In our recent paper published in The Reading Teacher [link], Prof. Kearns and I outline the essential aspects of the triangle model (Seidenberg & McClelland, 1989; see Seidenberg, Cooper Borkenhagen, & Kearns, 2020 for a review) – a seminal theory of learning that explains a range of underlying cognitive processes related to reading development. The theory is explained especially with respect to the fact that printed English is a system that contains many atypical forms in terms of the relationship between letters and sounds. This type of system is often referred to as quasiregular – meaning that it appears to be rule governed, but often permits exceptions.
The purpose of the article is to describe the theory in simple terms for reading practitioners and to provide suggestions for translating essential aspects of this theory to practice.
References
Kearns, D. M., & Cooper Borkenhagen, M. J. (2024). Following the Rules in an Unruly Writing System: The Cognitive Science of Learning to Read English. The Reading Teacher, 77(5), 712-726.
Seidenberg, M. S., Cooper Borkenhagen, M., & Kearns, D. M. (2020). Lost in translation? Challenges in connecting reading science and educational practice. Reading Research Quarterly, 55, S119-S130.
Seidenberg, M. S., & McClelland, J. L. (1989). A distributed, developmental model of word recognition and naming. Psychological Review, 96(4), 523-568.
