Reading Prediction and Textual Awareness: A study with Primary Education Students

Abstract: Based on psycholinguistic studies, this article deals with reading comprehension skills focusing prediction and the textual consciousness level imbricated in this strategy. To demonstrate this theory, a research has been carried on with 55 sixth grade-students whose ages ranged from 11 to 13, all attending the elementary educational level of a public school in the city of Porto Alegre. In order to examine the effective use of predictions, a reading task with parts of a fable was presented in paper cards, as well as questions about the story to stimulate the use of those strategies. The verbal protocol of self-revelation was adopted to verify the participants´ textual level of consciousness. The results showed that most of the students managed to deal with reading prediction, making pertinent anticipations, although 27% of them were unsuccessful. In relation to the textual consciousness in the use of this strategy, just over half of the students showed metalinguistic behavior, being capable to explain the generative bases of their predictions efficiently using both intratextual and extratextual information. Nevertheless, 47% of the pupils were not able to achieve the goal, since they responded the questions in a confusing and mistaken manner or used vague and imprecise information while showing evidences of how they had processed the question. Considering the educational context, the research results suggested that both the use of the reading prediction and its conscious awareness are relevant topics to be applied in Portuguese language classes, for they provide the teacher with information concerning the possibilities and difficulties on students´ reading process.

摘要：本研究基于心理语言学（psycholinguistics）相关研究，聚焦阅读理解中的预测技能，以及内嵌于该策略的文本意识（textual consciousness）水平展开探讨。为验证该理论，本研究以巴西南大河州阿雷格里港一所公立小学的55名11至13岁六年级学生为研究对象。为考察预测策略的有效使用情况，研究采用纸质卡片呈现寓言片段作为阅读任务，并配套相关故事问题以触发学生运用该策略。本研究采用自我展露式言语报告法（verbal protocol），以检验参与者的文本意识水平。研究结果显示，绝大多数学生能够熟练运用阅读预测策略并作出合理预判，仅27%的学生未能达成预期目标。就运用该策略时的文本意识而言，仅有超过半数的学生展现出元语言行为（metalinguistic behavior）：他们能够借助文本内（intratextual）与文本外（extratextual）信息，清晰阐释自身预测的生成依据。但仍有47%的学生未能达到该目标，具体表现为：回答问题时逻辑混乱且存在错误，或仅使用模糊、不准确的信息，且无法清晰说明自身处理问题的过程。结合教育场景来看，本研究结果表明，阅读预测策略的运用及其意识培养均为葡萄牙语课堂教学中值得应用的重要内容，因为此类教学能够为教师提供有关学生阅读过程中潜在可能性与面临困难的相关信息。