The first problem, how people learn their various language competencies, is of special concern to the Air Force and other armed services because many recruits are poorly developed in a major language competency-reading. For personnel reading below the sixth grade level, the Air Force conducts a reading training school at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, which a given airman may attend for eight weeks or longer (OASD/M&RA Report on Project One Hundred Thousand, 1969). During the period October 1967 -September 1969, some 3,288 men entered the Air Force literacy program. As of December 1969, the entry rate was about 250 per month, mostly Project 100,000 personnel (recruits with Armed Forces Qualification Test scores from 10 to 20). While current entry rates are much lower than the 1969 figure, the program still is a costly one.

Furthermore, it seems probable that the reading problem faced by the Air Force is actually greater than indicated by the above figures, because the reading demands of jobs are likely to be higher than sixth grade reading ability. Research on the literacy requirements of Army jobs suggests that jobs such as auto repairman or supply clerk may actually require eighth or ninth 'grade reading ability-at a minimum (Sticht, et al., 1972). It seems unlikely that Air Force jobs have lower reading requirements than these Army jobs.

Thus, we can reasonably speculate that the Air Force faces a considerable reading problem. For this reason, information about the reading process and how it is acquired is sorely needed, to facilitate the development of innovative methods for effectively and efficiently improving the reading skills of Air Force personnel up to and beyond minimal requirements.

Closely related to the problem of improving reading competencies of personnel is the second problem mentioned earlier, that of improving the effectiveness of reading and other language competencies for acquiring new knowledge. Research in this area may deal with methods for teaching better study skills (e.g., note taking, time management), but it is perhaps best typified by attempts to develop better methods for displaying language materials in spoken or written form to increase or facilitate learning. This type of activity makes up much of the R&D in audiovisual media, programmed texts, attempts to improve the readability of printed texts, and a host of studies on verbal learning. For the most part, these activities assume the reading and other language competencies needed to learn from the printed or spoken displays, and are not concerned with how to teach reading or auding (listening to spoken language) as basic skills.