Rempillo, Ma. Katrina F.

SpEd 2C

Assignment # 10 (Reading Models)

Prof. Marites D.Tagulao

READING MODEL
Introduction
In the last 40 years reading researchers have been studying the link between the
reading process (what goes on in the brain) and how to teach reading. Depending
on their interpretation of the reading process, they have developed a model of
reading.
Definition
A reading model is a graphic attempt to depict how an individual perceives a word,
processes a clause,and comprehends a text. (Singer and Ruddell 1985)
Kinds
Here are some kinds of reading models. Although there are many models of reading,
researchers tend to classify them into three kinds.
TOP-DOWN
Introduction
Top-down reading models suggest that processing of a text begins in the mind of the
readers with: *meaning-driven processes, or*an assumption about the meaning of a
text. From this perspective, readers identify letters and words only to confirm their
assumptions about the meaning of the text. (Dechant 1991)
Proponents
Here are some proponents of the top-down reading model: Goodman, K. 1985 Smith, F.
1994
The proponents generally agree that comprehension is the basis for decoding skills, not
a singular result, and meaning is brought to print, not derived from print.
A top-down reading model is a reading model that:
1.
2.
3.
4.

emphasizes what the reader brings to the text

says reading is driven by meaning,
Proceeds from whole to part.
Also known as:*inside-out model*concept-driven model*whole to part model

Here are the views of some researchers about the top-down reading model
Frank Smith, a journalist turned reading researcher:
1. Reading is not decoding written language to spoken language.

2. Reading does not involve the processing of each letter andeach word.
3. Reading is a matter of bringing meaning to print, not extracting meaning from
print. (McCormick, T. 1988)
Kenneth S. Goodman, reading specialist at the University ofArizona:...the goal of
reading is constructing meaning in response to text. It requires interactive use of
grapho-phonic, syntactic, and semantic cues to construct meaning.
(Goodman, K. 1981).* Although Goodman is often referred to as a leading advocate of
the top-down approach, his model by his own admission is Interactive, ...it is one which
uses print as input and has meaning as output. But the reader provides input too, and
the reader, interacting with text, is selective in using just as little of the cues from text as
necessary to construct meaning. (Goodman, K. 1981)
A widely accepted educational philosophy that utilizes a top-down approach to reading
is called whole language.
Features
Here are some features of a top-down approach to reading (Gove 1983):
1. Readers can comprehend a selection even though they do not recognize each
word.
2. Readers should use meaning and grammatical cues to identify unrecognized
words.
3. Reading for meaning is the primary objective of reading rather than mastery of
letters, letter/sound relationships, and words.
4. Reading requires the use of meaning activities rather than the mastery of a
series of word-recognition skills.
5. The primary focus of instruction should be the reading of sentences, paragraphs,
and whole selections.
6. The most important aspect about reading is the amount and kind of information
gained through reading.
BOTTOM-UP
Introduction
-A bottom-up reading model emphasizes a single-direction, part-to-whole processing of
a text.direction, part-to-whole processing of a text.In the beginning stages
it gives little emphasis to the beginning stages. it gives little emphasis to the influences
of the readers world knowledge, influences of the readers world knowledge, contextual
contextual information, and other higher-order processing information, and other higherorder processing strategies. (Dechant 1991)

Definition
A bottom-up reading model is a reading model that
1. emphasizes the written or printed text
2. says reading is driven by a process that results in meaning (or, in other words,
reading is driven bytext), proceeds from part to whole.
3. Also known as:*part to whole model
Proponents
Here are some proponents of the bottom-up readingmodel:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Flesch 1955
Gough 1985
LaBerge
Samuels 1985

Discussion
Emerald Dechant: Bottom-up models operate ont he principle that the written text is
hierarchically organized (i.e., on the grapho-phonic, phonemic, syllabic,morphemic,
word, and sentence levels) and that the reader first processes the smallest linguistic
unit, gradually compiling the smaller units to decipher and comprehend the higher units
(e.g., sentence syntax). (Dechant 1991)
Charles Fries: The reader must learn to transfer from the auditory signs for language
signals.to a set of visual signs for the same signals. (Fries 1962)
The reader must learn to automatically respond to the visual patterns. The cumulative
comprehension of the meanings signaled then enable the reader to supply those
portions of the signals which are not in the graphic representations themselves. (Fries
1962)
Learning to read...means developing a considerable range of habitual responses to a
specific set of patterns of graphic shapes. (Fries 1962)
A widely accepted instructional program that incorporates several bottom-up principles
is the phonic approach to reading.
Features
Here are some features of a bottom-up approach to reading:
Bottom-up advocates believe the reader needs to
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

identify letter features.

link these features to recognize letters.
combine letters to recognize spelling patterns
link spelling patterns to recognize words,
proceed to sentence, paragraph and text-level processing.

INTERACTIVE
Introduction
An interactive reading model attempts to combine the valid insights of bottom-up and
top-down models. It attempts to take into account the strong points of the bottom-up and
top-down models, and tries to avoid the criticisms leveled against each, making it one of
the most promising approaches to the theory of reading today. (McCormick, T. 1988)
Definition
An interactive reading model is a reading model that recognizes the interaction of
bottom-up and top-down processes simultaneously throughout the reading process.
Proponents
Here are some proponents of the interactive reading model:
1. Rumelhart, D. 1985
2. Barr, Sadow, and Blachowicz 1990
3. Ruddell and Speaker 1985
Discussion
Here are the views of some researchers about the interactive reading model:
Emerald Dechant:The interactive model suggests that the reader constructs meaning by
the selective use of information from all sources of meaning (graphemic, phonemic,
morphemic, syntax,semantics) without adherence to any one set order. The reader
simultaneously uses all levels of processing even though one source of meaning can be
primary at a given time. (Dechant 1991)
Kenneth Goodman:An interactive model is one which uses print as input and has
meaning as output. But the reader provides input, too, and the reader, interacting with
the text, is selective in using justas little of the cues from text as necessary to construct
meaning. (Goodman, K. 1981)
David E. Rumelhart: Reading is at once a perceptual and a cognitive process. It is a
process which bridges and blurs these two traditional distinctions. Moreover, a skilled
reader must be able to make use of sensory, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic
information to accomplish the task. These various sources of information appear to
interact in many complex ways during the process of reading (Rumelhart, D. 1985).

SCHEMA THEORY

Linguists, cognitive psychologists, and psycholinguists have used the concept of

schema (plural: schemata) to understand the interaction of key factors affecting the
comprehension process. Simply put, schema theory states that all knowledge is
organized into units. Within these units of knowledge, or schemata, is stored
information.
A schema, then, is a generalized description or a conceptual system for understanding
knowledge-how knowledge is represented and how it is used.
Schemas clearly affect our recall of events. Schemas also affect our ability to learn
things.
According to this theory, schemata represent knowledge about concepts: objects and
the relationships they have with other objects, situations, events, sequences of events,
actions, and sequences of actions.
The importance of schema theory to reading comprehension also lies in how the reader
uses schemata. This issue has not yet been resolved by research, although
investigators agree that some mechanism activates just those schemata most relevant
to the readers task.