Who was of the opinion that reading ability can be developed by reading books in solitude with ease, interest and pleasure ?

Question

Accepted Answer

Option 4, "West," is the correct answer because Michael West was a prominent educationalist and linguist who advocated for the development of reading skills through extensive reading. West believed that reading ability could be enhanced by engaging with texts in a manner that is enjoyable and interesting to the reader. His approach emphasized the importance of reading for pleasure and understanding, rather than rote learning or mechanical reading exercises. West's theories were influential in the development of reading pedagogy, particularly in the context of teaching English as a second language.

1. **Explanation for Option 4 (West):**
   - Michael West is well-known for his work on the "New Method" of teaching English, which focused on reading as a central component of language learning. He argued that reading should be a pleasurable activity that encourages learners to engage with texts independently. This approach aligns with the idea of developing reading ability through solitary reading with ease, interest, and pleasure. West's emphasis on extensive reading and the use of graded readers supports the notion that reading in solitude can significantly enhance language proficiency.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**
   - **Option 1 (Menon and Palet):** Menon and Palet are not widely recognized figures in the field of reading pedagogy or language acquisition. There is no substantial evidence or well-documented theory attributed to them that aligns with the idea of developing reading skills through solitary reading with ease and pleasure.
   
   - **Option 2 (Robert Lado):** Robert Lado was a linguist known for his work in contrastive analysis and language testing. While he contributed significantly to the field of applied linguistics, his focus was not specifically on the development of reading skills through solitary reading. Lado's work primarily dealt with language structure and testing rather than reading pedagogy.
   
   - **Option 3 (Rajgopalan):** Rajgopalan is not a widely recognized authority in the specific context of reading pedagogy related to solitary reading for pleasure. There is no prominent theory or educational approach attributed to Rajgopalan that supports the idea of developing reading ability through reading books in solitude with ease and interest.

In conclusion, Option 4 (West) is the correct answer because Michael West's educational philosophy and methodologies strongly support the notion that reading ability can be developed through engaging with texts in a pleasurable and independent manner.