山东大学硕士学位论文

山东大学硕士学位论文

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Chapter Two Literature Review

To understand the approach of schema theory to ESL reading in a second language, first of all, it is helpful to understand a bit about the knowledge of schema theory, such as

the definition, the characteristics, the types and the role of schemata in reading. Then we will try to find out what reading means and how reading models evolve recently. Next we will make a relatively thorough review of previous studies and researches of applying

schema theory to reading. Of course,this section is selective rather than exhaustive. 2.] Schema Theory

2.1.1 Definition of Schemata

The concept of schema (plural schemata),can be traced to Plato and Aristotle (Marshall, 1995),but Kant (1929) is generally considered to be the first to talk about schemata as organizing structures that mediate how we see and interpret the world (Johnson, 1987). As long as 1781,he claimed that new information, new concepts,new ideas can have meaning only when they can be related to something the individual already

knows (Kant 1781/1963). Schemata are “a sort of bias inherent in the mind,,(Campbell,

1989, p.90). For Kant, a schema stood between or mediated the external world and internal

mental structures; a schema was a lens that both shaped and was shaped by experience.

The British psychologist, Sir Frederic Bartlett,initially introduced the concept of schemata into psychology and education in his works. The term “schema'' in Bartlett's classic book Remembering (1932: 201) refers to "an active organization of past reactions,

or f^st experience." Bartlett (19-32/1995) used the term schemata and conducted experiments to explore schemata as cultural constructs in memory,and this is the work most widely cited by schema theorists working in the cognitive era (Saito, 19%). He discussed that schema as an “organized setting” and not as some uniform feature of the

mind (Bartlett. 1932/196 K p.200>.

Jean Piaget, a well-known psychologist, improved schema theory through his experimental study, giving new meaning to it —schemata being considered as the mental

structures or organization of an action. He provides us with a hypothetical process which

portrays the role of an individual's existing knowledge in response to changing

山东大学硕士学位论文

environmental input. Piaget hypothesizes mental structures that guide humans in making

sense of the world. At the time of birth these schemata are extremely rudimentary, producing only reflexive behavior, but they grow and develop in response to environmental input during the maturation process, adults usually being able to process

highly abstract information. At the same time, Piaget also believes that the initial schema,

which is genetically innate,is not static, that is to say,once they come up against new