The 'Languaging in the Content Areas' (LICA) thesis as a formulating theory of post-elementary reading

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Evidence · no claims cited

Description

A still formulating theory of post-elementary reading, called the 'Languaging in the Content Areas', or LICA, thesis (Manzo and Sherk, submitted manuscript). The article states that the embedded aids are "guided by the concerns and precepts of a still formulating theory of post-elementary reading," and that the thesis addresses dialectical thinking, language abilities, inquiry skills, values processing, aesthetics, and reading comprehension. Embedded aids are presented as an application of this thesis to content-area textual material.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• Aids designed under the thesis should be guided by its concerns and precepts across the listed domains of language and thinking.

Constraints

• The article describes the thesis as still formulating, with the guiding manuscript itself submitted rather than published.

Target Learners

• post-elementary readers in content areas

Target Learning Objectives

• reading comprehension, dialectical thinking, language abilities, inquiry skills, values processing, aesthetics

Claims

Related Theories

• Languaging in the Content Areas (LICA) as a unifying thesis for post-elementary reading instruction
• Dialectical thinking as the system for improving quality of thought

Examples

• Ten guiding precepts for school-wide languaging-oriented reading programs
• Experience with Languaging Activities (ELAs) guided by a sequence of experience-based questions
• Imbedded Aids: textbook redesign placing teacher-like assistance in the text
• Embed units of assistance and enrichment into the fabric of textual material so they are unobtrusive yet available for reader use

Key Sources

• Manzo, Anthony V. (1977). 'Imbedded Aids' to Readers: Alternatives to Traditional Textual Material. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED136196

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	theory
title	The 'Languaging in the Content Areas' (LICA) thesis as a formulating theory of post-elementary reading
description	A still formulating theory of post-elementary reading, called the 'Languaging in the Content Areas', or LICA, thesis (Manzo and Sherk, submitted manuscript).
status	review
canonical	True
generated	by claude/unspecified on 2026-09-25
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — manzo-1977

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