engaging case studies at the beginning of each chapter. *Technology Toolbox explores the pros and cons of computer-assisted learning.

About the Author

Paula J. Schwanenflugel, PhD, is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia, where she researches and teaches courses on the psychology of reading, psycholinguistics, and child development. She is also affiliated with the Linguistics and Cognitive Science programs. Dr. Schwanenflugel has carried out both basic and applied research on the topics of reading fluency, lexical processing, semantic development, and vocabulary knowledge, as well as large-scale school-based interventions related to literacy. She has published numerous articles in both psychology and education journals, many book chapters related to reading, and two recent books that describe effective research-based classroom literacy practices related to the development of literacy. Nancy Flanagan Knapp, PhD, is Associate Professor of Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia, where she teaches courses in literacy and learning theory. She is also affiliated with the Department of Educational Psychology, for which she taught the Psychology of Reading course for 17 years. Dr. Knapp's current research focuses on helping struggling readers and improving instruction at the K-12 and postsecondary levels. She offers professional development courses and seminars and is the developer of the Reading Apprenticeship Program, a Tier 2 intervention for delayed elementary school readers. She has published numerous articles on literacy and teaching and is a founding editor of the journal Teaching Educational Psychology.