Elementary Reading
Elementary reading is the first level of reading: the level at which a person learns what the words on the page literally say. It includes decoding, vocabulary, grammar, and the basic ability to follow sentences without constant breakdown.
Adler does not dismiss this level. He insists that it is contained in every higher level. But he does demote it from being the whole story. Many educational systems act as if reading ends once a person can move through text fluently enough. His point is that this only qualifies someone to begin more serious reading.
The democratic importance of elementary reading is obvious: without it, higher education and self-education never open at all. But the book's deeper point is that elementary reading should not be mistaken for mature reading. A person can be fully literate at this level and still be weak at understanding difficult books.