Language and Literacy : Some fundamental issues in research on reading and writing

Per Henning Uppstad

Language and Literacy : Some fundamental issues in research on reading and writing

Per Henning Uppstad

General Linguistics

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis (compilation)

1237 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Mainstream research on reading and writing is based on the assumption, common in modern linguistics, that spoken language is primary to written language in most important respects. Unfortunately, the conceptual framework for the study of language and 'literacy' (encompassing both reading and writing skills) is built around this assumption. This is problematic with regard to the philosophy of science, since this framework lacks sufficient empirical support. It is claimed in the present thesis that a view of spoken and written language as distinct - but not isolated - sets of codes with potential for meaning is the best working hypothesis in the search for true empirical findings about the relationship between spoken- and written-language skills. This position calls for critical reflection on the conceptual framework used in research on reading and writing.

Article I examines the notion of 'phonology' in dyslexia research, particularly within the paradigm of cognitive psychology. Focusing on the problem of vague and non-falsifiable hypotheses involving phonology, it calls for a more 'vulnerable' theory.

Article II discusses the status of the concept of 'phoneme' in psycholinguistics with regard to the purposes of understanding, explanation and description in science. It is argued that the phoneme relates primarily to the domain of description and that its adequacy for explanation of written-language skills is marginal.

Article III discusses the role of the concept of 'frequency' versus phonological descriptions in the study of written-language acquisition, and a model for maintaining dynamic perspectives on acquisition is suggested.

Article IV investigates a widespread definition of 'reading' in cognitive psychology, suggesting an alternative definition.

Article V examines the notion of 'lexicon' in research on written-language skills. An alternative conception of 'lexicon' is proposed within the context of connectionism and functional linguistics.

Article VI focuses on sensitivity to prosody and the doubling of consonants in writing. A nuanced model of 'skill' is applied to enable sensivity to quantity to be captured according to commonly accepted standards of empirical science.

Article VII suggests an alternative model of writing with a special focus on how to conceive of the relationship between end-product and on-line measures.

Original language	English
Qualification	Doctor
Awarding Institution	General Linguistics
Supervisors/Advisors	Strömqvist, Sven, Supervisor Tønnessen, Finn Egil, Supervisor, External person
Award date	2005 Oct 1
Publisher	Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University
Publication status	Published - 2005

Bibliographical note

Defence details

Date: 2005-10-01
Time: 10:00
Place: Hörsal 128, Stora Algatan 4, Lund

External reviewer(s)

Name: Leiwo, Matti
Title: Professor
Affiliation: University of Jyväskylä, Finland

---

<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and F.E. Tønnessen. <span class="article_issue_date"></span>. <span class="article_title">The Notion of 'Phonology' in Dyslexia Research:Cognitivism - and Beyond.</span> (manuscript)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H Uppstad and F.E. Tønnessen. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">The Status of the Concept of 'Phoneme' in Psycholinguistics.</span> (submitted)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">The Dynamics of Written Language Acquisition.</span> (manuscript)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">What is Reading? A Critical Account.</span> (submitted)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad. <span class="article_issue_date">2006</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(545337)" class="article_link">Written Language Skills and the Notion of 'Lexicon'.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">L1 Educational Studies in Language and Literature.</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 6</span> <span class="journal_distributor">Amsterdam University Press</span> (inpress)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">Aspects of fluency in writing.</span> (submitted)</div>
<div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and Å.K.H. Wagner. <span class="article_issue_date"></span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(545338)" class="article_link">Approaching the skill of writing.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Writing and Digital Media.</span>, <span class="journal_distributor">Elsevier</span> (inpress)</div>

Subject classification (UKÄ)

General Language Studies and Linguistics

Free keywords

Specialdidaktik
Research methodology in science
Forskningsmetodik
phoneme
Special didactics
Tillämpad och experimentell psykologi
Applied and experimental psychology
språktypologi
typology
Jämförande lingvistik
Comparative linguistics
sociolingvistik
Tillämpad lingvistik
undervisning i främmande språk
literacy
phonology
dyslexia
writing
written language
foreign languages teaching
Applied linguistics
fonologi
Fonetik
Phonetics
Språk- och litteraturvetenskap
Philology and literature
Filosofi
Philosophy
Språkinlärning
Language learning
reading
sociolinguistics

Access to Document

Cite this

@phdthesis{e8321183f9cb48d4a3805e07211a0e7a,

title = "Language and Literacy : Some fundamental issues in research on reading and writing",

abstract = "Mainstream research on reading and writing is based on the assumption, common in modern linguistics, that spoken language is primary to written language in most important respects. Unfortunately, the conceptual framework for the study of language and 'literacy' (encompassing both reading and writing skills) is built around this assumption. This is problematic with regard to the philosophy of science, since this framework lacks sufficient empirical support. It is claimed in the present thesis that a view of spoken and written language as distinct - but not isolated - sets of codes with potential for meaning is the best working hypothesis in the search for true empirical findings about the relationship between spoken- and written-language skills. This position calls for critical reflection on the conceptual framework used in research on reading and writing. Article I examines the notion of 'phonology' in dyslexia research, particularly within the paradigm of cognitive psychology. Focusing on the problem of vague and non-falsifiable hypotheses involving phonology, it calls for a more 'vulnerable' theory. Article II discusses the status of the concept of 'phoneme' in psycholinguistics with regard to the purposes of understanding, explanation and description in science. It is argued that the phoneme relates primarily to the domain of description and that its adequacy for explanation of written-language skills is marginal. Article III discusses the role of the concept of 'frequency' versus phonological descriptions in the study of written-language acquisition, and a model for maintaining dynamic perspectives on acquisition is suggested. Article IV investigates a widespread definition of 'reading' in cognitive psychology, suggesting an alternative definition. Article V examines the notion of 'lexicon' in research on written-language skills. An alternative conception of 'lexicon' is proposed within the context of connectionism and functional linguistics. Article VI focuses on sensitivity to prosody and the doubling of consonants in writing. A nuanced model of 'skill' is applied to enable sensivity to quantity to be captured according to commonly accepted standards of empirical science. Article VII suggests an alternative model of writing with a special focus on how to conceive of the relationship between end-product and on-line measures.",

keywords = "Specialdidaktik, Research methodology in science, Forskningsmetodik, phoneme, Special didactics, Till{\"a}mpad och experimentell psykologi, Applied and experimental psychology, spr{\aa}ktypologi, typology, J{\"a}mf{\"o}rande lingvistik, Comparative linguistics, sociolingvistik, Till{\"a}mpad lingvistik, undervisning i fr{\"a}mmande spr{\aa}k, literacy, phonology, dyslexia, writing, written language, foreign languages teaching, Applied linguistics, fonologi, Fonetik, Phonetics, Spr{\aa}k- och litteraturvetenskap, Philology and literature, Filosofi, Philosophy, Spr{\aa}kinl{\"a}rning, Language learning, reading, sociolinguistics",

author = "Uppstad, {Per Henning}",

note = "Defence details Date: 2005-10-01 Time: 10:00 Place: H{\"o}rsal 128, Stora Algatan 4, Lund External reviewer(s) Name: Leiwo, Matti Title: Professor Affiliation: University of Jyv{\"a}skyl{\"a}, Finland --- <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad and F.E. T{\o}nnessen. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}></span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>The Notion of 'Phonology' in Dyslexia Research:Cognitivism - and Beyond.</span> (manuscript)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H Uppstad and F.E. T{\o}nnessen. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2005</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>The Status of the Concept of 'Phoneme' in Psycholinguistics.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2005</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>The Dynamics of Written Language Acquisition.</span> (manuscript)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2005</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>What is Reading? A Critical Account.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2006</span>. <a href={"}javascript:downloadFile(545337){"} class={"}article_link{"}>Written Language Skills and the Notion of 'Lexicon'.</a> <span class={"}journal_series_title{"}>L1 Educational Studies in Language and Literature.</span>, <span class={"}journal_volume{"}>vol 6</span> <span class={"}journal_distributor{"}>Amsterdam University Press</span> (inpress)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2005</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>Aspects of fluency in writing.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>P.H. Uppstad and {\AA}.K.H. Wagner. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}></span>. <a href={"}javascript:downloadFile(545338){"} class={"}article_link{"}>Approaching the skill of writing.</a> <span class={"}journal_series_title{"}>Writing and Digital Media.</span>, <span class={"}journal_distributor{"}>Elsevier</span> (inpress)</div>",

year = "2005",

language = "English",

publisher = "Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University",

type = "Doctoral Thesis (compilation)",

school = "General Linguistics",

}

TY - THES

T1 - Language and Literacy : Some fundamental issues in research on reading and writing

AU - Uppstad, Per Henning

N1 - Defence details Date: 2005-10-01 Time: 10:00 Place: Hörsal 128, Stora Algatan 4, Lund External reviewer(s) Name: Leiwo, Matti Title: Professor Affiliation: University of Jyväskylä, Finland --- <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and F.E. Tønnessen. <span class="article_issue_date"></span>. <span class="article_title">The Notion of 'Phonology' in Dyslexia Research:Cognitivism - and Beyond.</span> (manuscript)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H Uppstad and F.E. Tønnessen. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">The Status of the Concept of 'Phoneme' in Psycholinguistics.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">The Dynamics of Written Language Acquisition.</span> (manuscript)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">What is Reading? A Critical Account.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad. <span class="article_issue_date">2006</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(545337)" class="article_link">Written Language Skills and the Notion of 'Lexicon'.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">L1 Educational Studies in Language and Literature.</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 6</span> <span class="journal_distributor">Amsterdam University Press</span> (inpress)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and O.J. Solheim. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">Aspects of fluency in writing.</span> (submitted)</div> <div class="article_info">P.H. Uppstad and Å.K.H. Wagner. <span class="article_issue_date"></span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(545338)" class="article_link">Approaching the skill of writing.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Writing and Digital Media.</span>, <span class="journal_distributor">Elsevier</span> (inpress)</div>

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Mainstream research on reading and writing is based on the assumption, common in modern linguistics, that spoken language is primary to written language in most important respects. Unfortunately, the conceptual framework for the study of language and 'literacy' (encompassing both reading and writing skills) is built around this assumption. This is problematic with regard to the philosophy of science, since this framework lacks sufficient empirical support. It is claimed in the present thesis that a view of spoken and written language as distinct - but not isolated - sets of codes with potential for meaning is the best working hypothesis in the search for true empirical findings about the relationship between spoken- and written-language skills. This position calls for critical reflection on the conceptual framework used in research on reading and writing. Article I examines the notion of 'phonology' in dyslexia research, particularly within the paradigm of cognitive psychology. Focusing on the problem of vague and non-falsifiable hypotheses involving phonology, it calls for a more 'vulnerable' theory. Article II discusses the status of the concept of 'phoneme' in psycholinguistics with regard to the purposes of understanding, explanation and description in science. It is argued that the phoneme relates primarily to the domain of description and that its adequacy for explanation of written-language skills is marginal. Article III discusses the role of the concept of 'frequency' versus phonological descriptions in the study of written-language acquisition, and a model for maintaining dynamic perspectives on acquisition is suggested. Article IV investigates a widespread definition of 'reading' in cognitive psychology, suggesting an alternative definition. Article V examines the notion of 'lexicon' in research on written-language skills. An alternative conception of 'lexicon' is proposed within the context of connectionism and functional linguistics. Article VI focuses on sensitivity to prosody and the doubling of consonants in writing. A nuanced model of 'skill' is applied to enable sensivity to quantity to be captured according to commonly accepted standards of empirical science. Article VII suggests an alternative model of writing with a special focus on how to conceive of the relationship between end-product and on-line measures.

AB - Mainstream research on reading and writing is based on the assumption, common in modern linguistics, that spoken language is primary to written language in most important respects. Unfortunately, the conceptual framework for the study of language and 'literacy' (encompassing both reading and writing skills) is built around this assumption. This is problematic with regard to the philosophy of science, since this framework lacks sufficient empirical support. It is claimed in the present thesis that a view of spoken and written language as distinct - but not isolated - sets of codes with potential for meaning is the best working hypothesis in the search for true empirical findings about the relationship between spoken- and written-language skills. This position calls for critical reflection on the conceptual framework used in research on reading and writing. Article I examines the notion of 'phonology' in dyslexia research, particularly within the paradigm of cognitive psychology. Focusing on the problem of vague and non-falsifiable hypotheses involving phonology, it calls for a more 'vulnerable' theory. Article II discusses the status of the concept of 'phoneme' in psycholinguistics with regard to the purposes of understanding, explanation and description in science. It is argued that the phoneme relates primarily to the domain of description and that its adequacy for explanation of written-language skills is marginal. Article III discusses the role of the concept of 'frequency' versus phonological descriptions in the study of written-language acquisition, and a model for maintaining dynamic perspectives on acquisition is suggested. Article IV investigates a widespread definition of 'reading' in cognitive psychology, suggesting an alternative definition. Article V examines the notion of 'lexicon' in research on written-language skills. An alternative conception of 'lexicon' is proposed within the context of connectionism and functional linguistics. Article VI focuses on sensitivity to prosody and the doubling of consonants in writing. A nuanced model of 'skill' is applied to enable sensivity to quantity to be captured according to commonly accepted standards of empirical science. Article VII suggests an alternative model of writing with a special focus on how to conceive of the relationship between end-product and on-line measures.

KW - Specialdidaktik

KW - Research methodology in science

KW - Forskningsmetodik

KW - phoneme

KW - Special didactics

KW - Tillämpad och experimentell psykologi

KW - Applied and experimental psychology

KW - språktypologi

KW - typology

KW - Jämförande lingvistik

KW - Comparative linguistics

KW - sociolingvistik

KW - Tillämpad lingvistik

KW - undervisning i främmande språk

KW - literacy

KW - phonology

KW - dyslexia

KW - writing

KW - written language

KW - foreign languages teaching

KW - Applied linguistics

KW - fonologi

KW - Fonetik

KW - Phonetics

KW - Språk- och litteraturvetenskap

KW - Philology and literature

KW - Filosofi

KW - Philosophy

KW - Språkinlärning

KW - Language learning

KW - reading

KW - sociolinguistics

M3 - Doctoral Thesis (compilation)

PB - Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University

ER -

Language and Literacy : Some fundamental issues in research on reading and writing

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Free keywords

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