223:
Jerome Bruner. Aside from some pointers to the significance of writing and a written language in the work of Lev
Vygotsky (1987), writing had remained outside the purview of experimental cognitive psychology, and was accorded no role in the developmental process. In this context Olson advanced the revolutionary argument that, far from being an instrument for the convenient transmission of speech, writing is responsible in large part for shifting the speaker's attention from the ordinary pragmatic functions of language to the phonological, semantic, and syntactic properties of the language itself. Learning to be literate, Olson argued, was to learn to think about the properties of language that remain largely implicit in ordinary oral or natural language. This process leads to a new awareness of phonology, the definition of words, and the logical relations among sentences. Ironically, it is these literate properties of language that have dominated the concerns of philosophers, linguists, and psychologists who believe themselves to be studying ordinary oral language, whereas, Olson insists, they are primarily studying the properties of written language, a view shared by linguists Roy Harris (2009) and Per Linell (2005). Olson introduced this shifted perspective on language by providing a historical context in his widely anthologized 1977 article, "From utterance to text: The bias of language in speech and writing," published in the
240:
led by the work of Noam
Chomsky, Jerome Bruner, George Miller, Roger Brown, and others in a book entitled ‘’Jerome Bruner: The Cognitive Revolution in Educational Theory." (Continuum, 2007) He advanced a more general examination of the role of psychological research in educational theory in "Psychological Theory and Educational Reform: How School Remakes Mind and Society," (CUP, 2003) a book that linked his research on literacy and theory of mind with the school's role in intellectual and social development. He concluded that educational theory was better seen as a moral theory centered on agency and responsibility, rather than a purely cognitive one centered on knowledge.
239:
Olson was long concerned with the implications of the advances in psychological theory for educational theory and practice an interest sponsored by Jerome Bruner's 1960 book, "The
Process of Education" Olson examined the implications of the so-called "cognitive revolution" of the 1960s, a revolution
188:
Under Bruner's sponsorship, Olson explored young children’s mental representations of space, particularly how children's language influenced their ability to reconstruct spatial patterns. He found that while children had no difficulty reconstructing horizontal and vertical patterns, they had great
222:
When he began his studies, psychology made little allowance for language, let alone writing, as a cognitive resource in the mental lives of persons. Language achieved its place in cognitive theory and cognitive development in the 1960s due in large part to the work of Noam
Chomsky, Roger Brown, and
218:
Psychologists had traditionally seen writing as a tool for making speech transportable through space and time, a simple cipher for representing speech. Consequently, learning to read and write was seen as acquiring a skill for translating sounds into written signs. The accepted pedagogy was that of
230:
His empirical studies of children before, during, and after becoming literate examined the hypothesis that learning to read is primarily a matter of becoming conscious of the very properties implicit in the practices of speaking — consciousness primarily of phonemes, words, and sentences, and the
248:
Curriculum designer and school reformer, Cynthia McCallister, has collaborated with Olson to integrate his theories of literacy and responsibility into a pedagogical program called
Learning Cultures, initially implemented in a number of schools in New York City. It incorporates a method of
201:
In the 1970s, Olson began a research program on children's understanding of language and meaning, advancing the claim that young children fail to make a distinction between what is "said" and what is "meant." This led to a program of research on children's awareness of language and their
123:
psychologist who has studied the development of language, literacy, and cognition, particularly the mental lives of children, their understanding of language and mind and the psychology of teaching. Olson is
University Professor Emeritus at the
175:
Olson moved to
Toronto in 1966 and has taught there ever since. He is recognized as a world authority on the psychological implications of literacy, a topic on which he has published widely and lectured around the world. He is cross-appointed to
231:
effects of this consciousness in their subsequent learning and thinking. He continues to work on the philosophy of literacy influenced by the work of philosopher Robert
Brandom in which literacy becomes one means for making knowledge explicit.
189:
difficulties with diagonals before they went to school. It seems that to succeed in conceptualizing a diagonal, it has to be reconceived in terms of relations between horizontal and vertical axes. This research led to his first book,
219:
repetition and training. Olson's work, along with that of Emilia
Ferreiro and others, has helped to shift the understanding of reading and writing acquisition from skills to be acquired into concepts to be understood.
249:
instruction called
Cooperative Unison Reading whereby a small group of students read a text together orally and assume responsibility to initiate discussion around questions or points of interest.
410:
Olson, D. R., Torrance, N., & Hildyard, A. (Eds.) (1985). Literacy, language and learning: The nature and consequences of reading and writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
589:
579:
206:, and Lynd Forguson, Olson conducted pioneering work on the origins of the concept of belief and intention that led to the publication of the 1988 volume
594:
574:
125:
227:. He vastly expanded the theory into the book ‘’The World on Paper: The Conceptual and Cognitive Implications of Writing and Reading" (CUP, 2004).
599:
530:
McCallister, C. (2011). Unison Reading: Socially Inclusive Group Instruction for Equity and Achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
272:
451:
156:. He returned to the University of Saskatchewan, where he graduated with a B.Ed. in 1960. He went on to earn a Ph.D. from the
569:
481:
Vygotsky, L. S. (1987). The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky. R.W. Rieber & A. S. Carton, eds. New York, NY: Plenum.)
584:
292:
Olson, D. R. (2016). The Mind on Paper: Reading, Consciousness and Rationality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
177:
148:, and was raised by his grandparents until the age of 6, as his mother had contracted tuberculosis. He attended the
149:
65:
543:
259:
351:
Brockmeier, J., Wang, M., & Olson, D. R. (Eds.). (2002). Literacy, narratives and culture. London: Curzon.
266:
424:
The 73rd Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
564:
157:
129:
120:
104:
90:
69:
289:
Olson, D. R. (2022). Making Sense: What It Means to Understand. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
559:
161:
153:
318:
Spatial cognition: The structure and development of the mental representation of spatial relations
169:
447:
377:
Handbook of education and human development: New models of learning, teaching and schooling
521:
Bruner, J. S. (1960). The process of education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
384:
Scripts and literacy: Reading and learning to read alphabets, syllabaries, and characters
553:
311:
The world on paper: The conceptual and cognitive implications of writing and reading.
203:
165:
152:
from 1953–55, obtained a teaching certificate; he then taught in a village school in
415:
The social foundations of language and thought: Essays in honor of Jerome S. Bruner
145:
46:
304:
Psychological theory and educational reform: How schools remake mind and society.
499:
Linell, P. (2005). The written language bias in linguistics. London: Routledge.
327:. New York: Academic Press. (Second edition: L. E. Erlbaum and Associates, 1996)
544:
https://archive.today/20140127000417/http://wordpress.oise.utoronto.ca/olsondav
86:
164:
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was worked as a fellow under the supervision of
141:
42:
94:
490:
Harris, R. (2009). Rationality and the literate mind. London: Routledge.
422:
Media and symbols: The forms of expression, communication and education.
346:
Culture, technology and history: Implications of the work of Jack Goody.
180:
and the University of Toronto. Olson is married and has five children.
396:
Astington, J. W., Harris, P. L., & Olson, D. R. (Eds.) (1988).
442:
Astington, Janet; Harris, Paul L.; Olson, David R., eds. (1988).
210:. See Astington, 2000 for an account of research in this period.
361:
Zelazo, P., Astington, J., & Olson, D. (Eds.). (1999).
325:
Cognitive development: The child's acquisition of diagonality
297:
Jerome Bruner: The cognitive revolution in educational theory
191:
Spatial Cognition: The Child's Acquisition of Diagonality.
510:
Articulating reasons: An introduction to inferentialism.
370:
Modes of thought: Explorations in culture and cognition
469:
Minds in the making: Essays in honor of David R. Olson
262:, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto.
403:van Holthoon, F., & D. R. Olson (Eds.) (1987).
389:Olson, D. R., & Torrance, N. G. (Eds.) (1991).
202:understanding of mind. Along with Janet Astington,
100:
82:
61:
53:
28:
21:
337:Olson, D. R. & Torrance, N. G. (Eds.) (2009).
375:Olson, D. R., & Torrance, N. (Eds.). (1996).
368:Olson, D. R., & Torrance, N. (Eds.). (1996).
354:Olson, D. R., & Torrance, N. (Eds.). (2001).
197:The "say-mean" distinction and the Theory of Mind
405:Common sense: The foundations for social science
382:Taylor, I., & Olson, D. R. (Eds.). (1995).
341:. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
8:
590:Academic staff of the University of Toronto
344:Olson, D. R. & Cole, M. (Eds.) (2006).
407:. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
316:Olson, D. R., & Bialystok, E. (1983).
126:Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
18:
512:Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
400:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
393:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
434:
372:. New York: Cambridge University Press.
580:Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
313:Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
306:Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
214:The cognitive implications of literacy
7:
244:Theoretical applications in practice
119:(born June 16, 1935) is a Canadian
273:Canadian Psychological Association
184:Cognitive developmental psychology
132:, where he has taught since 1966.
14:
595:University of Saskatchewan alumni
575:Cognitive development researchers
363:Developing theories of intention
356:The making of literate societies
172:'s Center for Cognitive Studies
467:Astington, Janet, ed. (2000).
446:. Cambridge University Press.
339:Cambridge Handbook of Literacy
160:in 1963. He worked briefly at
1:
600:University of Alberta alumni
444:Developing Theories of Mind
420:Olson, D. R. (Ed.) (1974).
413:Olson, D. R. (Ed.) (1980).
398:Developing theories of mind
208:Developing Theories of Mind
178:University College, Toronto
616:
225:Harvard Educational Review
150:University of Saskatchewan
66:University of Saskatchewan
320:. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
110:
75:
471:. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
365:. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
260:University of Gothenburg
299:. New York: Continuum.
267:Royal Society of Canada
121:cognitive developmental
570:Canadian psychologists
585:People from Saskatoon
358:. Oxford: Blackwell.
323:Olson, D. R. (1970).
309:Olson, D. R. (1994).
302:Olson, D. R. (2003).
295:Olson, D. R. (2007).
284:Written or co-written
158:University of Alberta
130:University of Toronto
105:University of Toronto
91:cognitive development
70:University of Alberta
16:Canadian psychologist
508:Brandom, R. (2000).
391:Literacy and orality
386:. Amsterdam: Kluwer.
379:. Oxford: Blackwell.
348:Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
332:Edited or co-edited.
162:Dalhousie University
154:Alsask, Saskatchewan
417:. New York: Norton.
258:Honorary degrees,
117:David Richard Olson
23:David Richard Olson
235:Educational theory
170:Harvard University
140:Olson was born in
114:
113:
77:Scientific career
607:
546:David Olson's CV
531:
528:
522:
519:
513:
506:
500:
497:
491:
488:
482:
479:
473:
472:
464:
458:
457:
439:
193:(Erlbaum, 1970)
39:
37:
19:
615:
614:
610:
609:
608:
606:
605:
604:
550:
549:
540:
535:
534:
529:
525:
520:
516:
507:
503:
498:
494:
489:
485:
480:
476:
466:
465:
461:
454:
441:
440:
436:
431:
281:
255:
246:
237:
216:
199:
186:
138:
62:Alma mater
49:
40:
35:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
613:
611:
603:
602:
597:
592:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
552:
551:
548:
547:
539:
538:External links
536:
533:
532:
523:
514:
501:
492:
483:
474:
459:
452:
433:
432:
430:
427:
426:
425:
418:
411:
408:
401:
394:
387:
380:
373:
366:
359:
352:
349:
342:
334:
333:
329:
328:
321:
314:
307:
300:
293:
290:
286:
285:
280:
277:
276:
275:
269:
263:
254:
251:
245:
242:
236:
233:
215:
212:
198:
195:
185:
182:
137:
134:
112:
111:
108:
107:
102:
98:
97:
84:
80:
79:
73:
72:
63:
59:
58:
55:
51:
50:
41:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
612:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
565:Living people
563:
561:
558:
557:
555:
545:
542:
541:
537:
527:
524:
518:
515:
511:
505:
502:
496:
493:
487:
484:
478:
475:
470:
463:
460:
455:
453:9780521354110
449:
445:
438:
435:
428:
423:
419:
416:
412:
409:
406:
402:
399:
395:
392:
388:
385:
381:
378:
374:
371:
367:
364:
360:
357:
353:
350:
347:
343:
340:
336:
335:
331:
330:
326:
322:
319:
315:
312:
308:
305:
301:
298:
294:
291:
288:
287:
283:
282:
278:
274:
270:
268:
264:
261:
257:
256:
252:
250:
243:
241:
234:
232:
228:
226:
220:
213:
211:
209:
205:
204:Alison Gopnik
196:
194:
192:
183:
181:
179:
173:
171:
167:
166:Jerome Bruner
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
135:
133:
131:
127:
122:
118:
109:
106:
103:
99:
96:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
31:
27:
20:
526:
517:
509:
504:
495:
486:
477:
468:
462:
443:
437:
421:
414:
404:
397:
390:
383:
376:
369:
362:
355:
345:
338:
324:
317:
310:
303:
296:
247:
238:
229:
224:
221:
217:
207:
200:
190:
187:
174:
146:Saskatchewan
139:
116:
115:
101:Institutions
76:
47:Saskatchewan
32:16 June 1935
560:1935 births
271:President,
253:Recognition
54:Nationality
554:Categories
429:References
87:Psychology
36:1935-06-16
142:Saskatoon
136:Biography
43:Saskatoon
265:Fellow,
95:literacy
57:Canadian
128:at the
34: (
450:
83:Fields
279:Books
168:, at
448:ISBN
29:Born
556::
144:,
93:,
89:,
68:;
45:,
456:.
38:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.