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Reading As Comprehension

The passage discusses how schema theory explains how readers understand text by using their prior knowledge. It provides examples of different types of schema or prior knowledge that help with comprehension, including script knowledge, knowledge about language, and knowledge of text structure.

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315 views

Reading As Comprehension

The passage discusses how schema theory explains how readers understand text by using their prior knowledge. It provides examples of different types of schema or prior knowledge that help with comprehension, including script knowledge, knowledge about language, and knowledge of text structure.

Uploaded by

Anonymous 2468
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reading as

Comprehension

A newspaper is better than a magazine and on


seashore is better than a street. At first it is better to
run than walk. Also you may have to try several
times. It takes some skill but it is easy to learn. Even
young children can enjoy it. Once successful,
complications are minimal. Birds seldom get too
close. One needs a lot of room. Rain soaks in very
fast. Too many people doing the same thing can also

cause problems. If there are no complications, it can


be very peaceful. A rock will serve as an anchor. If
things break loose from it, however, you will not get a
second chance.

(Bradford & Johnson, in Aulls, 1982)

The Schema Theory: How People


Learn
A Schema Theory is a theory about
how knowledge is represented and about how
that representation facilitates the use of the
knowledge in particular ways.
It helps us to better understand how new learning is
integrated with the knowledge an individual already
possesses.

Schemata: The building blocks of


knowledge

Schemata units of knowledge.


A schema is defined as the building block of
cognition or knowledge.

Features of Schemata
Hittleman (1988) enumerates five features of schemata.

Variables form the structure of schemata.


Schemata can be embedded, or nestled, one within
the other.
Schemata represent levels of abstraction.
Schemata represent broad aspects of knowledge, not
just definitions.
Schemata are active processes.

Assimilation and
Accomodation

When values are added to existing variables, the


process is called assimilation.
When a new schema or concept is developed, or
when an existing schema is changed, the process
is called accommodation.
Piaget calls the balance between the two processes
equilibrium or equilibration.

Rubin (1982) says that children proceed from more


global (generalized) schemata to more particular ones.

ANIMA
L
Pets
parrot

Zoo animals
cat

lion

alligator

turtle
goldfish

peacock

Rubin (1982) says that children proceed from more


global (generalized) schemata to more particular ones.
peacock

turtle

parrot

Birds

Amphibians
ANIMALS

Fish
goldfish

Mammals
cat

Anthropods

Reptiles
lion

alligator

The Schema Theory and


Reading

The concept of schema is important to interactive


definition of reading. Schema theory postulates that a
spoken or written text does not in itself carry meaning.
Instead, meaning is created by using previously
acquired knowledge (schemata). The theory specifies
how prior knowledge (in the readers memory) interacts
with and shapes incoming information (from the text)
and how this knowledge must be organized to support
this interaction. (Anderson & Pearson, 1984)

Types of Schemata used in Reading


1. Script knowledge
refers to mundane everyday information stored in
memory. It is derived from repeated experiences
with people, places, events, and situations in dayto-day living. (Aulls, 1982)

2. Knowledge about language


graphophonic information
syntactic information
semantic information
pragmatics

3. Knowledge of text structure


Refers to the aspects of texts that signal how the
content is related

Text cohesion
General text structures of different types of text

There is a cohesion in a text when the interpretation


of some element in it is dependent on the
interpretation of another
Helen felt something rub against her leg. She
reached down and felt soft fur. The furry thing
had a thumping heart and seemed to vibrate as
Helen stroked it. It was Polly.

Helen felt something rub against her leg. She reached


down and felt soft fur. The furry thing had a thumping
heart and seemed to vibrate as Helen stroked it. It was
Polly.
To whom does her refer in the sentence 1? To whom does
she refer in sentence 2? To whom does the furry thing in
sentence 3 refer? In sentence 4, to whom does it refer to?

Reader
Types of Prior knowledge
1. Script knowledge
Knowledge and beliefs about
world derived from repeated
experiences with people, places,
events, situations in day-to-day
living.
2. Knowledge about language
* graphophonic
* syntactic
* semantic
* pragmatics
3. Knowledge of text structure
* text cohesion
* general text structures of
different types of text.

C
TEXT
O
MText Schemata
PContent information
R * subject matter/concepts
E * themes
H
ELinguistic features
N * spelling patterns/written
Sconventions
I * language structure
O * vocabulary; word meanings
N * language functions (content in
which language is used)
Cohesive devices and general text
structures
* story grammar (narratives)
* top-level structure (exposition)

The Kingdom of Kay Oss


Once in a land of Serenity there ruled a king called
Kay Oss. The king wanted to be liked by all his
people.
So onx day thx bxnxvolxnt dxspot dxcidxd that no
onx in thx country would bx rxponsiblx for anything.
Zll of thx workxrs rxstxd from thxir dzily lzbors.
Blxss Kzy Oss, thxy xxclzimxd.

The Kingdom of Kay Oss


Now, thx lzw mzkxrs wxrx vxry wvsx. But zs wvsx
zs thxy wxrw, thxy dxcvddxd thzt thx bxst form of
govxrnmxnt wzs nonx zt zll.
Zs tvmx wxnt on, thx kvngdqm qf Kzy Qss bxgzn tq
splvt zt thx sxzm znd vt lqqkxd lvkx thvs: Bcx
dqufghj klzm nqxp qqt rqst vqxwxxz bqxc dqf ghzj
kqlxmnxp.
(Vacca & Vacca, 1986)

What is the passage about?

What kind of information (prior knowledge or


textual) did you use to be able to understand the
passage? Mention at least three.

1.

2.

The passage is about a kingdom that became very


chaotic and disorderly because nobody worked
and took responsibility for anything.
Comprehension of the passage is possible
because the reader uses the following types of
information:

Graphophonic information
at first, the reader might be slowed down by the substitution
of vowel letters (x=e; z=a; v=I; and q=o) but once he
catches on the trick, he reads faster.
Syntactic information
the reader does not have to look closely at each word
because familiar phrases could readily be predicted, e.g.,
as time __ __ (went on), as wise as __ __ (they were)

Semantic information
knowledge of figurative language, e.g. split at the seams
and puns, e.g, Kay Oss for chaos aids the reader in
arriving at the main idea of the paragraph.
Knowledge of text structure
the passage has the structure of a fable. If the reader
realizes this, then he would be more likely to infer that the
last part is a kind of clincher and is used by the author to
demonstrate the chaotic nature of things. Therefore, the
reader will not try to decode this part.

Schemata and How We Understand


Text
Rocky slowly got up from the mat, planning his
escape. He hesitated a moment and thought.
Things were not going well. What bothered him
most was being held, especially since the charges
against him had been weak. He considered his
present situation. The lock that held him was strong
but he thought he could break it. He knew however,
that his timing would have to be perfect. Rocky was

aware that it was because of his early roughness


that he had been penalized so severelymuch too
severely from his point of view. The situation was
becoming frustrating; the pressure had been
grinding him for too long. He was being ridden
unmercifully. Rocky was getting angry now. He felt
that he was ready to make his move. He knew that
his success or failure would depend on what he did
the next few seconds.
(Anderson, 1977, in Vacca & Vacca, 1986)

Excellent interpretation

1.

A convict planning to escape from prison


2. A wrestling match

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