For many, teaching reading means teaching the mechanics of language. Is this the right place to start? To see how much of reading has nothing to do with the mechanics of language, read the following vignette:
John went to Lutece last night. He had the lobster.
What did John eat last night? The answer is obvious. But, interestingly enough, the story never says a word about eating. It doesn't mention restaurants, nor does it mention that John was hungry. Somehow, we just know that the answer to the question is obvious. And, we know as well that had the story said "He had the car," instead of "He had the lobster," we would not think that he ate his car. How do we do all this?
Where am I in the content of the book?
