Reading

Reading is a dynamic and complex process with a curricular history that stretches back more than 1,000 years. The practice of teaching reading has changed across the centuries as cultures moved from primarily oral traditions to written textual communication (1000 CE) to present concerns of a 21st-century technological era. During the last century, the field of reading has been driven by debates about how reading takes place and how best to teach reading in schools. Recent curricular shifts are the result of vast technological changes, the increased role of federal policy in education, and the development of diverse reading theories. The field of reading has shifted also as a result of a greater inclusion of curricular studies because of the need to broaden theoretical conceptions that encompass language and cultural diversity in teaching and learning. As the changing school demographic in the United States becomes more heterogeneous and linguistically diverse, curricular studies is a natural inclusion in broadening the reading theory lens. The complexity of teaching, studying, and learning to read now requires multiple theoretical models and approaches. As notions of literacy and reading practices continue to expand, curriculum researchers increasingly explore the salience of gender, language, socioeco-nomic status, family participation, and cultural considerations in shaping reading practices and theories. Reading is a tool of communication in cultures dominated by print and a political and symbolic issue tied to power, social mobility, nationalism, and citizenship. Indeed, curriculum scholars consider the capacity to read a fundamental component of democratic citizenship and human agency.

This entry first presents policy initiatives that have affected reading education and literacy. Next, the theories that have shaped reading curricula, along with current reading approaches and related controversies, are discussed. Then, the assessment of reading curricula is considered. Lastly, the future direction of reading curricula is addressed.