ABSTRACTIn the last decade a shift in view of the reading process, from basically an‘analytic’to a‘constructivist‐psycholinguistic’view, has become apparent. The basis of this shift is analysed. The question of whether the process of learning‐to‐read, i.e. the transition from initial reading to fluent reading, can be understood in the same light is raised. It is argued that although the process of learning‐to‐read can be viewed essentially as a constructive process, developmental constraints require a modified view of the róle of constituent processing strategies. Implications of this modified view are suggested for the evaluation and t