IDENTIFIERS *Experimentalism; *Idealism; Philosophical Influences

This paper considers the role of realism, idealism, experimentalism, and existentialism in the teaching of reading. The paper first discusses realism, noting that reading specialists who are realists desire to have objectives stated in measurable terms--in state mandated tests the tests are to be aligned with the stated objectives. In idealism, according to the paper, a person cannot know the real environment as is, but he/she can obtain ideas from there--an idealist's program of reading instruction would emphasize the following: literature which stimulates the mind to grow and achieve and which stresses ideals, values, morals, and beliefs; and liberal arts courses which emphasize student thinking in depth and breadth and which guide the learner to find the self by serving humanity. The paper finds that an experimentalist's reading curriculum might well stress the following: reading to identify and solve problems identified by learners with teacher assistance; students working in small groups to identify and solve problems; and students actively participating in learning, not sedentary activities. The paper states that existentialists believe that a person first exists and then finds his/her own essence in life, his/her own goals in life. Thus, it notes, a good reading program would emphasize: individual library books for students to read which stress alienation, dread, despair, and aloneness; self appraisal in terms of doing critical and creative thinking pertaining to decisions made; and questions raised pertaining to content read to realize the subjectivity of knowledge. (NKA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document