Interactive Reading Model and College English Reading

Abstract

The present thesis attempts to find the solution to problems in college non-English majors' reading teaching and learning. Most students are eager to learn how to read effectively although their teachers can not meet such demand perfectly, which results from the lack of training and systematic planning in their teaching practice. The solution proposed in this paper is the application of the interactive reading model in English reading class, which aims at developing students' reading skills and strategies as well as elevating their language proficiency by some principles based on the interactive reading model. The model is worthy adopted from both theoretical and practical points of view. This thesis begins with discussion on the difference among the chief reading models such as Gough's Bottom-up Model, Goodman's Top-down Model, Rumellhart's Interactive Model and Schema-theoretic Model in doing reading comprehension. And then it is about the definition of reading and the meaning of reading comprehension, and the nature of reading process, which demonstrates how interactive reading model reveals the essence of reading process. Based on this model, some reading strategies and skills for EFL reading such as building up and activating the reader's background knowledge and teaching methods such as the application of the interactive reading model in the word attacking are presented. And an exemplification based on the principles mentioned above is presented in order to compare with the commonly employed conventional reading teaching model in term of the achievement of students' reading comprehension abilities. The purpose of reading at college EFL reading course is to train students' reading ability and to improve students' language proficiency; meanwhile, teachers should try to make students involved in the reading activities. By combining such elements as the guidance of a proper theory, appropriate reading skills and strategies and immense reading practice, more and more successful and efficient readers will appear in the very near future.