ELT365 · Day 155 — Schema Theory in Reading

Idea — A schema is a mental framework of existing knowledge. Activating schema before reading speeds up comprehension and reduces the cost of unknown vocabulary.

Example — Discussing ‘airport security’ before a reading text pre-loads the scenario so learners are not decoding a blank page.

Try — Before a text, ask learners to write five words they expect to see inside it. Compare predictions after reading.

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