Abstract Schema theory is a kind of cognitive theory, and it is about how the knowledge of people is represented, classified, and effectively used. This thesis states the conception of schema theory, types of schema and the functions of schema theory. It analyses the relationships between linguistic schema and reading comprehension, formal schema and reading comprehension, content schema and reading comprehension. We have a brief introduction to three models of reading comprehension, namely, the top-down model, the bottom-up model and the interactive model. We think that teachers should try to employ the three models when teaching reading and carry out some pre-reading activities like predicting and brainstorming, while-reading activities including skimming and scanning, and post-reading activities like asking questions, discussing, and summarizing. In all, the application of schema theory to the teaching of English reading will facilitate the improvement of students’ reading ability.55808

Keywords: Schema theory; English reading teaching; models of English reading; reading activities

摘要图式理论是一种关于人的知识如何被表征，被分类和被有效应用的认知理论。本文阐述了图式理论的概念、分类及作用，分析了语言图式、形式图式及内容图式与阅读之间的关系。本文还介绍三种阅读模式:自上而下、自下而上及互动阅读模式。本文认为教师在阅读教学过程中，应该运用这三种阅读模式，并提出英语阅读教学可分为三个阶段，第一阶段，阅读前的活动，教师应开展预测、头脑风暴等活动，引导学生积极思考。第二阶段是阅读期间的活动，对阅读材料进行略读和仔细阅读。第三阶段，开展阅读后的活动，如问问题、讨论和概括。总之，图式理论在英语阅读教学中的应用将会有助于学生英语阅读能力的提高。

毕业论文关键词：图式理论; 英语阅读；阅读模式；阅读活动 

Contents

1.Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

3. Schema Theory 2

3.1Definition of schema 2

3.2Three types of Schema Theory 3

3.3 Functions of schema 4

4. Schema Theory and Reading Comprehension 6

4.1 Linguistic schema and reading comprehension 6

4.2 Formal schema and reading comprehension 6

4.3 Content schema and reading comprehension 7

5. Schema-based Models of Reading Comprehension 7

5.1The top-down model 7

5.2 The bottom-up model 8

5.3 Interactive model 8

6. Implications for Teaching Reading 9

6.1 Providing cultural background knowledge 9

6.2 Encouraging students’ extensive reading 9

6.3 Carrying out three-stage reading activities 10

7. Conclusion 12

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction

Reading ability is a significant ability for English learners. And it is also one of the significant standards to scale the students’ English reading level. Therefore, development of reading competence should have the priority in secondary school.

However, some students are getting tired of learning English due to the dull and mechanical training, especially in reading comprehension. Although they have done plenty of examination exercises, including reading comprehension ones, their reading ability is little improved. Our teaching mode is guided by exam-oriented teaching idea. Facing this arduous task, students and teachers have to exercise more, and they didn’t consider students’ personal reading interest, learning style and so on. In the process of reading, students become passive poor readers because of this mechanical training.