The relationship of culture-specific background knowledge and EFL/ESL reading methodology is to be explored. We illustrate this discussion of the culturally based and culturally biased nature of background knowledge w...The relationship of culture-specific background knowledge and EFL/ESL reading methodology is to be explored. We illustrate this discussion of the culturally based and culturally biased nature of background knowledge with sample reading passages which have actually caused comprehension problems for EFL/ESL students. A reader's failure to activate an appropriate schema (formal or content) during reading is due to the fact that the schema, content schema in particular, culturally specific, which hinders him greatly from perfecting the reading comprehension. Some suggestions are brought forth for both ESL students and teachers to deal with the problem.展开更多
文摘The relationship of culture-specific background knowledge and EFL/ESL reading methodology is to be explored. We illustrate this discussion of the culturally based and culturally biased nature of background knowledge with sample reading passages which have actually caused comprehension problems for EFL/ESL students. A reader's failure to activate an appropriate schema (formal or content) during reading is due to the fact that the schema, content schema in particular, culturally specific, which hinders him greatly from perfecting the reading comprehension. Some suggestions are brought forth for both ESL students and teachers to deal with the problem.