The ideas of Soviet specialists on the psychology and teaching of reading are here made available in English.The volume gives an overview of psychology and education in the U.S.S.R., and presents translations of the work of major Soviet authors, such as Elkonin and Luria. The contributions offer many valuable proposals for teaching literacy which are quite unique outside of the Soviet Union. A concluding chapter provides a commentary, tracing the links between these specialist contributions and the general cognitive theories of Vygotsky.The result of ten years of research, this book was completed by Professor Downing shortly before he passed away in June 1987.