Transcript Reading Strategy: Activate Background Knowledge

Reading Strategy:
Activate
Background
Knowledge
Activating your
Background knowledge
is an important reading
strategy.
“I use what I know,
to understand what I
read.”
Readers comprehend better
when they actively think
about and apply their
knowledge of the topic,
their own experiences, and
the world around them.
strategies that work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis
• Before reading, take a minute to think
about what you already know about the
reading topic.
• Activate, or turn-on, your prior
knowledge - what you already know.
• New information will “stick” better if you
first activate your prior knowledge about
the topic.
Background Knowledge can be
used to increase
comprehension
• use prior knowledge to make a connection
• activate memories, personal experiences, and
information about the subject
• recall factual information to help you understand why an
event is taking place
• remember another story with a similar plot to enable
you to anticipate action
As an example of why
background knowledge is
so important, go to the
next page and follow the
directions.
Read the following passage.
The Batsmen were merciless against the
Bowlers. The bowlers placed their men in
slips and covers. But to no avail. The
Batsmen hit one hour after another along
with an occasional six. Not once did their
balls hit their stumps or get caught.
Answer the following questions.
1. Who were merciless against the Bowlers?
2. Where did the Bowlers place their men?
3. Was this strategy successful?
4. Who hit the occasional six?
5. How many times did the Batemen’s balls hit the
stump?
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Batsmen
Slips and covers
No
The Batsmen
zero
How did you do?
Did you get all the questions
correct? If so, then
you successfully read the
passage, but did you
comprehend what
you read?
If I asked you to tell me
what this passage is
about, to share your
comprehension, could you
do it?
If you could, then your
background knowledge
provided the information
needed to read and
comprehend. Reading and
Comprehension are not the
same thing!!!
Comprehension is what
allows us to understand
and learn from what we
read.
One of the biggest predictors of
Reading comprehension is
background knowledge.
What background knowledge is
needed to “understand” the
passage we just read?
The
sport of Cricket!!!
If you have background
knowledge of Cricket, then
you understood what you
read. If you
did not know about Cricket,
then you read, but probably
did not comprehend.
So next time you read
anything, use the
knowledge you’ve been
gaining every minute of
every day since you were
born.
If you do not have
background knowledge on
the topic you will be
reading about, here are
some things you can do.
• Preview the reading and explore text features
that will give you valuable information
(headings, subheadings, bold face, bullets,
pictures/captions, sidebars, etc.).
• Ask questions of the teacher, other students,
and your parents.
• Discuss the topic with others to gain
knowledge.
• Look up a word(s) you don’t know.
• Research the topic at the library or on a
website.
Building background
knowledge will increase
your reading
comprehension.
For successful reading,
remember to activate
your Background
Knowledge, Before,
during, and after
reading.
Bibliography
• Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. Strategies That Work.
Stenhouse Publishers. 2000.
• Tovani, C. I Read It But I Don’t Get It:
Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent
Readers. Stenhouse Publishers. 2000.