Value of Controlled Reading
Arthur E. Traxler · The Journal of Experimental Education · 1943
Among the controversial questions relating to methods of teaching pupils to read, per haps none has been debated more persist ently and vigorously in recent years than the question of the importance and value of train ing in the mechanics of eye-movements. It is known that good readers have regular eye movements and that poor readers do not. On that point, there is a wealth of incontrovert ible evidence. There is, however, a difference of opinion concerning the significance of the relationship between eye-movement s and reading skill. Some authorities regard the complex of psychological factors involved in reading comprehension as the all-important thing and hold that eye-movements are only symptoms of the effectiveness of comprehen sion. They insist that if pupils are instructed in such a way that they learn to understand what they read, their eye-movements will as a rule be satisfactorily mature. Others believe that faulty eye-movements are frequently a cause of reading inefficiency and that noteworthy improvement in reading skill may be brought about by direct train ing of eye-movements. As a result of this point of view, certain instruments have been developed to pace reading speed. One of these is the metron-o-scope,1 a triple-action electrically operated tachistoscope consisting of three synchronized rotary drums designed to present successive thirds of a line of read ing matter. When the first line of a selection has been presented in this way, the second line appears in the same manner through the same openings, and so on until the entire selection has been read. A group of people may read from the metron-o-scope at one time. Through the use of different rolls of reading matter prepared for the metron-o scope, a certain amount of variety can be introduced into the reading program. The other outstanding device for use in a program of controlled reading is the Harvard Films for the Improvement of Reading.1 Under this plan, the reading material is pro jected on a screen, and successive phrases or thought units of the material are lighted up. The reader's eyes follow the lighted portion of the screen, and thus the number and dura tion of his eye-movements are largely con trolled. The films, like the metron-o-scope, can be used with a group. The Harvard Films provide for somewhat more flexibility than the metron-o-scope, but the basic theory back of the two devices is about the same. These instruments have sharpened and brought to a focus the differ ence of opinion among reading specialists con cerning the value of training in the mechan ical aspects of the reading process. Thus, the controversy has tended to center around them ?particularly about the metron-o-scope, which is the older of the two.