Reading Theories and Reading Comprehension: Maria Novary Ngabut

You might also like

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 12

READING THEORIES AND READING COMPREHENSION

Maria Novary Ngabut


Universitas Palangkaraya
mary.ngabut@gmail.com

Abstract: In this article several reading theories in their relations to reading


comprehension teachers and lecturers of English need to know are reviewed. At the
theory level, three other Models of Reading, namely Bottom-Up, Top-Down, and
Interactive are previously discussed to the Schema Theory. In reviewing the reading
comprehension, the history of reading instruction, types and purposes of reading,
and cognitive reading skills are discussed. Finally, it reviews six variables involved in
the comprehension of English texts.

Keywords: models of reading, schema theory, comprehension, background knowledge

This article is a review of reading theories The models can be placed in one of
and reading comprehension discussed in a the three categories: bottom-up, top-
wide range of books, journals, articles, and down, and interactive (Harris & Sipay,
the like. Here four main topics are 1984:6). A discussion of the three models
reviewed, namely (i) the nature of now follows.
reading, (ii) schema theory, (iii) reading
comprehension, and (iv) the variables Bottom-up Models
involved in comprehension. Bottom-up models ot the reading
process view reading as basically a
NATURE OF READING translating, decoding, or encoding process.
Reading is an extremely complex Here the reader starts with letters or larger
process that no one can explain units, and as he attends to them he begins
satisfactorily. Those who are interested in to anticipate the words they spell. When
reading have their fundamental diverse the words are identified, they are decoded
views which resul from two different to inner speech from which the reader
schools of psychology: behaviourism and derives meaning in the same way as
cognitivism. In relation to these, most listening. In this process reading
models of reading are partial in that they comprehension is believed to be an
are concerned with specific aspects (for automatic outcome of accurate word
example, perceptual or cognitive), stages recognition.
(beginning or skilled reading), or modes The followers of these models have
(oral or silent reading). They do not argued that reading is essentially the
attempt to account for all aspects of the translation of graphic symbols into an
reading process. There has been no single approximation of oral language. These
model that can be called the most models are influenced by behaviourist
acceptable. psychology and thus structural linguistics

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 25


in which they are mostly appropriate for least for skilled or advanced readers, top-
beginning readers. down and bottom-up processing in
reading seem to occur simultaneously.
Top-down Models Rumelhart believes that comprehension is
In top-down models of reading, the dependent on both graphic information
reader’s cognitive and language and the information in the reader’s mind.
competence plays a key role in the Comprehension, therefore, may be
construction of meaning from printed obstructed when a critical skill or a piece
materials. Most of these models of knowledge is missing. In a case such as
(Goodman, 1967; Smith, 1971) are based this, the skilled reader compensates by
on psycholinguistic theory, that is, the decoding a word, relying on context, or
theory in which there is an interaction both word and context.
between thought and language. Goodman In conjunction with these theories,
(1967) defines reading as a process which reading is defined as the meaningful
involves using available language cues interpretation of printed or written
that are selected from perceptual input on symbols, while comprehending is a result
the basis of reader’s predictions. As the of the interaction between the perception
information is processed, tentative of graphic symbols that represent
decisions about meaning are confirmed, language and the reader’s language skill,
rejected, or refined as the reading and his knowledge of the world. In this
progresses. Graphic information in the process the reader tries to create meanings
top-down models is used only to support that are intended by the writer (Harris &
or reject hypotheses about meaning. Sipay, 1984:8).
Meaning, in this case Therefore, the nature of reading
comprehension, according to these models task changes as the learners progress from
is obtained by using only as much less mature to more mature levels.
information as necessary from the graphic, Reading in this case is not one skill but a
syntactic, and semantic cue systems. Other large number of interrelated skills that
cues are based upon the reader’s linguistic develop gradually over a period of years.
competence. In contrast to reading as So, it is a complex process in which the
translation models, that is, the bottom-up recognition and comprehension of written
ones, top-down models theorists believed symbols are influenced by reader’s
that skilled readers go directly from print perceptual skills, decoding skills,
to meaning without first reading to speech experiences, language backgrounds, mind
(Harris & Sipay, 1984). sets, and reasoning abilities.
These models are influenced by This last model will be discussed
psycholinguists, and they are mostly further as this model has become the
appropriate for skilled readers at the level centre of interest for recent theories,
of advanced or more advanced. research, and practice in teaching reading.
The discussion will be covered in schema
Interactive Models theory.
Theoriests on interactive models
such as Rumelhart (1980) believe that, at

26 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015


SCHEMA THEORY text. Efficient comprehension, then
requires the ability to relate the textual
The notion of schema and related
materials to one’s own knowledge.
concepts results from the development of
Comprehending words, sentences, and
research in cognitive science where the
entire texts involves more than just relying
importance of background knowledge in
on one’s linguistic knowledge (Carrell &
language comprehension is found to exist.
Eisterhold, 1988:76).
Rumelhart (1980:34) points out that
The process of interpretation is
A schema theory is basically a theory
guided by the principle that every input is
about knowledge. It is a theory about
mapped against some existing schema
how knowledge is represented and about
and that all aspects of that schema must be
how that representation facilitates the
compatible with the input information.
use of knowledge in particular ways.
This principle results in two basic modes
According to schema theories, all
of information processing: bottom-up and
knowledge is packaged into units. These
top-down. Bottom-up processing is
units are the schemata. Embedded in
evoked by the incoming data, while the
these packages of knowledge is, in
features of data enter the system with the
addition to the knowledge itself,
best fitting, bottom-up schemata. In this
information about how this knowledge is
mode schemata are hierarchically
to be used. A schema, then, is a data
organised, starting from the most general
structure for representing the generic
at the top to the most specific at the
concepts stored in memory.
bottom. As these bottom-up schemata
converge into higher level ones, they
In relation to the definition above,
become activated. Therefore, bottom-up
McCormick & Pressley (1997:62-63) define
processing is called data-driven. Or in
schemata as generalised knowledge about
other words, the interpretation is from
objects, situation, and events. Activation
parts to whole.
of schema, according to them, can
Top-down processing, on the other
dramatically affect comprehension,
hand, occurs as the system makes general
inferences, attention allocation, and
predictions based on higher level, general
memory of what is read. The title of
schemata and then searches the input for
passage can also activate schemata.
information to fit into these partially
Related to reading, according to
satisfied, higher ordered schemata. Top-
schema theory, a text only provides
down processing is, therefore, called
directions for readers as to how they
conceptually-driven processing.The
should retrieve or construct meaning from
process starts from whole to parts
their own previously acquired knowledge.
(Rumelhart, 1980; Carrell & Eisterhold,
The previously acquired knowledge is
1988).
called the reader’s background
An important aspect of top-down
knowledge, and its structures are called
and bottom-up processing is that both
schemata (Rumelhart, 1980). Then, on the
should be occurring at all levels
basis of this theory, comprehending a text
simultaneously. The data needed to
is an interactive process between the
instantiate or fill out are available through
reader’s background knowledge and the

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 27


bottom-up processing, while top-down Rumelhart’s proposal of the interactive
processing facilitates their assimilation if processing, Lee & VanPatten (1995:190-2)
they are anticipated by or consistent with state that the model consists of several
the reader’s conceptual expectations. knowledge sources representing different
Bottom-up processing ensures that levels of linguistic representation (feature,
readers will be sensitive to information letter, letter cluster, lexical, and semantic
that is novel or that does not fit their on knowledges) as shown in Figure 1.
going hypotheses about the content or Interactive models of reading posit that
structure of the text, while top-down the components of the model, the
processing helps the readers to resolve knowledge sources, all act simultaneously
ambiguities or to select between and in parallel on the incoming input.
alternative possible interpretations of the Figure 1 shows that each
incoming data. Rumelhart (1980), knowledge source is connected to each of
furthermore, says that these two basic the others. Each can influence the others,
modes of information processing are used either singly or in combination, so that
as sources of activation for schemata. semantic knowledge can aid feature
Schema-theoretic processes as analysis or syntactic knowledge can aid
discussed above all led to new, interactive letter analysis. A very brief description of
models for reading. On the basis of the elements of the model is as follows:

letter cluster analysis

letter
analysis

semantic
knowledge

lexical
knowledge

feature
analysis
syntactic knowledge

Figure 1. An Interactive of Model of Reading (Lee & VaPatten, 1995:191)

Feature analysis refers to the act of analysis tells us that the letter th cluster in
recognising a loop in a letter and the English as in the and ar-thri-tis. Syntactic
direction of the loop (p), whereas letter knowledge identifies the order of words in
analysis is recognising that the loops make a language so as to make a person is able
a specific letter (p) versus d versus b). to know the difference between ‘Marko hit
Certain letters do and do not cluster in Yeti’ and ‘Yeti hit Marko’. This means that
particular languages, and the clusters the same words ordered in different ways
syllabify in particular way. Letter cluster can produce different meanings. So, it is

28 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015


our syntactic knowledge that identifies the from the printed page and (ii) non-visual
meaning in the order of the words. Lexical information, that is, the information that
knowledge concerns individual word comes from the brain of the reader. Visual
properties and meaning, so that the word information can be seen in a text or any
work is identified as different from word form of writing, while non-verbal
and fork, though the last two words are information is what the reader already
only different from the first in one knows about reading, about language,
phoneme. Lastly, semantic knowledge and about the world in general (Smith,
governs meaning at all levels (word, 1973:6). This means that being able to see
phrases, clauses, sentences, and sentences in front of our eyes is not
paragraphs). enough; we must know something of the
According to interactive models of language in which the material is written,
reading, comprehension is built up or about its subject matter, and about
constructed from knowledge sources reading itself.
which interact with each other on the In relation to reading
input from the written page. comprehension, four things are necessary
Comprehension, then, is the process of to be reviewed, namely, (i) history of
relating new or incoming information to reading instruction, (ii) types and
information which is already stored in the purposes of reading, (iii) cognitive reading
memory. Here, readers make connections skills, and (iv) variables involved in
between the new information on the comprehension.
printed page and their existing
knowledge. They must allow the new History of Reading Instruction
information to enter and become a part of Silberstein (1987:28-33) discusses
their knowledge store. reading instruction as reflected during the
In short schema theory as a twenty-five-year’s publication of the
learning theory that asserts language journal English Teaching Form (1962 –
comprehension involves an interactive 1987). She divides the reading instruction
process between the learner’s background into three periods of development: (i) a
knowledge and the text. In an interactive decade of questioning (1962 – 1973), (ii)
processing, the reader uses top-down reading and psycholinguistics (the 1970s),
processing when he relates what he and (iii) interactive reading (the 1980s).
already knows to the text being processed, During the first period, there aws a
and uses bottom-up processing when he substantial debate over the role of reading
relates the text being processed to what he instruction in language classrooms, that is,
already knows. on the utility of audiolingualism in which
the written texts were used as grist for an
READING COMPREHENSION oral mill. A major transformation in the
From the psycholinguistic point of conceptual model of reading had already
view, reading is not primarily a visual begun with the publication of Goodman’s
process. There are two kinds of (1967), article Reading: A Psycholinguistic
information involved in reading: (i) visual Guessing Game. During the 1970s, the
information, that is the one that comes impact of this view on second language

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 29


reading came to be seen, not only a a in selecting the fewest, most productive
vehicle for language instruction, but also cues necessary to produce guesses which
as a unique information-processing skill. are right the first time.
In the second period, In accordance with the
psycholinguists like Goodman refuted the psycholinguistic framework for reading,
view of reading as essentially a Silberstein (1987:31) is of the opinion that,
mechanical decoding of speech written initially, many psycholinguists assumed
down. Psycholinguists advocated a very that only advanced readers could benefit
different model of thinking in regard to from this approach to reading. Gradually,
reading. A modern psycholinguistic however, reading skills have appeared in
perspective on reading, according to them, beginning texts as well. It has become
is based on insights derived from evident that successful reading at all levels
contemporary linguistics and cognitive entails the cognitive processes delineated
psychology. From this perspective, above.
reading is viewed as a complex In the interactive reading period of
information-processing skill in which the the 1980s it emphasised that meaning is
reader is seen as an active planning, not fully present in a text waiting to be
decision-making individual who decoded. Rather, meaning is created
coordinates a number of skills and through the interaction of text and reader.
strategies to facilitate comprehension. In this model of reading, background
Goodman (1967) attacked previous knowledge which facilitates text
views of reading by stating: “Simply stated compehension has an important role to
the common sense notion I seek to refute here play. Here schema theory which has been
is this: Reading is a precise process. It involves discussed earlier comes into play.
exact, detailed, sequential perception and Interactive reading has come to refer to
identification of letters, words, spelling the interaction of top-down (conceptually-
patterns, and large language units”. He then driven) and bottom-up (data-driven)
advocated the following new paradigm of processing.
reading: This model suggests that no text
In place of this misconception, I offer this; can be considered generically difficult or
Reading is a selective process. It involves easy simply on the basis of linguistic
partial use of available minimal language features such as syntactic complexity or
cues selected from perceptual input on the word frequency. Texts become easier if
basis of reader’s expectation. As this they correspond to students’ prior
partial information is processed, tentative knowledge of language, rhetorical
decisions are made to be confirmed, conventions, and the world.
rejected, or refined as reading progresses. Reading activities developed
More simply stated, reading is a within an interactive framework have
psycholinguistic guessing game. It placed particular emphasis on teaching
involves an interaction between thought students to activate and use their
and language. Efficient reading does not background knowledge. This emphasis is
result from precise perception and realised in what is called prereading
identification of all elements, but from skill activities, that is, the activities undertaken

30 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015


in order to build and activate their It is expected that knowing the
background knowledge. This approach types and purposes of reading and then
seems to be more appropriate for applying the strategies will be very
developing students’ reading skills as well helpful for students to develop their
as their reading proficiency (Dennis, reading skills.
McKena, and Miller, 1989; Omaggio, 1986;
Clarke and Silberstein, 1979; Papalia, 1987; Cognitive Reading Skills
Carrell, 1987; McKay, 1987). Efficient reading depends first of all
on having a purpose for reading. In this
Types and Purposes of Reading case, the reader knows why he is reading
Types and purposes of reading a text. One possible way of establishing a
cannot be separated from comprehension. purpose of reading is by focussing the
Each type will determine what to achieve learner’s attention on a particular
during or after reading. In conjunction cognitive skill. Many lists of cognitive
with this Clarke and Silberstein (1979) skills have been suggested by those who
point out that classroom activities should are interested in reading instruction, but
parallel the real world as closely as they all include most of the following
possible. Language is a tool of (Greenwood, 1981: 89):
communication, so methods and materials 1. to anticipate both the form and the
should concentrate on the message, not on content;
the medium. Then, the purposes of 2. to identify the main idea (s);
reading should be the same in class as 3. to recognise and recall specific
they are in real life. details;
In general there are four types of 4. to recognise the relationship
reading, and thus four purposes of between the main idea(s) and its
reading (Clarke and Siberstein, 1979; (their) expansion (example, lists,
Greenwood, 1981; Grellet, 1987), although etc.);
the writers have slightly diverse 5. to follow a sequence, such as
terminologies. They are (1) skimming (in events, illustration, stages of
order to obtain the general idea of the arguments;
author), (2) scanning (in order to obtain 6. to infer from the text (to read
specific fact or piece of information), (3) between the lines);
intensive or thorough reading (in order to 7. to draw conclusions; and
obtain a comprehensive understanding of 8. to recognise the writer’s purpose
a reading text, in this case, reading for and attitude.
detail), and (4) critical reading (in order to In relation to the above reading
evaluate information to determine where skills, Brown in Mueller & Tiffany (n.d.)
it fits into one’s own system of beliefs). has compiled a taxonomy of reading
These types of reading can also be called microskills. The taxonomy provides an
reading strategies for obtaining necessary overview of the skill processes learners
information and for determining the must learn to perform as they become
proper approaches for a reading task. efficient readers. The following are the
taxonomy of reading microskills:

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 31


1. Discriminate among the distinctive 14. Develop and use battery of reading
graphemes and orthographic strategies, such as scanning and
patterns of English. skimming, detecting discourse
2. Retain chunks of language of markers, guessing the meaning of
different lengths in short-term words from context, and activating
memory. schemata for interpretation of texts.
3. Process writing at an efficient rate Furthermore, it is suggested in the
of speed to suit the purpose. lists that reading comprehension abilities
4. Recognise a core of words, and be closely related to writing abilities,
interpret word order patterns and especially when they involve
their significance. comprehending the organisation of the
5. Recognise grammatical word text. In this case, the two primary
classes, verbs, etc), systems, (e.g. language skills are mutually reinforcing.
tense agreement, pluralisation),
rules and elliptical forms. THE VARIABLES INVOLVED IN
6. Recognise that a particular meaning COMPREHENSION
may be expressed in different Shrum & Glisan (1994:114-116)
grammatical forms. review some research findings on the
7. Recognise cohesive devices in variables involved in comprehension.
written discourse and their role in According to them, there are six variables
signalling the relationship that affect comprehension, both oral and
between and among clauses. written. The first variable is the
8. Recognise the rhetoritical forms of importance of context and background
written discourse and their knowledge in understanding input. The
significance for interpretation. degree to which the reader is able to
9. Recognise the communicative merge input with previously acquired
functions of written texts, according knowledge structures or schemata,
to form and purposes. determines how successful he or she will
10. Infer context that is not explicit by be in comprehending. This linking of new
using background knowledge. and existing knowledge helps the reader
11. From events, ideas, etc., described, make sense of the text more quickly.
infer links and connections between The second variable is the degree to
events, deduce causes and effects, which the reader uses strategies such as
and detect such relations as main guessing in context. Prediction of
idea, supporting idea, new fortcoming input is one characteristic of
information, generalisation, and native readers’ processing. Many studies
examplification. support the claim that learners who
12. Distinguish between literal and interact with text through strategies such
implied meanings. as predicting, skimming, scanning, and
13. Detect culturally specific references using background knowledge
and interpret them in a context of comprehend much better than those who
the appropriate cultural schemata. fail to use these strategies.

32 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015


The third variable is the purpose comprehension. Other factors such as the
for reading or the nature of the task. The quality of the text itself in terms of factual
type of task determines the kind os consistency and coherence, as well as the
strategy required. Two kinds of reading background knowledge and motivation of
strategies , extensive and intensive, learners, may be more important
involve different objectives and skills. considerations for teachers when selecting
Extensive reading, usually reading for texts.
pleasure, requires the ability to The sixth variable in
understand main ideas, find specific comprehension is the treatment of new
information, and read quickly. Intensive vocabulary. It is acknowledged that the
reading, on the other hand, most often as use of vocabulary lists with definitions
reading for information, requires the does little to help the reader build
ability to read for details, understanding vocabulary or comprehend more
implication, and follow relationships of effectively while reading. It will be more
thought throughout the text. effective if new words are presented in
The fourth variable relates to the their thematic and discourse relationship
length of text presented for to the text than in their dictionary
comprehension. At he beginning level, definitions. As an alternative, the teacher
students are typically given shorter, uses pre- and post-reading discussion in
edited texts to read. Students who process order to link text information to reader
shorter texts are more likely to use word- background knowledge.
for-word processing strategies since the Therefore, in order to comprehend
demands on memory permit greater written texts well, the instructor should
attention to detail. Some evidence take into consideration the following
suggests that larger texts may be easier for variables: (1) background knowledge of
students to comprehend because they are the student, (2) strategies that students use
more cohesive and interesting to students, in the comprehension task, (3) purpose of
although the texts require more top-down reading or the nature of the task, (4)
processing. length of the text, (5) type of text, and (6)
The fifth variable in the treatment of new vocabulary.
comprehension process is related to the
type of written text presented. CONCLUSION
Traditionally, the difficulty of texts has
In the discussion the nature of
been judged on the basis of the simplicity
reading, schema theory, reading
of grammatical structures and the
comprehension, and the variables
familiarity of the vocabulary. This may be
involved in reading comprehension has
due to the fact that comprehension is
been reviewed. In discussing the nature of
tested on the basis of grammar and
reading, the three models of reading
vocabulary recognition rather than on the
namely Bottom-Up, Top-Down, and
interaction with the text’s message. But
Interactive explained briefly. Then, The
empirical studies revealed that exposure
Schema Theory reinforces what has been
to texts with unfamiliar grammar and
discussed in The Nature of Reading
vocabulary does not significantly affect
Section.

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 33


In reviewing reading reading or the nature of the task, (4) the
comprehension, three points have been length of text presented for
discussed: The History of Reading comprehension, (5) the type of written text
Instruction, Types and Purposes of presented, and (6) how to treat the
Reading, and Cognitive Reading Skills. vocabulary.
Finally, the variables in comprehension The writer hopes this article would
consists of (1) the importance of context help those involved in the teaching of
and background knowledge in reading comprehension to widen the
understanding input, (2) the degree to knowledge and understanding of as well
which the reader uses strategies in as developing reading materials.
understanding the text, (3) the purpose for

REFERENCES Greenwood, J. (1981). Comprehension and


Carrel, P.L. & Eisterhold, J.C. (1988). Reading. In Gerry Abbot, et al.
Schema theory and ESL Reading (eds.) The Reading of English as an
Pedagogy. In Patricia L. Carrel, et International Language: A Practical
al. (Eds.). Interactive Approaches to Guide. pp. 35-47. Glasgow: William
Language Reading. Cambridge: Collins Sons and Co. Ltd.
Cambridge University Press. Grellet, F. (1987) Developing Reading Skills.
Carrel, P.L. (1987). A View of Written Text Cambridge: Cambridge University
as a Communicative Interaction: Press.
Implications for Reading in a Harris, A. J. & Sipay, E. R. (1984). How to
Second Language. In Joanne Increase Reading Ability. Seventh
Devine, et al. (Eds.). Research in Edition. New York: Longman
Reading in English as a Second Lee, J.F. & vanPatten, B. (1995). Making
Language. Cambridge: Cambridge Communicative Language Teaching
University Press. Happen. New York: McGraw-Hill,
Clarke, M.A. & Silberstein, S. (1979). Inc.
Toward a Realization of Mueller, A.M. & Tiffany, D.A. (n.d.).
Psycholinguistics Principles in the English as a Second Language,
ESL Reading Class. In Ronald Secondary Scope and Sequence (9-
Mackay, et al. (eds.). Reading In a 12). Iowa City: Iowa Community
Second Language. Rowley, School District.
Massachusetts: Newbury House Omaggio, A.C. (1986). Teaching Language
Publisher, Inc. in Context: Proficiency-Oriented
Denies, L., McKenna, M.C. & Miller, J.W. Instruction. Boston, Massachusetts:
(1989). Project READ:s: Effective Heinle & Heinle Publisher, Inc.
Design for Content Area Reading. Papalia, A. (1987). Interaction of reader
Journal of Reading, 22(6). and text. In Wilga M. Rivers. (Ed.).
Goodman, K.H. (1967). Reading: A Interactive Language Teaching.
Psycholinguistic Guessing Game. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Journal of the Reading Specialist, 6, Press.
126-35.

34 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015


Rumelhart, D.E. (1980). Schemata: The Smith, F. (1971). Understanding Reading: A
Building Blocks of Cognition. In Psycholinguistic Analysis of Reading
Rand J. Spiro, et al.(eds.) Theoretical and Learning to Read. New York:
Issues in Reading Comprehension. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Smith, F. (1973). Psycholinguistics and
Associates, Publishers. Reading. New York: Holt, Rinehart
Silberstein, S. (1987). Let’s Take Another and Winston, Inc.
Aother Look at Reading: Twenty-
Five Years of Reading Instruction.
English Teaching Form, 26(4), 28-35.

Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015 | 35


36 | Journal on English as a Foreign Language, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2015

You might also like