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Reading Comprehension pp 1–13Cite as

Reading Difficulties

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Abstract

This chapter begins with a brief discussion of a number of learning theories that have influenced contemporary approaches to the understanding and teaching of reading. The concept of learning difficulties is introduced and a working definition is established as the foundation for further discussion in subsequent chapters. The term learning difficulties is proposed as an appropriate definition for a discussion of the broad and complex nature of reading comprehension problems the children encounter while reading and comprehending texts. It introduces a model for classifying reading comprehension difficulties based on the ‘Simple View of Reading’. This model has been widely accepted a method to classify the broad types of reading difficulties encountered by many children. The model conceptualises reading comprehension as the product of two dimensions: listening comprehension and word decoding. While this seems to explain many of the reading difficulties that children experience it is asserted that the role of metacognition, should be included as a third dimension.

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  1. School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Mt. Gravatt Campus, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia

    Dr. Gary Woolley

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Woolley, G. (2011). Reading Difficulties. In: Reading Comprehension. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1174-7_1

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