Imagery and Text

Book excerpt: Imagery and Text: A Dual Coding Theory of Reading and Writing presents, for the first time, a unified theory of both reading and writing that derives from and is completely consistent with the Dual Coding Theory of cognition, one of the most influential and empirically sound theories of cognition ever developed. This is the first book to take a systematic theoretical approach to all of the central issues of literacy, including decoding, comprehension, and memory in reading; and planning, drafting, and reviewing in writing. Additionally, theoretical accounts are provided for such profound and elusive literacy concepts as meaning, engagement, inspiration, and persona. Dual Coding Theory is unique in theorizing how both verbal and nonverbal cognition are woven throughout all aspects of literacy. An outstanding advancement in understanding literacy, Imagery and Text: A Dual Coding Theory of Reading and Writing: * Explains the major aspects of both reading and writing from an empirically well-established cognitive theory that embraces both language and mental imagery, emphasizing the powerful role of nonlinguistic knowledge and mental imagery in literacy; * Offers a human alternative to current computer-based theories of cognition and literacy derived from artificial intelligence, treating literacy as an essentially human activity that includes imagery and affect; * Provides moment-by-moment accounts of both the reading process and the writing process and comparisons with other theories; and * Presents an extensive review of educational research on the application of dual coding theory.