THE FRAMEWORK

Theory 1: Theories of Reading

Reading is one of the macro skills that is highly focused when it comes to language learning.
Being able to read, interpret and synthesize different kinds of texts is important to the learner.
Hence, the need to provide a good learning technique for readers is necessary.

The theories of reading are useful to guide the learner on how to read and comprehend the
different texts that they read. The theories of reading are the following: bottom-up, top-down and
the metacognitive theory. These theories can further guide the learner on how to understand the
text better and find the meaning of it.

The theories of reading are discussed further below:

1. Bottom-up theory
Reading develops from having the learner know the basic parts of the language or speech
before understanding the text and its meaning. Reading can be more effective if the reader can
decode the words, vocabulary, expressions, idioms and metaphors used in the text before they
can understand the text as a whole.

The suggested activities using the bottom-up theory can involve vocabulary drills, repetitive use
of the words in the sentences in its appropriate contexts. This theory is best effective for the
primary level like Grade 1-3 as the learners are still trying to learn the language and build up
their vocabulary and language skills.

2. Top-down theory
What this theory emphasizes is that reading is not just a mechanical process of knowing the
words and relating it to the text. It already entails the process of connecting information that they
got from the text and then relates such information from the prior knowledge that they already
have.

The top-down theory can be best used for learners who are in the intermediate level like Grade
4-6. Since it is already established that intermediate learners have already prior knowledge on
different subjects, it will be easier for them to extract meaning from the text and make inferences
or hypotheses on what happens next in a story or the result of a problem.

Some suggested activities for this are: making inferences, sequencing of events or making
alternative endings for stories.

3. Metacognitive Theory
This theory will have to go deeper than the literal aspect of understanding the text. It will deal
with the processes involved before, during and after reading the text. The reader will have to
look into the features of the text and try to look into the technical aspect.
The usual process used in metacognitive theory in reading is that a reader would have to deal
with identifying the kind of text that they are reading: narrative, descriptive, expository etc.
Moreover, they will also have to analyze the content of the text by locating the topic sentence,
summarizing, identifying the themes and making conclusions based on what they have read.

The metacognitive theory would best suit for readers who are in the junior high school. They will
have to look beyond the literal aspect and understand the text in a metacognitive level.

The reading theory would best fit the framework for literature as it is centered more on the
reading process. It would aid the reader on how to comprehend the text and analyze it in such a
manner that they will get the gist of the information and be able to create a connection based on
their knowledge and the text.

Reference: https://parlindunganpardede.com/articles/language-teaching/a-review-on-
reading-theories-and-its-implication-to-the-teaching-of-reading/

Theory 2: Literary Criticism

Reading literature should not just be limited to identifying the technical and essential parts of the
literary work. Literature can be best appreciated if the reader will learn to be more critical in their
approach especially when analyzing the text. Hence, introducing literary criticism to high school
readers would be an appropriate method to use in analyzing the text.

What is literary criticism?

It is not just a mere intellectual exercise but it is a natural human response to literature. It may
utilize ones prior knowledge on various subject matters as a way of shedding light to the real
meaning of a particular literary work. With these things considered, it is easy to understand why
literary criticism is constantly utilized in literary discourse.

The 6 approaches to literary criticism are the following:

1. Formalist Criticism
It analyzes literary works as a text of its own. One does not consider the historical or
biographical context of the work but it analyzes it using the technical elements. The author and
the context of the work are not considered but it is the literary style and the elements used in the
text shall be used for analysis.

Formalist critics would deal with the style of the work, the imagery used, symbols, figures of
speech, the structure and the genre of the work.

2. Biographical criticism
This approach in literary criticism acknowledges the fact that poems, stories, and essays are
written by people. Their literary works are a reflection of their experiences, their views in life and
their thoughts. Thus, it is best to appreciate the texts by understanding the life of the author and
highlight important events in their life that prompted them to write such kind of text.

3. Historical criticism
This kind of criticism will dwell with the social, cultural and historical background of the text as a
means of extracting the meaning from it. Historical critics would study how the social conditions
of the time the literary works was written or the period where the writer was born has affected
his style and theme of writing.

Through historical criticism, the reader will be given a panoramic view of the time the work was
written and they can establish a connection of the writing styles of writers in the past and how it
has developed over the years.

4. Sociological criticism
This approach to literature examines how the economic, social and political context of the time
the work was written has affected the style of the author. It basically explores how society has
influenced the writer to produce such literary work.

5. Reader-response criticism
This theory does not believe that a text should be contained by the time it was written or the
biography of the author. The meaning of the text must be liberal and it must depend on the
interpretation of the reader. Hence, this kind of literary approach acknowledges that there is a
possibility of having multiple meaning for different literary works.

In a reader-response criticism, the meaning of the text could change over time for each person.
Perhaps reading a favorite novel during the younger years would have a simpler meaning and
then it changes as the person becomes more mature.

There are nine approaches to literature but the five approaches mentioned above can work best
for the students as they try to decode the meaning of the different stories and poems written by
different authors.

Through literary criticism, they will appreciate literature even better because they can
comprehend its meaning beyond the literal level.