ABSTRACT
In the early years of the Center, Dick was involved in ground-breaking research about schema theory that led to new understandings about the role of background knowledge in reading comprehension. To adequately explain his agreement with the contexts and practices that would facilitate learning to read or make it difficult, the author must also comment on other aspects of his intellectual history. Although he clearly agrees with the listed contexts and practices that evolved from the Expert Study and that are supported by his own and others’ research, the author confident that Dick wants us to continue to search for gaps where our knowledge needs to be deepened and extended, and that he will do the same. As stated, Dick’s own research supports the wide reading of trade books and other authentic reading materials. The evolution of Dick’s own research over time illustrates his ongoing thinking about what we need to know next to further the improvement of reading instruction.
