and other information are linked together to form a unit. This underlying
structure is known as the “scheme” or “macrostructure”. For example
the scheme underlying many stories is:
Story =Setting(=state +state +...) +Episodes(=Event(s) +Reaction)
i.e. stories consist of a setting in which the time, place, and characters
are identified, followed by episodes leading towards a reaction. A text or
discourse in which a suitable underlying scheme or macro-structure is used
is said to be “coherent” (see coherence).
Note that the plural of scheme isschemes, but the plural of schema is either
schemes or schemata.
see also scriptschema theory n
the theory that in comprehending language people activate relevant
schemata allowing them to process and interpret new experiences quickly
and efficiently. Schemata serve as a reference store from which a person can
retrieve relevant existing knowledge and into which new information is
assimilated. When encountering a topic in reading or listening, the reader
activates the schema for that topic and makes use of it to anticipate, infer,
and make different kinds of judgements and decisions about it. Schema
theory plays an important role in theories of second language reading and
listening comprehension.
A difference is sometimes made between content schemataand formal
schemata. Content schemata deal with general background knowledge
related to the topic such as might be associated with the topic of an earth-
quake. Formal schemata deal with the rhetorical structure of language and
a person’s knowledge of the structure of a particular genre, such as news
reportsor journal articles.
scheme of work n
in some teaching contexts, a plan that indicates what will be taught for the
semester or year and the order in which it will be taught. The scheme of
work translates information in a curriculum concerning general objectives
and course content (e.g. a syllabus) into a teaching plan for a semester or
year. In language teaching, schemes of work are usually prepared by indi-
vidual teachers or groups of teachers and take into consideration:
a the amount of time available per class period, week, or semester
b which items will be taught, how important each item is for learners, and
how long it might require for them to reach a particular level of learning
c how the items can be graded, sequenced and combined
d how recycling and reinforcement can be incorporated into the scheme
of work
schema theory