Review of An Inquiry Into the Genesis of Poor Reading

Abstract

Reviews the book, An Inquiry Into the Genesis of Poor Reading by Chester C. Bennett (1938). This book is significant in its largely negative findings. To all who teach young children, to all concerned with the way children learn, not only reading, but all learning, to those administering remedial instruction to reading failures, to those advocating a pet theory of some kind or other, this book deserves a place on their "must" list. It will disappoint its readers, yet its very disappointing character is its most valuable asset. The author conducted an investigation designed to unearth the genesis of poor reading or reading failure. It was hoped to offer means whereby the future inferior reader could be early identified and his inferiority prevented. No such result was achieved. In short, the inferior reader is too much like others to be easily and early recognized except by his one distinguishing characteristic, inferiority in reading. Those differences, other than reading, which were discovered could hardly be said to come before, or even after, reading retardation. The author subscribes to the view that reading failure is brought about by a multiple cause. Reading is an intricate and complicated activity. It requires fine adjustments involving the entire child. The causes of reading failure are to be sought in the entire child and becomes an individual problem. The author suggests that further research should concern itself with the personal and social adjustment of the inferior reader in an effort to determine what kind of child fails in reading. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)