Abstract:

Teaching and development of pupils are closely linked with reading, therefore improving the efficiency of text reading is an important issue that has been intensively studied by scientists in the fields of didactics, psychology and linguistics. One of the modern methods of studying didactic processes is the computer simulation method.

The aims of the work are:
1) using the information-cybernetic approach, to create a simulation model of the reader’s (learner’s) activities, taking into account the psychological features of perception, remembering and forgetting information, which would allow to investigate the main regularities of reading texts;
2) to study the behavior of this model under different parameters of the reader and the text, to explain the results obtained.

The analysis of the student's activity while reading the text and functioning of memory is carried out from the standpoint of the systematic approach, the main provisions of which are presented in the works by Yu.A. Schrader, A.A. Sharov, and V.I. Novoseltsev. In this case, the student is considered to be a control system, which allows to apply the ideas of cybernetics and methods of cybernetic modeling of learning, discussed in the works by A.K. Guts, V.F. Venda, and J. Murray. Besides, the main approaches to creation of didactic systems with mathematical models, considered in the works by A.P. Sviridov, A.V. Solovov, and F.S. Roberts. It is used the method of qualitative and mathematical modeling of didactic systems, as well as the method of computer modeling, which is considered in the works by V.B. Kudryavtsev, R. Shannon, V.I. Lobach, and E. Hunt. Reading is modeled using a special computer program written on Pascal.

In the proposed computer model, human memory is simulated by three matrixes in which syllables, words and sentences are “memorized”. The model of reading takes into account:
1) multilevel structure of the reader's memory;
2) probabilistic nature of reading syllables, understanding words and sentences;
3) regularities of forgetting unconscious and meaningful information;
4) effect of feedback on the repeated reading of words and sentences in case of their misunderstanding;
5) reduction of the information forgetting speed when re-reading.

The model allows to study the dependences of the pupil’s knowledge on time and the working time with text – on reading speed. The graphs of the understanding level of the entire text and separate sentences on time are obtained; it is shown that the time of reading the text depends much on the “reader’s” characteristics and the text parameters.

Modeling shows that while training, it is important to teach the pupil to recognize letters correctly, to link them with sounds, to combine syllables and words from them. It is necessary that the complexity of the words and texts corresponds to the child’s abilities. If the proposed text is too difficult, the pupil cannot read quickly and correctly, his motivation decreases, the number of mistakes grows; it leads to further loss of interest. At low reading speed, the child may forget the beginning of the word or sentence being read. For the formation and development of reading skills, the training computer programs “Fun alphabet”, “Magic ABC book”, “Azbuka Pro” and others can be used.

Keywords:

cybernetic approach, computer modeling, learning, memory, sentence, word, control theory, reading.