Chapter 6 Discussion

Alexandria Anderson
CIL 601 Fall 2015

Lets recall...

SCHEMA THEORY
Definition:
A theory that explains comprehension of text in
terms of activation and construction of prior
knowledge and experience.

Functions (purported by Richard C. Anderson):

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

assimilation of text information

facilitate selective allocation of attention
enable inferential elaboration
allow orderly searches of memory
facilitate editing and summarizing
permit inferential reconstruction

Schema theory highlights the fact that often more than one interpretation of a text is possible. (Anderson, 1984).

Anderson

(Richard C., that is)

Says:

Publishers, please:
- include teaching suggestions for accessing prior knowledge
- create lessons that encourage students to build and assimilate
information to what they already know
- provide materials to focus on text structure
- in the creation of assessments, do not assume that all cultures
inherently share the same schema
It should not be imagined that there is some simple, literal level of comprehension of stories and texts that does not require coming up with a
schema.

Chapter 6
Schema activation and schema
acquisition: Comments on Richard C. Andersons Remarks

2 Aspects of Schema

Activation
-

accessing the appropriate

background knowledge in order to
comprehend a text

Construction
-

acquiring new knowledge and skills

based on comprehension of text

?
But what if...
Activation

Construction

...the child accesses the inappropriate

background knowledge?

...the new knowledge is

arbitrary?

Provide students with non-arbitrary information

and structure to create meaning!
...even relatively subtle mismatches between a learners initial interpretations and a teachers or testers way of phrasing questions can
cause considerable decrements in memory performance.

Issues
1. Students may have developed partial
schema that are sufficient for
understanding some types of statements
but not others.
2. Preexisting schema affect the
interpretation of teachers and authors as
well as the interpretation of students.

Closing Quote
...I do not believe that childrens materials should always
be elaborate explicitly. The reason is that children must
learn to identify situation where they need more
information in order to understand precisely, and they
must learn to supply their own elaborations. More
generally, I believe that they must LEARN ABOUT
THEMSELVES AS LEARNERS. (pg. 121)

Questions or comments?