Activate & Build Background Knowledge
Fisher and Frey stress the importance of "start with what you know" (2010). This is the principle being activating and building background knowledge for students. When teachers begin with what students know, they can make connections to the new material. However, when they immediately jump into the content, students can be left behind. Miller and Veatch state that activating prior knowledge is the strongest predictor of student success. "Learners possess schemata about the world, everyday events, areas of expertise, and even different types of text. They build upon this knowledge base when they are exposed to new concepts" (Miller & Veatch, 2011, p. 55). Students will enter the classroom with a variety of background knowledge but by implementing some strategies, like those listed below, students will be able to activate and build the knowledge needed to comprehend a text.
K-W-L Strategy Chart
The K-W-L strategy, one of the mostly widely used instructional practices, helps to activate students' prior knowledge (Miller & Veatch, 2011, p. 57). The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes in reading comprehension. It helps to activate a student's prior knowledge on the topic to be discussed, provides the student with a purpose for reading the text, and helps students to monitor their comprehension throughout the reading process (NEA, 2015).
Using this strategy in the classroom: 1. Identify an appropriate piece of text that identifies the concepts being addressed 2. Create K-W-L charts for students to complete and a class chart that can be seen by all students. 3. Introduce the topic and preview the text with the students. Then, have students record words and phrases that they know in the "K" column. 4. Once students have written about 3-5 entries, share out as a class and add to the class K-W-L chart. 5. Then, have students write questions they still have in the "W" column. Once again, once students have written 3-5 questions, share out as a class. 6. With the chart hanging on the wall, have students read the text. 7. After reading, have students complete the "L" column by writing 5-7 concepts that they learned while reading the passage. 8. Have students share out, adding this information the the class chart. 9. Wrap up the activity by conducting a Think Alound. This is where the teacher shares what was previously known going into the activity, and compares the questions students have with the information they have learned. 10. Some variations may include having the students think about what questions they still have or having students conduct further research on the topic. How writing is tied to this strategy: K-W-L Charts have a built in writing component. Students are required to record their prior knowledge, questions they have, and learning that occurred. Students also see teachers modeling writing as they complete the class chart. An additional writing component could be added if the teacher asked the students to complete a reflection on their learning process by using a K-W-L chart. |
KWL Chart
In this video, the teacher walks her class through the use of the KWL chart in relationship to the three branches of government. They start by completing the K column based upon what was previously discussed in class. Then, they moved into the questions the students had about the three branched (W column). Students are engaged throughout the lesson, providing information for the teacher to add to the chart. After reading, students complete the last column. At the end of the video, a some students show a couple of variations that can be added to the KWL chart. One student completed a research project on a question he still had, then added that information to the chart. |
(TheKimMoShow, 2012)
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(Lizmgamble, 2011)
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Using a KWL Chart to Solve a Word Problem
In this video, the teacher demonstrates how to use a KWl chart across content classes, specifically in math. It provides students with a method to use to help them comprehend word problems along with a way to activate their prior knowledge when solving problems. |
Text Box/Bag Activity
The Text Box/Bag Activity helps readers build background knowledge. The theory behind this strategy is that students need to "participate in authentic interactions that enable them to transform the knowledge they acquire" (Miller & Veatch, 2011). This is accomplished by providing students with artifacts that allows them to make connections between what is written in the text with tangible objects they can hold.
Using this strategy in the classroom: 1. Identify an appropriate piece of text that identifies the concepts being addressed. 2. Identify 5-7 concepts within the text that are important and meaningful. 3. Obtain objects that represent these 5-7 concepts. 4. Introduce the lesson to the students. Then begin pulling objects out of the box one by one. 5. For each object, have the students think aloud about the meaning of the object and possible connections to the text. 6. While reading, have the students locate (highlight, underline) the concepts in the text. 7. After reading, review the items and discuss their connection to the text. How writing is tied to this strategy: For this strategy, writing can be incorporated by having students write out an explanation of how the object might tie to the reading or by having them describe the object's appearance. They can also revisit their explanations after reading the text and explain how the object's connect was similar or different from their initial prediction. |
Using Props to Teach Geography
In this video, a secondary geography teacher is helping students understand the difference between the terms sparse and densely populated regions. She is accomplishing this task by providing students with props that address the basic needs of people - coal, wood, transportation, food and water, etc. She first has the students think about how their prop relates to population, engaging their prior knowledge. Then, she takes some of the props away and discusses with the students the affect this would have on where people can live. Once students have this understanding, she then introduces the words of sparse and dense population. In this lessons, students are actively engaged in the activity, taking ownership of their prop. They are also thinking critically about the content, developing an understanding of the terms. The teacher is also able to assess the students comprehension by evaluating their responses to questions. |
(Educationgovuk, 2014)
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(The Balanced Literacy Diet, 2011)
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Reading and Writing Hat Stories
In this video, students participate in reading comprehension strategies throughout a lesson involving hats. The teacher uses hats to introduce the lesson to the students and to engage them. She then goes on to read a story with them pertaining to hats, incorporating a variety of comprehension strategies. At the end of the lesson, students are asked to write a hat story themselves after they have been shown a model. |