THE INFLUENCE OF SCHEMA THEORY ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE READING COMPREHENSION

Abstract

The process of reading comprehension is to select schemata and variables to explain input information. Schema, a data structure to illustrate the general ideas stored in memory, plays an important role in editing and planning for retrieval. Schema selection is a process of inference, which quickens reading comprehension. Since schema difference is one of the factors in the failure of reading comprehension, the teaching of language and sociocultural background should be equally strengthened to guide the students to construct schemata helping them assimilate, extract and consolidate knowledge. It is the essential task of teaching reading to enable students to move quickly from lower schemata to higher ones.