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field, while at the same time offering a fund of reader interacts with a text. In addition, the
stimulating ideas for readers to develop, both in attention of EFL practitioners has been captured
language teaching and research. Of particular by three models of the reading process, which can
service to language teaching professionals is the be broadly categorized as 'top-down' (armed with
act of summarizing these ideas from other various types of knowledge, readers 'sample' the
disciplines in a way that is accessible to the graphic display to confirm their expectations,
reader, and the provision of many important 'bottom-up' (readers take in the graphic display
references for further reading. and thence proceed to construct meaning), and
'interactive' (reading involves a combination of
References the first two types of process).
Bruner, J. 1986. Actual Minds, Possible Worlds.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. According to Paran (1996: 29), despite the fact
Csikszentmihaly, M. 1990. Flow: The Psychology that the top-down approach to reading was never
of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and in the mainstream of psycholinguistic research,
Row. over the last two decades it has proved particu-
Dewey, J. 1938. Experience and Education. larly appealing to the world of EFL. This view of
Reviews 171
Chapter 2 provides a concise account of key from NuttalFs. Unfortunately, I doubt whether
models of the reading process. Each model is practising teachers will hurry to look at it since it is
evaluated and its relevance to the behaviour of not a manual containing examples of reading
different types of reader is discussed. Davies exercises and techniques and how to execute
points out that many classroom practices originate them. The contents are more likely to inform an
from, and are justified by reference to, such overall philosophical approach to teaching read-
models. To Goodman's (1975/1988) model, for ing. Moreover, although it claims to be 'genuinely
example she ascribes the practice, which she later introductory', there are many points where at least
condemns, of 'prediction, guessing and "going for a passing familiarity with the concepts and
gist" at the expense of attention to letters and literature of reading are assumed. Having said
word' (p. 62), while at the same time acknowl- this, if you are reading around the subject of
edging the value of the model as an account of reading, or doing an MA or a Diploma course, this
beginning LI reading behaviour. Also included is book will be extremely useful.
a discussion of the role of affect in reading, and a Focus on Reading (New Edition) comes out of the
summary of some research in EAP which reveals Australian migrant English teaching experience,
the significance of reading purposes as 'drivers' of and reflects the traditions and current concerns of
Reviews 173