A schema-theoretic view of basic processes in reading comprehension

Our task is to characterize basic processes of reading comprehension. We will focus on one aspect of comprehension of particular importance to reading comprehension: the issue of how the reader's schemata, or knowledge already stored in memory, function in the process of interpreting new information and allowing it to enter and become a part of the knowledge store. First, we will trace the historical antecedents of schema theory. Then we will outline the basic elements of the theory and point out problems with current realizations of the theory and possible solutions. Next, we will consider the interplay between the abstracted knowledge embodied in schemata and memory for particular examples. Then we will decompose the comprehension process in order to examine components of encoding (attention, instantiation, and inference) and retrieval (retrieval plans, editing and summarizing, and reconstructive processes). Finally, we will evaluate the contributions of schema theory to our understanding of the comprehension process and speculate about the directions future research should take