The purpose of this volume is to survey some of the best work going on in the field of reading research and reflect what is known about reading as it unfolds across the life span. The book is divided into four parts: The Contexts for Reading; Reading in Childhood; Reading in Adulthood; Reading Across the Life Span. The focus of this book stretches beyond the narrow period of development and considers broader questions such as cross-cultural factors influencing literacy acquisition, the spelling sound code and word recognition in childhood, instruction and remediation in adult illiterates, and changes in reading ability and attitude from childhood to adulthood - all areas and questions which serious scholarship must address in order to have a richer understanding of reading. This volume reflects the dynamic nature of the field and includes studies that would be of interest to all disciplines involved in the study of reading, including linguistics, psychology, education, history, and gerontology.