Reading Problems of Pressing Importance

Abstract

SINCE appearance of previous triennial summary of research in April 1940 issue of this journal (34), war has come to America, and in its wake events of profound significance for social, economic, and educational life of our nation have taken place. One need but mention Pearl Harbor, Bataan, Guadalcanal; Selective Service Act (and War Manpower Commission), War Labor Board, Office of Price Administration, National Resources Planning Board; war training programs in colleges, and their counterpart, and Victory Corps in high schools, to appreciate magnitude of changes that have been wrought. During this period certain chronic problems in field of readingadult illiteracy and poor reading among school children-have acquired a new and critical urgency. This report is therefore devoted primarily to a consideration of recent research bearing on these subjects. Because of imperative national need for action in solving these problems, this report has indulged to a more than customary degree in critical commentary and synthesis of research Summaries and bibliographies-In three-year period covered by this report, about 350 studies were printed. Systematic summaries of these contributions appeared in several sources. Thus Gray, continuing his invaluable service, provided annual articles (29, 30, 31, 32) in Journal of Educational Research, which set forth the nature of various investigations published during year and . . . more significant findings. Each article included an annotated bibliography of over one hundred items. Gray (33) also contributed a notable summary of research in reading for past century in Encyclopedia of Educational Research. In addition, Traxler (74) reviewed research in reading for decade 193040, annotating and summarizing 618 studies; and Tinker (73) made a rather detailed report of trends in reading instruction, covering period 1938-42. Numerous other summaries of specialized aspects of physiologv, psychology, and pedagogy of reading appeared (16, 40, 66, 70, 75, 80). The availability of these various compilations provided another reason for limiting present summary to reading problems of vital significance. This is not to minimize ultimate importance of many other studies published during this period, which are at present of relatively academic interest. Students interested in other aspects of reading will find them listed, annotated, and discussed in above mentioned summaries of Gray. Many studies relating to constructive use of comics, growth