V


A Review of Literature
Related to Four Hypotheses
Derived From the Model

Earlier we indicated that the value of another literature review in this area rests on the development of an organizing scheme which permits more than the classification of studies into pigeonholes, or which is developed post hoc as a consequence of a more or less non-theory-directed search of the literature. Quoting Gephart (cited by Geyer, 1971), it was pointed out that what is desired is a model of the development of reading which, among other things, provides the basis for deriving testable hypotheses regarding relationships among the components of the model. When a model permits this type of testing, it is possible to validate (or invalidate) it, and thus to move toward a better understanding of the phenomena encompassed by the model.

In this chapter, we will test the validity of aspects of the developmental model described earlier, by reviewing literature bearing on four hypotheses derived from the model. They arise primarily from two strong assertions in the model about competencies, both limited to "the typical case": (a) competence in languaging by auding precedes competency in languaging by reading; (b) when acquired, reading utilizes the same cognitive content and languaging competencies that are used in auding, plus the competencies involved in searching the visual display and, at least initially, decoding print to speech.

From these assertions about competency, we derive four hypotheses about performance:

1. Performance on measures of ability to comprehend language by auding will surpass performance on measures of ability to comprehend language by reading during the early years of schooling until the reading skill is learned, at which time ability to comprehend by auding and reading will become equal.
2. Performance on measures of ability to comprehend language by auding will be predictive of performance on measures of ability to comprehend language by reading after the decoding skills of reading have been mastered.
3. Performance on measures of rate of auding and rate of reading will show comparable maximal rates of languaging and conceptualizing for both processes, assuming fully developed reading decoding skills.
4. Training in comprehending by auding of a particular genre (e.g., "listening for the main idea") will transfer to reading when that skill is acquired. Conversely, once reading skill is acquired, new cognitive content learned by reading will be accessible by auding. Again, this reflects the model's position that reading and auding simply represent alternative in-roads to shared languaging competencies and cognitive content. Thus, additions to this content become equally accessible by auding and reading, once the latter is acquired.