CHANGES

Ground more on literature the ideas in the abstract and description.

Do workshop rather than a lecture

Write how international and national research is integrated in the presentation, because right now
it looks too theoretical

Some rhetorical elements giving importance to the community and the implications in it would
have provided more strength to the proposal.

Workshop (45 minutes): Sessions in which presenters demonstrate and provide practical elements
for language teaching and evaluation. Although the presentation of a solid theoretical background
is expected, most of the session should be devoted to interaction, participation and practice.
Presenters are expected to provide hand-outs to the audience.

Title: Valuing our roots: using culturally relevant texts to promote English reading
comprehension.

Abstract:

Framed through the lenses of Schema Theory and Culturally relevant

pedagogy, English as a Foreign Language readers bring to their reading
comprehension process more than their knowledge in the language, but also
their life experiences, relevant prior knowledge, opinions and feelings in
order to build meaning with the text and achieve comprehension (Eskey, in
Hinkel, 2005) In this regard, an alternative approach to the teaching of
reading comprehension to Colombian students could work with what is
culturally relevant and familiar to Colombian students as a way to facilitate
comprehension, help them achieve more academically, create better
attitudes towards reading as well as involve students in issues that matter to
them and develop their critical literacy skills (Ladson-Billings, 1994)

Description:

Reading Comprehension in English as a foreign language has become an increasing concern for
educational and government institutions in Colombia as part of their goal of becoming a bilingual
country. Mastering this skill will allow, students to become proficient in the target language, to
communicate globally, to have access to innumerable resources and to become more critical.
Despite numerous attempts, Colombian students are yet not proficient in reading comprehension
by the end of High School or University, a fact that can be observed through classroom, national
and international measurements.
Since Reading Comprehension is a complex process involving the interaction between the reader
and the text (Rumelhart, 1977; Omaggio, 1986; Bachman & Palmer 1996), the reasons behind the
failure of students are also diverse concerning more than the information on the text but also the
reader’s characteristics. This presentation will observe Reading Comprehension from the lens of
Cognitive Psychology, and more specifically, framed from the perspective of Schemata Theory and
a socio-cultural point of view through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Schemata Theory explains
that our brain structures knowledge as schemata or “organized units of knowledge for a subject or
event based on experience and is accessed to guide current understanding or action” (Pankin,
2013). According to Shuying, A (2013) there are different kinds of schemata. The first is a linguistic
Schemata or knowledge of the language. The second is a formal Schemata which involves the
knowledge of the textual structures and format. The final one is Content Schemata referring to the
knowledge of the subject, field and culture embedded in the text. Lacking any of the three types,
can affect the overall comprehension of the text (Carrell & Eisterhold, 1988). This theory therefore
argues the idea that the meaning of a text is not constructed with just the text but rather with
interaction between the text and whatever schemata the reader has. In the same line, Ladson-
Billings’ (1995-present) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy highlights the importance of including the
students’ cultures in the school’s culture as a means to achieve more academically, empower
students, and develop their identities and critical minds.
Much of the Colombian curricula for the teaching of English already teaches students and readers
of English both the linguistic and formal knowledge but neglects the role of addressing and
utilizing student’s prior knowledge and cultural context in teaching. Given the fact that texts more
familiar to the reader are better recalled and comprehended (Johnson, 2016), it can be assumed
that the exclusion of such considerations of Content Schemata from the curriculum would have a
substantial effect on student’s English reading comprehension. Therefore, this presentation
proposes using texts, books and literacy materials that are familiar and relevant to the culture and
background of the readers in order to facilitate their reading comprehension process.

This presentation would be organized in the next stages. First, the presenter will introduce the

concept of reading comprehension and its main models. Second, Schemata Theory and its

application to Reading Comprehension will be explained. Third, the Culturally Relevant

Pedagogy will be introduced. Fourth, a practical strategy that integrates the tenets of

Schemata Theory, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and the National Standards for Reading

Comprehension will be introduced. Finally, some examples of books and texts will be exposed

to the audience as well as activities that can be developed along with the readings. This

presentation would be based on several in class, international and national level research

projects that have attempted to integrate culturally relevant and familiar literacy materials and

practices in order to promote the reading comprehension, reading attitudes, critical literacy

processes, among others in their participants.

 Workshop (45 minutes): Sessions in which presenters demonstrate and provide practical elements
for language teaching and evaluation. Although the presentation of a solid theoretical background
is expected, most of the session should be devoted to interaction, participation and practice.
Presenters are expected to provide hand-outs to the audience.

MATERIALS: Hand-outs for participants

TIPS:
Establish the objective of the meeting
Start with icebreakers
Creative exercises
Follow-up afterward

OUTLINE FOR WORKSHOP

1. Create an introduction. Decide how you will introduce yourself, the topic and
the participant members.
Good morning/afternoon everyone, my name is Nathalia Chavez, I am 23, I
am studying my last semester of English and French at Universidad de Nariño
in Pasto. This is the first time I participate as a presenter in a congress or
conference, I am very excited to share my ideas and I also want to welcome
everybody to this workshop, I really appreciate your presence. The name of
this workshop is “Valuing our roots: using culturally relevant texts to promote
English reading comprehension.”

2. List the skills and/or topics you will cover. ...

Before we start I want to show you the order of the workshop. (show in
slides)

3. Decide on the order of the topics. ... (15m explanation and 30m alternative
texts explanation and activity)
A. Intro to objective and topic
B. Explain problem and situation in Colombia through research that
shows that students do not feel attracted or interested or
connected to readings or where they feel their readings are not
 relevant or attractive to them with no practical usage in their
lives.
C. What is Reading Comprehension?
D. How is Schemata Theory useful to understand the RC process.
E. How does Culturally Relevant Pedagogy apply to RC teaching.
F. Alternative Texts – characteristics, examples of readings, provide
practical elements for language teaching thru the use of the
texts, provide sources online.
G. Activity (Maybe providing a text/reading and small groups have
to adapt it to teach a class?)

4. Determine ground rules for the workshop. ...

5. Decide how you will wrap up the workshop.

Order of Presentation
Objective: To consider the benefits of alternative texts that
integrate the socio-cultural background of the students to promote
Reading Comprehension in English in Colombia. (in slide)
For clarification purposes, this workshop does not intend to solve
the complex situation around the teaching of reading. I am very
aware that there are many other factors that influence reading
comprehension and education in general. Although without the risk
of being reductionist I propose focusing on what students are
actually reading and how teachers can use this factor to facilitate
reading comprehension in English as a Foreign Language.
Here explain the problem giving more details and citing authors
then go straight to support with research.
As we all know, Colombia
Before I get into the theory I would like to expose some research in
order to illustrate and support my claims.
EXPLAIN MAIN IDEAS OF TWO OR THREE RESEARCH PROJECTS
(INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL THAT ALSO MENTION SCHEMATA
THEORY AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT TEACHING IN THEIR THEORY)
(in slide)
These research projects show us how…
Now I would like to introduce the theoretical background that draw
the foundations of this workshop but that can still provide a
practical application without feeling overwhelmed with theory or
unable to put theory in practice which is the case for many
teachers, researchers and practitioners in our country.
Theoretical Background
This way, I would like to start with some definitions of the Reading
Comprehension process. (write definitions)
As we can observe, this process is complex, interactive and involves
a wide range of factors that in many cases are dismissed such as the
role of the reader’s background knowledge and experiences. In this
order of ideas, understanding the pivotal role that other factors
play during the reading process, I would like to propose
approaching reading comprehension from the lenses of Cognitive
Science and more specifically from the perspective of Schemata
Theory as well as Culturally Relevant Teaching which can provide us
with a broader understanding of this process and how it can be
facilitated.
First, Schemata Theory explains that through the way that our brain
structures knowledge as schemata or “organized units of
knowledge for a subject or event based on experience and is
accessed to guide current understanding or action” (Pankin, 2013).
There are different kinds of schemata. The linguistic Schemata
refers to the knowledge of the language. The formal Schemata
involves the knowledge of the textual structures and format. The
Content Schemata belongs to the knowledge of the subject and
culture embedded in the text. Lacking any of the three types, can
affect the overall comprehension of the text (Carrell; Eisterhold,
1988).
(Describe more facts and details about this theory as well as
authors supporting it)
Explain how Schemata Theory help us understand the process of RC
Second, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is a theory proposed by
Ladson-Billings (1995-present) expressing the importance of
“including the students’ cultures in the school culture in order to
achieve more academically, empower students, develop their
identities and their critical minds.” (CITATION)
(Describe more facts and details about this theory)
How can this CRP benefit RC teaching?