Literacy Processes Dr. Linda Wedwick & Dr. Darci J. Harland

Underlying Principles Reading is a language process in a written language system ReceptiveExpressive ListeningSpeaking ReadingWriting

Constructive, Interactive Model

Schema Theory Schema theory helps to explain how a reader’s background knowledge and experiences contribute to his/her understanding of what is read. A schema is a generalized mental model which is used to organize memory, to focus attention, to interpret experience, and to codify actions. Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:.

How Schema affects meaning Schema arise in response to situations (e.g., the schema for starting your car comes to mind when you insert the key). Schema shape perceptions (in the dark it is easy to mistake a bush for a bear). Schema provide context and vocabulary for interpreting what we read. (A student moving from writing class to typography class shifts the interpretation of the word "lead" from "opening paragraph" to "spacing between lines of type.“) Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:.

Constructing Meaning Each reader brings a unique set of schema to a text, which means no two readers will construct the exact same meaning from what is read. This does not mean that there are no shared meanings. However, shared meaning constitutes a smaller percentage than individual meaning.

Comprehension/Context "A reader comprehends a message when he/she is able to bring to mind a schema that gives a good account of the objects and events described in the message." In some cases, this use of "schema" is what we commonly refer to as "context." Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:.

Context To understand even simple words (charge, fast, strike, roll), you must first know which schema to instantiate them into (i.e., what content to interpret them in). For example, contrast the meaning of "check" in the schemas for "eating out," "paying bills," "making a list," and "playing chess." Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:.

The Interaction Language Cueing Systems Graphophonics Syntactic Semantic Pragmatics Reading Strategies Initiate, sample, and select Predict and infer Confirm, disconfirm, and correct Integrate Terminating

Reading Strategies In their transaction with authors of varied texts on varied subjects, readers of all ages use the same reading strategies: Initiate, sample Predict Confirm, disconfirm, and correct Integrate Terminate

Initiating and Sampling Instead of focusing on individual graphic items such as letters and words, readers sample and select. The first one or two letters are typically the most important graphic cues for readers. Within context, beginning letters, then final letters and word length, often provide readers with enough information to predict the word.

Predicting As readers sample and select information, they also predict and infer on the basis of knowledge they already have and information they select from the text. It is not clear where one strategy ends and the other begins or if they occur simultaneously.

Confirm, Disconfirm, and Correct If the prediction is appropriate, readers confirm their predictions and continue to read. If readers’ predictions are not confirmed by the subsequent text, they disconfirm and pursue a variety of options to create meaningful text.

Integrate The integration of the reader’s existing knowledge with information provided by the author in the written text results in the construction of meaning, the goal of reading.

What readers need First & last letters are most important Consonants are more important than vowels Words are easier to remember than letters only Phrases are easier to remember than words Sentences are easier to remember than words/phrases

The Reading Process Readers use several language systems, reading strategies, and schema to construct knowledge when they read. Proficient readers employ these systems automatically. Struggling readers lack schema and/or are not employing one or more of the language systems and reading strategies.

Underlying Principles Readers come to this language process with Knowledge of how language works Knowledge of how texts works Knowledge of how the world works The same knowledge of language and reading which readers use to read accurately also causes them to make miscues

Miscues not Errors A reader’s observed response (OR) does not match the expected response (ER). Reading is cued by a reader’s language and personal experience. Miscuing is not simply random, uncontrolled behavior. Every reader miscues. Emphasis is on the quality of the miscue and with the strategies readers use.

References Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:. Kucer, S. (2005). Dimensions of Literacy. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Grow, Gerald O. (1996). "Serving the Strategic Reader: Reader Response Theory and Its Implications for the Teaching of Writing," an expanded version of a paper presented to the Qualitative Division of the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication. Atlanta, August, Available on-line at:.