Sacrifice

DLSU ENG616M: Methods of Teaching Reading and Writing

Prep Procedure

Langer, 1981

Prep Procedure• assesses students’ background knowledge

on a topic prior to starting a new text/ topic

• helps teacher assess students' prior knowledge/ schema

• generates interest in a topic

• fosters group discussion and an awareness of the material to be covered

Prep Procedure

Phases of PReP Procedure

• Phase 1: The initial Associations with the Concept

• Phase 2: Reflections on Initial Associations

• Phase 3: Reformulation of Knowledge

Phase 1: The initial Associations with the Concept

• brainstorm what students know about the topic or the stimulus

Phase 2: Reflections on Initial Associations

• reflect on initial associations

• "What made you think this way?"• "Why did this response come to mind?"

Phase 3: Reformulation of Knowledge

• verbalize associations that have been elaborated or changed

• reformulate prior knowledge in the light of the new information

Steps in using PReP Procedure

1. Select a Stimulus 2. Initial Association3. Reflection4. Reformation of Knowledge

5. Evaluation of Response

5. Evaluation of Response

• determines whether or not further concept building is needed prior to reading or teaching a text/ unit/chapter

5. Evaluation of Response

Much Knowledge-responses reflecting super-ordinate concepts

about the topic or related topic, definitions, analogies

(type of geographical region:: desert)

5. Evaluation of Response

Some Knowledge -responses concerning examples and

characteristics ***comprehension may be adequate but should

be supported with activities that strengthen the association of prior and new knowledge

5. Evaluation of Response

Little Knowledge -responses are based on 'word associations'

rather than "concept associations" -responses are unrelated experiences ***instructional activities are required to enrich

students' knowledge

Why is it essential to assess students' prior knowledge/ schema?

• Prior knowledge affects how one understands what he reads, and may be what is most important in understanding what he reads.

• Dialogue between the prior knowledge and new information greatly increases the students' ability to comprehend a text and to retain new information.

• Reading process involves identification of genre, formal structure and topic: activate schemata and allows the reader to comprehend the text (Swales, 1990).

• Text on a familiar topic is better recalled than a similar text on an unfamiliar topic. (Johnson, 1983)

What may happen if students lack schema about the text?

• Where relevant schemata are not activated, some disruption in comprehension may occur.

(Stott, 2001)

• If the topic is outside the students' base knowledge or experience, they are adrift to an unknown sea. (Aebersold, and Field, 1997)

• Some students may overcompensate by reading in a slow, text-bound manner or by wild guessing.

(Carell, 1988a: 101)

• One of the most obvious reasons why a

particular content schema may fail to exist

for a reader is that the schema is culturally

specific and is not part of a particular

reader's cultural background. (Carell and

Eisterhold, 1983:1980)

• Does this mean that if students lack the schema about the topic of the text, one should not use the text anymore?

No. Not really…

• Schema Deficiencies could be useful to provide texts which are developed from reader's own experiences.

No. Not really…

• Help students build their background knowledge on the topic prior to reading, through appropriate pre-reading activities. (Carell, 1988)

No. Not really…

• "Prereading activities must accomplish both goals: building new background knowledge as well as activating existing background knowledge" (Carrell 1988b:248)

Prep Procedure

Finally, • These theories not only affect the way

information is interpreted, thus affecting comprehension, but also continue to change as new information is received. (Stott, 2001)

Let’s Review!

• What are the three phases of Prep Procedure?

• How does one choose the stimuli for Phase 1?

• What happens to the ideas of the students in the third phase?

Let’s Review!

• How important is it to activate the students’ schema before reading the text?

• What can a teacher do when the students’ schema is not enough for the text?

Thank you!!!!

References: • Langer, J. A. (1981). From theory to practice: A prereading plan. Journal

of Reading, 25, 152-156. • Langer, J. A. (1984). Examining background knowledge and text

comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 19, 468-481. • Mather, N., & Jaffe, L. (2002). Woodcock-Johnson III: Reports,

Recommendations, and Strategies. New York: John Wiley & Sons. • Porter, Karla, M.Ed., Pre-reading strategies, funded by the State Board

of Education from Federal Funds, Weber State University.• Stott, N. (2001). Helping ESL Students Become Better Readers: Schema

Theory Applications and Limitations. The Internet TESL Journal. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Stott-Schema.html

• Temple, C. & Gillet, J. (1996). Language and literacy: A lively approach. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers.