by: Timothy R. Konold, Connie Juel, and Marlie McKinnon
University of Virginia

http://www.ciera.org/library/reports/inquiry-1/1-003/1-003.html

Cognitive models of literacy acquisition generally define early acquisition
as dependent upon factors considered core to developing (a) word recognition
and (b) reading comprehension. Much is known about specific processes
involved in reading acquisition, as well as more global stages in reading
development. Phonemic awareness has been found to be associated with the
early development of word recognition and reading, and factors strongly
associated with comprehension include oral vocabulary and listening
comprehension (Adams, 1990; Juel, 1994; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998;
Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1994). Models have also been proposed
delineating developmental stages of oral language and phonological awareness
(Berko-Gleason, 1951; Brown, 1973; Yopp, 1995). While an understanding of
how these causative agents function is important, learning to read is a
multivariate phenomenon that requires joint consideration of these
processes.