Reading Process

Top-Down Model
Theories Bottom-Up Model Interactive Model

General Characterization General Characterization

General Characterization
a reading model that reading model that
emphasizes what the a readingthe
emphasizes model where
written or the
reader brings to the text combination
printed text of Top-Down
and Bottom-Up model
reading is driven by reading is driven by a
meaning and proceeds synthesizing
process of patterns,
that results in
from whole to part calling
meaning for the application or
integration of all of the
previously identified
knowledge sources

Specific Characterization Specific Characterization Specific Characterization

Prior Knowledge to Stimulus influences the data-driven sensory
influence the perception perception and information and non-
and comprehension comprehension or data sensory information come
drive;Emphasize the sound together at one place
Meaning and words and development of
understanding is attached sight vocabulary
to the text assume that a pattern is
synthesized based on
Attention placed on phonics Learn the basic in order to information provided
and sight vocabulary fully understand the more simultaneously from several
Comprehension Driven complex components knowledge sources
Text-Driven

Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process

Working from Whole-to-the Parts Working from Parts-to-the Whole Combination of Top-Down and
Steps: Bottom-Up Model
Steps:
Understanding  Interpret words Letter and word recognition  Steps:
and letters  word recognition
Understand Words  Understand Source of Information (reading
Sentences  understand the whole text) Encoding  Decoding 
meaning (deep structure)
M Interpretation
ea
ni
ng
(d Information
Syntax (language ee
pattern) p
Lett Message Board
s tr (encoding/decoding)
er Wu o crd s
sou (le x ic at ul rL e v e l)
nd
rela e)
L e tt e r S o u n d s Interpretation
tion
(C h a ra c t e r L e v e l)
shi
p
INTERPRETATION
Reading usually means dealing with language messages in written or printed form,
it involves processing language messages, hence knowledge of language. Reading process
theories have been declared as a vital role in reading comprehension among the students.
The use of reading strategies would help the learners to deeper understand the text so
that they could achieve their tasks. Some of these reading processes are Top-Down,
Bottom-Up and Interactive Model.

The Top-Down model can be simply described as a reading process working from
Whole-to-the-parts. It is reading process where the readers bring to the text separately in
terms of both their prior knowledge of the topic and their knowledge about the language
assists them in predicting what the upcoming words will be. If meaning is constructed,
readers resample the text and form a new hypothesis. This model it is apparent that the
flow of information proceeds from the top downward so that the process of word
identification is dependent upon meaning first. Example in teaching the Top-Down model
is when we support the learners through reading the story, understanding the story, and
then understand the vocabulary and discovering the new vocabulary.

The Bottom-Up Model is a phonics-based of the reading process which portrays

processing in reading as proceeding in serial fashion, from letter to sound, to words, to
meaning, in the progression suggested in the accompanying figure. Readers begin with
decoding letters, words, and syntactic features of a text, then they build textual meaning.
They work mainly from the text but ignore reader’s prior or background knowledge in
such a progression where the reader constructs an overall interpretation of the text.
Example in teaching the Bottoms-Up model is when in a reading activity we assist the
learners through looking the vocabularies, speaking about the theme of the story,
Reading the story aloud, and understanding the story.

The interactive model in which both letter features or data-driven sensory

information and non-sensory information come together at one place. In this model,
reading is not viewed simply as either a bottom-up or top-down process, but instead as a
synthesizing of patterns, calling for the application or integration of all of the previously
identified knowledge sources. The interactive model suggests that the reader constructs
meaning by the selective use of information from all sources of meaning. The reader
simultaneously uses all levels of processing even though one source of meaning can be
primary at a given time. Interactive Model can be applied in teaching when assist the
readers through one which uses print as input and has meaning as output. But the reader
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.