Making meaning : using syntax as a tool for reading comprehension
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Chrtetien, Dianne Dorothy
issued: 2011-10-14T18:27:00Z
issued: 2003
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: In summary, this study was designed to investigate whether teaching students to approach scientific texts using their knowledge of language (specifically syntax) would help them better understand the passages they are reading. It has long been taken for granted that the study of grammar is unhelpful in teaching students to write. Much of the research in the past decades has been used to provide evidence that the study of the structure of our language restrains the generative, creative process. The reading process, however, must be admitted to be a more analytic process. Constructive, yes, in that the reader does more than merely receive meaning from the text; rather, he or she constructs meaning from it. But the text is a whole which must be first broken down into parts in order for the reader to reconstruct the frame. Simultaneously, the reader is adding to the text frame from his or her own store of knowledge, and the final product of the act of reading will be the construction of something new and unique to that reader. The theoretical framework upon which the study is based is van Dijk's and Kintsch's concept of discourse structure which represents reading as a process involving the building of both a text base, the aforesaid "frame" and a situation model, the new and unique product of the reader. William Adler's theoretical framework upon which he based his book How to Read a Book also serves as a point of reference. Adler describes reading as an active process that requires taking apart an argument proposition by proposition (a process which he says requires a certain amount of grammatical knowledge) in order to fully comprehend it and reconstruct it. Such a complex analytical approach is usually unnecessary when reading fictional narrative, but the reading of content area text presents different and greater challenges to the young student, and, of all content areas, science can present the most complex concepts. Processing science concepts becomes even more d…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/37998
note: MAKING MEANING: USING SYNTAX AS A TOOL FOR READING COMPREHENSION by DIANNE DOROTHY CHRETIEN Bachelor of Arts, University of British Columbia 1987 Bachelor of Education, University of British Columbia 1988 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES LANGUAGE AND LITERACY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION in The University of British Columbia 2003 We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE MlVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA April, 2003 © Dianne Dorothy Chretien Wednesday, April 16, 2003 UBC Rare Books and Special Collections - Thesis Authorisation Form In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of -the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/thesauth.html ABSTRACT In summary, this study was designed to investigate whether teaching students to approach scientific texts using their knowledge of language (specifically syntax) would help them better understand the passages they are reading. It has long been taken for granted that the study of grammar is unhelpful in teaching students to write. Much of the research in the past decades has been used to provide evidence that the study of the structure of our language restrains the generative, creative process. The reading process, however, must be admitted to be a more analytic process. Constructive, yes, in that the reader does more than merely receive meaning from the text; rather, he or she c…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0104990
language: eng
degree discipline: Language and Literacy Education
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/37998