The Reading Process/Schema

This week in class we discussed the Reading Process and how it relates to Schema theory. A persons Schema relates to what they know and believe. Schema can change in two ways; it can accommodate or assimilate. When a persons schema accommodates it changes the persons view of the world, and when it assimilates it simply adds the new information to what is already known and believed.

The Reading Process includes schema in numerous ways. When a person reads they take the information presented in the text and their schema and put them together to create meaning and understanding. As an emerging English teacher it is important to develop students schema's to include literature. Many students see reading and writing as a hassle and a punishment, this schema must be changed and is only one of the numerous problems faced by teachers today.

As an English teacher I not only have to teach the lessons laid out by the state and federal standards but I also have to convince reluctant students that reading/writing are important and to actually do it. A students schema is always changing, usually only by assimilation. English teachers have the difficult task of changing students schema by accommodation in regards to reading/writing. This task falls onto all teachers but the brunt of it is felt in the English classroom.

By using the BDA framework in regards to a piece of literature or any reading assignment, teachers can get the students involved on a much deeper level while also improving retention. By having a student work through a warmup activity the teacher can activate the correct schema or create the appropriate schema for the activity. The during activity would help students answer any questions they had thought of after starting the activity. Also this type of activity would catch problems in comprehension and understanding before they became major issues. The after activity would serve the solidifying of the information and check the students mastery of the concept. By employing the BDA framework teachers are ensuring better understanding and retention.

After looking at the new Standards for Education and the correlating percentages something needs to change, and its not the studetns. The material needs to be presented in new, interesting, ways. Instead of teachers just saying, "Hey read this. Master this. Take this test." The curriculum needs to be more fluid and relatable to the students life.  Teachers today need to employ the BDA framework as a way to relate to students and find out what they know and how to increase their knowledge. Students are not going to change, the curriculum is going to get bigger, teachers need to rework their lesson plans in ways that enhance students schema.