The cognitive clarity theory focuses on the learning-to-read process rather than on the reading process of the mature reader. The cognitive clarity theory already seems to show some power in explaining some puzzling findings in reading research. Some examples of these paradoxes are: earlier letter-name knowledge is highly correlated with later reading achievement yet teaching letter-names does not help children learn to read; some children with reading disabilities are superior to normal readers in visual discrimination; learning to read two languages is easier than learning to read only one; and it is easier to learn to read in two writing systems than in only one. Reading and learning to read must employ processes already available for more general functioning. Thus, learning to read is the application of general cognitive abilities to this task. (WR)