Schema Theory

1979

Jean Piaget introduced the term “schema” and popularized the concept through his work with cognitive development. The schema theory states that knowledge within the human brain is organized into units. Every experience is stored into the brain within a certain unit, or schema. In relation to reading and comprehension, a person’s schema determines how they organize and interpret that passage of reading. These are factors that affect one’s comprehension. With each new experience, new schemata are formed and old schemate are changed or modified. The schema theory emphasizes the importance for students to have background knowledge when reading a text. Research shows that good readers are those who are constantly connecting what they read to the background knowledge they already have. Teachers are to provide experiences that enable the students to build and develop their schemata.