The document summarizes three reading models: the bottom-up model which emphasizes decoding text from individual letters and words to derive meaning; the top-down model where readers use their background knowledge and schema to predict meaning from text; and the interactive model where both bottom-up and top-down processes are used simultaneously throughout the reading process with the reader interacting with the text to construct meaning.

1. READING MODEL

2. Reading
Model
Key Features Main Proponents
Bottom-up
Reading
Model
• It is a reading model that emphasizes the
written or printed text; says reading is driven by
a process that results in meaning (or, in other
words, reading is driven by text), and proceeds
from part to whole.
• It stipulates that the meaning of any text must
be “ decoded” by the reader and that students
are “reading” when they can “sound out” words
on a page. (Phonics)
• It emphasizes the ability to decode or put into
sound what is seen in a text.
• It is based on the “phoneme” or smallest
meaningful unit of sound. Readers derive
meaning in a linear manner, first decoding
letters, then words, phrases, and sentences to
make sense of print. Rapid word recognition is
important to this approach, which word
recognition becomes automatic, the reader is
not conscious of the process (Gough, 1972)
• Flesch, Rudolf,
1955
• Gough, Philip,
1985
• LaBerge, David
and Samuels,
Jay, 1985

3. Reading
Model
Key Features Main Proponents
Top-down
Reading
Model
• It suggest that processing of a text begins in
the mind of the readers with meaning-driven
processes or an assumption about the
meaning of a text.
• The “top down” approach emphasizes
readers bringing meaning to text based on
their experiential background and
interpreting text based on their prior
knowledge ( whole language).
• A model in which Top is the higher under
mental concepts such as the knowledge
and expectations of the reader and Bottom
as the physical text on the page.
• It is where meaning takes precedence over
structure. Although readers make use of
sound-letter correspondence and syntactic
knowledge, they draw on their experiential
background knowledge (schema) to predict
the meaning of the text and then read to
confirm or correct their predictions
(Goodman, 1967; Smith, 1971).
• Good,
Kenneth, 1965
• Smith, Frank,
1994

4. Reading
Model
Key Features Main Proponents
Interactive
Reading
Model
• Bottom-up and top-down processes
simultaneously throughout the reading
process.
• In this model, good readers are both good
decoders and good interpreters of text, their
decoding skills are becoming more automatic
but no less important as their reading skill
develops (Eskey, 1988)
• An interactive model is one which uses print
as input and has meaning as output. But the
readers provides input, too, and the reader,
interacting with the text, is selective in using
just as little of the cues from text as necessary
to construct meaning. (Goodman, 1981)
• The reader and text interact as the reader
uses prior background knowledge and
knowledge from the text to derive meaning
(Grabe, 1991; Hood, Solomon. And Burns,
1996)
• David, 1985
• Barr, Rebecca,
Sadiw, Marilyn
and
Blachowicz,
Camill, 1990
• Ruddell, Robert
and Speaker,
Robert, 1985