“Learning to fasten the seat of my union suit without looking around”: The synchrony of literacy development

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee, 1960), Scout likens learning to read to learning to fasten the seat of my union suit without looking around. In both cases, new movements are acquired slowly and deliberately until, with practice, the movements become automatic. Particular qualities emerge with proficiency; both the planning and execution happen easily, and usually without conscious reflection. This article is about the development of reading fluency and