The Period of Intensive Research and Application

1925 - 1935

1925

The Roaring Twenties

The Jazz Age

The Era of Wonderful Nonsense

The Age of New Freedom

The Get-Rich-Quick Era

The Golden Sports Age

The Monkey Trial

Prohibition(1920 – 1933)

The Lawless Decade

Black TuesdayOctober 29, 1929

The Great Depression

The Great Depression Continues

Change in Leadership

Herbert Hoover Franklin D. Roosevelt

1925 1935

Focus of Reading Objectives

• Promote intelligent citizenship

• Create a permanent interest in reading

• Develop the attitudes, habits, and skills that are essential to reading

Innovations/Trends

• Supplemental books• Work pads• Preprimers• More choices for teachers• Readers changed colors and pictures

techniques• Vocabulary reduction in readers• Realistic stories dominated readers

New Developments

• Broader objectives• Activity Programs• Research• Readiness concept• Development in diagnosis• Supervisors of reading• Interest in high school, college, and adult

reading

Behaviorism Theorists

Edward Thorndike• He published a seminal study in 1927 titled The

Law of Effect, and in 1934, titled The Influence of the Repetition of a Situation. This study focused on the influence of repetitions and how the “after effects” or consequences influence learning.

• He wrote The Teacher’s Word Book, which provided a list of vocabulary words. Writer’s of textbooks took great care to have the vocabulary of their primers and first readers consist of words from this list.

Ivan Pavlov – John Watson

• During a 1920s study, Pavlov discovered that his dogs learn through association which helped in creating his classical conditioning theory.

• Watson applied Pavlov’s theory to humans.

Constructivism Theorists

John Dewey

• Reading readiness

• Activity programs

Williams S. Gray

• Advocated John Dewey

• Co-authored The Curriculum Foundation Series

• Promoted teacher education

Arthur I. Gates

• Developed the Work/Play Books• Supported individualized instruction and

flexible grouping• Studied children’s interests in reading• Discussed the need of prevention of

reading difficulties

Conflict of Educational Theories

“One group believed that children should be given practice on sequential skills carefully planned by an

adult. The other group was convinced that learning best took place when the child was permitted to carry out his own purposes, meeting and solving attendant problems

within the context of his own experiences and needs and through the medium of his own activities.”

(American Reading Instruction, p. 186)