This paper discusses the essential role of background knowledge of the text and demonstrates the concept of schema theory, one of the cognitivist learning theories, with regard to teaching of reading to the students. The schema theory is described as a mental structure of preconceived ideas. It really connects the reader to the text and therefore the reading becomes more meaningful. The schema theory influences attention and absorption of new knowledge. Reading requires worldly knowledge, and it leads to the interactive process between the text and the reader's prior background knowledge. So, a heuristic technique is used by the readers to understand the text better. This method enables the reader to discover the meaning by themselves without much effort. Therefore, the paper attempts to inform the readers that the heuristic process in schema theory encourages and enables all the readers to feel more comfortable in perceiving the meaning of the text in the reading process so that it becomes reader-centered reading. © 2017 IUP. All Rights Reserved.