WHAT IS READING MODEL?

Reading processes: Lower and Higher-level

processes (Natchaya,2012)
Lower-level process = decoding
Higher-level process = schema (Background
knowledge and cognitive skill)
MODELS FOR READING

1. Bottom-up Model
2. Top-down Model
3. Interactive Model
BOTTOM-UP MODEL
Emphasizes the written
Comprehension or printed texts
Sentences Small units -> next units
Phrases -> meaningful (Barnett,
1989)
Words (Part to whole
processing)
Letters
Text-driven models of
comprehension
PROPONENTS OF BOTTOM-
UP MODEL

1. Gough (1972)
2. LaBerge and Samuels (1974)
 The processes:
- Reading visual form (decoding sound and
graphic form)
- Forming word
- Stringing individual words and sending them
to working memory
- Interpreting the sentence by Merlin
- Sending to TPWSGWTAU (the place where
sentences go when they are understood)
Gough (1972)
First language model: Serial mental
process
Focusing on letter and word level
How a reader process text the first time
of looking at printed word.
LaBerge and Samuels
(1974)
Automatic Information Processing
Focusing on Role of Attention in processing &
Importance of Automaticity
When reading: decoding and comprehension
Decoding -> Visual + Phonological + Semantic
memory systems -> Meaning
Comprehension is from the meaning
Visual memory Phonological memory Semantic memory

Attention
Episodic memory
2. TOP-DOWN MODEL
Emphasizes what a
reader get into the
text based on
background
knowledge.

Whole to part
processing

Reader-driven models
of comprehension
PROPONENTS OF TOP-DOWN
MODEL

1. Kenneth Goodman (1968)

2. Frank Smith (1971, 1982)
Kenneth Goodman (1968)
Psycholinguistic guessing game
Meaning-seeking
Readers do the followings:
Predictions -> Using samples of the
text -> confirm or reject them -> make
new predictions -> so on)
Frank Smith (1971, 1982)
Reading is not decoding for each letter or word
Reading is matter of bringing meaning to
printed text.
Describes reading as reduction of uncertainty
- Graphic information
Ex. There is no P after an_ (anp is no meaning)
- Phonetic information
Ex. pan and speak are different sounds.
- Syntactic information
Ex. Noun and adjective phrases can follow the word
the
- Semantic information
Ex. The coffee came with it a slice of happiness.
3. INTERACTIVE MODEL
Readers background
knowledge Combination of Bottom-
up and Top-down
models
Comprehensi Important feather ->
on automatic process
Ex. Multitasking of
computer
Letters and
sound
PROPONENTS OF INTERACTIVE MODEL

1. Rumelhart (1977)
2. Just and Carpenter (1980)
3. Anderson and Pearson (1984)
4. Pearson and Tierney (1984)
Rumelhart (1977)
Perceptual and cognitive processes
Perceptual process -> orthographic,
lexical, syntactical, semantic
knowledge
All the knowledge will interact each
other at Pattern Synthesizer
 Visual
Information
Store
Anderson and Pearson (1984)

Focusing on the role of schemata (The

knowledge stored in memory)
Comprehension = interaction between
old and new knowledge
The conclusion: A reader has new
inference from old and new knowledge.
 Just and Carpenter (1980)
Comprehension
process based on
eye movement. 1

A reader interpret 2
words during 3
reading
immediately. 4

Comprehension is
from reading word 5
for word.
Pearson and Tierney (1984)
A Reader as a composer
Considering Pragmatic theory
Much reader-driven process
4 interactive roles:
1. Planer setting goals, getting the ideas
2. Composer Searching coherence
3. Editor examine his/her interpretation
4. Monitor Observing all above three roles
REFERENCES

Aebersold, J. A., & Field, M. L. (1997). From reader

to reading teacher: Issues and strategies for
second language classroom. New York, NY:
Cambridge University Press.
Barnett, M. A. (1989). More than meet the eye,
Foreign language learner reading: Theory and
practice. New Jersey, NJ: Englewood Cliffs.
Chalaysap, N. (2012). Reading theories/models &
Strategies for EFL learners. Bangkok: National
Institute of Development Administration.