THE ENIGMA OF READING COMPREHENSION

Reading is a dynamic and multifaceted process
and comprehension of print is an outcome of an
interaction between reader variables such as
background knowledge, proficiency level, cognitive
ability, motivation and purpose, and text variables
such as sentence structure, vocabulary intensity,
and the difficulty and novelty of the subjectmatter.
This paper, which falls into four parts,
attempts to highlight the relative importance of
these variables. In the first part, three major
models of reading are discussed and contrasted:
the bottom-up or text-based model, the constructivist
or reader-based model, and the interactive
or transactional model. In the second part,
a number of empirical studies are reviewed which
shed light on the nature of the reading process and
instructional techniques. The studies deal with
such topics as: the role of inference, context,
prior knowledge, proper use of comprehension
questions, and student questioning. The third
section touches on what research in ESL reading
has to offer the teacher. The point is made that
ESL reading is different from Ll reading and a