Build Background Knowledge

Why is Background Knowledge Important?

Words have multiple purposes and meanings. Readers decipher their meanings in particular instances by using their background knowledge.

An inference is an educated guess. From a very young age, children are required to actively construct meaning by supplying missing knowledge and making inferences. For example, when parents say “What do you say?” to a young child who just received some Halloween candy, this requires some level of inferencing. Inferencing becomes more complicated when required in reading written text.
Understanding text depends on readers supplying enough of the unstated premises to make coherent sense of what is being read. But to do this well, readers need to have a foundation of knowledge about the topic.

Think about a second-language learner hearing a metaphor, idiom, or other literary device for the first time. When we hear the phrase "you really hit the ball out of the park” following a presentation, we know that it cannot be taking literally because we have background knowledge about what the saying refers to. Written texts are heavily dependent on metaphors and idioms, which is why background knowledge is so important for reading comprehension.

Informational tests are things like textbooks, which are a large part of our academic experience as we move through grade school. As students progress through grade levels, they will be required to apply previously learned concepts to increasingly complex text.

For example, you can try something as simple as this: “I'm going to say the following words:strawberries, bananas, papayas, pineapples. They all are a type of… (fruit).” Categories of objects begin to develop concepts, and the use of generic nouns (fruit) has been shown to be highly related to language and vocabulary development.

For example, you can give children puzzlers like, “Is an artichoke a type of fruit? Why is it or is it not a kind of fruit?” Puzzlers help children think outside the immediate context and consider the reasoning behind these contrasts and comparisons, which can further their understanding of categories and concepts.

An analogy is another type of comparison, but this time the comparison is made between two things that are usually thought to be different from each other. Analogies help children build knowledge because they compare something new to something we already know. For example, try something like, “bird is to feather as dog is to… (fur).” Children can use similes (comparisons using the words like or as) or metaphors (comparisons without using like or as) to build new knowledge.

Reading builds knowledge, but wide reading has typically been interpreted as reading about a lot of different topics, demonstrating breadth rather than depth in reading. Try this variation: Encourage children to identify an interest and read as many books as they can on one topic. What you find is that children will develop a deeper knowledge and expertise on a topic. These interests will drive children to read more.

We often think that direct experiences are the most compelling ways to build knowledge. As many teachers can attest, there is nothing more thrilling than watching children engage in learning through direct experiences or seeing their delight and excitement on field trips and other activities. Although it is certainly not a replacement for real-life experiences, multimedia can often provide a wealth of information that we could only wish to experience firsthand. Further, it can introduce children to important words and concepts in a highly motivating way and build a shared knowledge base among all of your students.

Information gathered from Reading Rockets. To learn more, click here.