No longer do most reading specialists define reading as the simple mastery of isolated skills. Rather than just recognizing words, they say, readers must understand the meaning behind the words. To be effective, teachers must have a clear understanding of the complexity that characterizes the reading process, the authors assert. It is an active, cognitive, and affective process. Background knowledge and prior experience are critical to the reading process.
Social interaction is essential in learning to read.
Reading and writing develop together. Reading involves complex thinking. Environments rich in literacy experiences, resources, and models facilitate reading development. Engagement in the reading task is key in successfully learning to read. Children s understandings of print are not the same as adults understandings.