The Period of Intensive Research and Application
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 Tuesday October 29, 1929
The Great Depression
The Great Depression Continues
Change in Leadership Herbert Hoover Franklin D. Roosevelt
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)