Dual Coding Theory 1 a Dual Coding Theoretical Model of Reading Orthogonal Relationship between Mental Codes and Sense Modalities Mental Codes Sense Modality Verbal Nonverbal Visual Visual Language(writing) Visual Objects

dual coding theory 2 Dual Coding Theory (DCT) is an established theory of general cognition that has been directly applied to literacy. This theory was originally developed to account for verbal and nonverbal influences on memory, but it has been extended to many other areas of cognition through a systematic program of research over many years (Paivio, 1971, 1986, 1991). It has been extended to literacy as an account of reading comprehension and as a unified theory of reading and writing (Sadoski & Paivio, 2001). For the fullest understanding of the theory these references and the specific studies they cite should be consulted. This paper briefly discusses the DCT account of certain basic processes in reading including decoding, comprehension, and response. The value of explaining reading under the aegis of a theory of general cognition is compelling. Reading is a cognitive act, but there is nothing about reading that does not occur in other cognitive acts that do not involve reading. We perceive, recognize, interpret, comprehend, appreciate, and remember information that is not in text form as well as information that is in text form. Cognition in reading is a special case of general cognition that involves written language. Theories specific to reading must eventually conform with broader theories of general cognition for scientific progress to advance. DCT provides one vehicle for that advancement. Another value offered by DCT is that it provides a combined account of decoding, comprehension, and response. Theories of reading often focus on one or another of these aspects of reading but not all. As we shall see, the same basic DCT principles apply to grapheme-phoneme correspondences, word meaning, grammar, the construction of dual coding theory 3 mental models of text episodes, and even imaginative responses to text. In this chapter we will briefly explain the theory's basic assumptions; provide accounts of decoding, comprehension, and response; compare and contrast DCT with other theories of reading; and discuss its implications for practice and research. Basic Assumptions A basic premise of DCT is that all mental representations retain some of the concrete qualities of the external experiences from which they derive. These experiences can be linguistic or nonlinguistic. Their differing characteristics develop into two separate mental systems, or codes, one specialized for representing and processing language (the verbal code) and one for processing nonlinguistic objects and events (the nonverbal code). The latter is frequently referred to as the …