The Psychology and Pedagogy of Reading

by Edmund Burke Huey

Few works have had as profound an influence on reading research and scholarship as this classic. Originally published in 1908 and rereleased in 1968, it remains one of the most cited books in reading and related disciplines. Essential for anyone interested in the history of reading and reading instruction, it is a must-have volume for scholars seeking to deepen their understanding of the development of current thinking in the field. With its discussion of topics from word recognition to fluency to comprehension to instructional methods, readers will find The Psychology and Pedagogy of Reading as thought provoking today as it was 100 years ago. The new introduction to this special edition, by leading scholars Michael Kamil and Elizabeth Bernhardt, highlights where Huey's work seems particularly prescient, discusses recent research that calls some of his findings into question, and speculates about the issues that he would find important in today's education climate.The International Reading Association is the world's premier organization of literacy professionals. Our titles promote reading by providing professional development to continuously advance the quality of literacy instruction and research. Research-based, classroom-tested, and peer-reviewed, IRA titles are among the highest quality tools that help literacy professionals do their jobs better. Some of the many areas we publish in -Comprehension
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528 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 1968

About the author

1870-1913

Reviews

[Mark]

This is apparently one of the first serious, scholarly monographs on the how the brain performs during reading, and the methodology teachers might use to improve that performance. Mr. Huey was an early research psychologist, and he occupied the first half of this book with (as the title patently indicates) the psychology of reading. More useful, if one is a teacher, is the second half of the book on the pedagogy of reading.

Such books are abundant now, and some are better than others. What I found particularly interesting, as a bibliophile, about Mr. Huey's exposition of the pedagogy of reading, is his integration of elements of the history of publishing (types of editions, typefaces, illustrations, and the like)into consideration in how a pedagogue can best assist his or her charges in learning to read.

Given the amount of research into, well, the psychology and pedagogy of reading since this book's publication (which was in 1908, after all), this is probably not the best book to read if you are looking to improve your teaching practice quickly. On the other hand, if you want a carefully researched meditation on reading, and an interesting piece of intellectual history, this is a book well worth examining.