Role of the Reader's Schema in Comprehension, Learning, and Memory

This chapter explains schema theory, give illustrations of the supporting evidence, and suggest applications to classroom teaching and the design of instructional materials. It urges publishers to include teaching suggestions in manuals designed to help children activate relevant knowledge before reading. The chapter explains the teachers’ manuals accompanying basal programs and content area texts ought to include suggestions for building prerequisite knowledge when it cannot be safely presupposed. It calls for publishers to feature lesson activities that will lead children to meaningfully integrate what they already know with what is presented on the printed page. The chapter urges publishers to employ devices that will highlight the structure of text material. It explains the implications of schema theory is that minority children may sometimes be counted as failing to comprehend school reading material because their schemata do not match those of the majority culture. As a consequence, large differences in comprehension, learning, and memory for the letters were expected.