ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the structure of categories and the development of the processes of categorization with regard to concrete objects. It provides implications of categorization theory and research for facilitating reading development—in particular, implications for constructing children's readers. The chapter presents the evolution of the best-example theory of category structure. It deals with a description of the traditional theory of category structure. A category exists whenever two or more distinguishable objects or events are treated equivalently. Some of the fairly theories of category structure in both linguistics and anthropology have included the idea of fixed boundaries, with all category members having full and equal status. An adequate theory of categorization should be able to explain category development as well as category structure and adult categorization. Given the special status of basic level categories in categorization in general, one would predict that basic level categories would be the easiest and also the most useful ones for children to learn.
