Application Of Schema Theory To Chinese English Major Students' Reading Comprehension

Schema theory is a theory used to explain reading process. Scholars at home and abroad have done much research on the influence of schema theory on L2 reading and achieved valuable results. However, most of the experiments they conducted were carried out in L1 or L2 context. Here comes the question whether their research conclusions have the same explanation in FL context to Chinese English majors'reading comprehension either? To what degree will the application of schema theory influence their reading comprehension?With these questions in mind, the author of this thesis intends to apply schema theory to explore the current situation of Chinese English majors'reading comprehension. According to the theory, schema can be classified into linguistic schema, content schema, and formal schema. In the light of the theoretical classification of schema, the author's own English reading experience and the observation of other English learners, she puts forward two research hypotheses:(1) Linguistic schemata, content schemata and formal schemata do have an effect on Chinese English majors'reading comprehension but to different degrees; (2) Compared with Linguistic schemata and formal schemata, content schemata may have more significant influence on Chinese English majors'reading comprehension.The subjects in this study are 162 English-majored college students. The experimental instruments adopted are a reading comprehension test, a questionnaire, and an interview. The results obtained from the experiment suggest:1) the comprehensive application of linguistic schemata, content schemata and formal schemata facilitates Chinese English major students'reading comprehension; 2) compared with the other two schemata, content schema has more significant influence on English major students'reading comprehension; 3) the implications of linguistic and formal schemata on students'reading comprehension are not obvious. Moreover, the research also discovers that schema theory can be utilized to explain the whole process of reading comprehension and demonstrate why background knowledge functions significantly in reading.Based on the findings of the research, the author offers some suggestions on the improvement of foreign language reading instruction. First of all, comprehensive application of the schematic knowledge should be encouraged in foreign language reading teaching. It's very important to activate students'prior schemata in reading process by various means so as to help them create new schemata, which will, in turn, contribute to their reading comprehension ability later on. Second, emphasis should be laid on the importance of content schema in reading comprehension. Non-linguistic hurdles can thus be overcome through the input of relevant background knowledge for the purpose of enhancing students'reading comprehension. Besides, students should be encouraged to read extensively out of class to enrich their prior schemata, which will surely lay a solid foundation for their future reading assignment.