Activating Prior Knowledge

Lifelong Literacy Strategies “Explicitly teaching strategies that proficient readers use when trying to make sense out of text, helps to deepen understanding and create independent readers” (

Lifelong Literacy Strategies “Activating prior knowledge is one of the strategies that is essential for reading comprehension success” (

Lifelong Literacy Strategies Activating Prior Knowledge Making Connections Asking Questions Visualizing Predicting Synthesizing Summarizing Determining what is Important Making Inferences

Lifelong Literacy Strategies “These strategies, identified through research, based on what good readers do when they are reading, help students become metacognitive (an awareness and understanding of how one thinks and uses strategies during reading). Students learn to THINK about their thinking as they are reading” (

Lifelong Literacy Strategies “Readers need to think when the read. If readers swallow everything they read or hear whole, we’ve got a problem. In schools across the country, kids brim with curiosity, questions, and opinions. Schools need to be havens for thinking; classrooms, incubators for deep thought. Thinking thrives when readers connect to books and to each other” (Harvey and Goudvis, 2007).

What is activating prior knowledge? Video – Suzanne Clewell  “Prior knowledge acts as a lens through which we view and absorb new information. It is a composite of who we are, based on what we have learned from both our academic and everyday experiences” (Kujawa and Huske, 1995).

What is activating prior knowledge? “Prior knowledge is the content knowledge and personal experiences the reader brings to the learning task” (

What is activating prior knowledge? Prior Knowledge  Definition A student’s memories, experiences, and facts. The information a reader has in their head. Prior knowledge is more than a student’s memory, it is a storehouse of knowledge that provides the reader with an assortment of information.  How can we explain prior knowledge to students? Example

What is activating prior knowledge? I Read It, But I Don’t Get It: Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers – Cris Tovani  Read pgs. 63 – 68 Write down something you thought was important. Write down something that surprised you. Use your own prior knowledge and think about how you might already do this in your classroom. Write down an example.  Share and Discuss

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “ Students learn and remember new information best when it is linked to relevant prior knowledge” (Beyer, 1991).

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? According to Vacca and Vacca (1993) “the single most important variable in learning with texts is a readers prior knowledge.” “The more a reader brings to a text the more he/she will learn and remember what he/she reads” (

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? Christen and Murphy (1991) “claim that in order for learning to happen, new information must be woven with what is already known.” “The best predictor of what students will learn is what they already know. Prior knowledge is the foundation upon which new meaning is built” (

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “Teachers can also use prior knowledge to make instruction more meaningful. Many researchers emphasize the importance of incorporating parallels between a students cultural background and the curriculums design” (Peshkin, Protheroe, Barsdate, and Lee, 1992).

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “The background knowledge we bring to our reading colors every aspect of our learning and understanding. If readers have nothing to hook new information to, it’s pretty hard to construct meaning. When we have a lot of background knowledge in a topic, we are much more likely to understand the text” (Harvey and Goudvis, 2007).

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “Activating prior knowledge gives students the opportunity to bring forth in their minds information that is relevant to the text they are about to read. Doing so will help students make connections while reading” (Connor, 2006).

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “Activating prior knowledge gives students the opportunity to learn from one another. When students hear what other students know about a topic, they are often reminded of ideas and experiences of their own that relate to the topic of the text. Additionally, they will learn new information to add to their own schema, which will aide in the comprehension of the text” (Connor, 2006).

Why should we teach students to activate their prior knowledge? What does the research say? “Activating prior knowledge gives the teacher the opportunity to identify serious background knowledge gaps or misconceptions that might actually get in the way of a student’s comprehension” (Connor, 2006).

When should activating prior knowledge be taught? Activating prior knowledge “should be taught on an on-going basis, so that students learn independently to use it as they are reading. It should be taught explicitly and systematically over an extended period of time, moving from modeling the thinking process out loud by the teacher, to students using the strategy as a natural part of their comprehension process” (

When should a teacher activate a student’s prior knowledge in the classroom? “Prior knowledge should be discussed before reading the text, to help set the stage for what is coming” (

What does activating prior knowledge look like in the classroom? Video  Middle School Math Example Example Lessons  The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by: Jon Scieszka  Making Middle Schools Work

How do I begin to help my students activate their prior knowledge? Begin by asking the students to think about the topic you are studying or reading about. You may want to ask them some probing questions…  What do you already know about _______?  Have any of you experienced ________?  What have you read before about ________?  Looking at this picture, what does it remind you of?  What is your opinion about ________?

How do I begin to help my students activate their prior knowledge? Have the students share their thoughts and feelings about the topic.  This helps students who know very little or nothing about the topic build their background knowledge or understand what they will be learning about.

What tools or graphic organizers can we use in the classroom to assist us in activating a students prior knowledge? Venn Diagram T-Chart KWL Asking Questions  What do I already know about ___________?  Have any of you ever experienced ________?  What have you read before about _________? SQ3R Brainstorming Web

Setting a Purpose for Reading The House Example  Circle what in the article is important.

Setting a Purpose for Reading I Read It, But I Don’t Get It: Comprehension Strategies For Adolescent Readers  Read pgs Write down something that stands out (AHHHH HAAA MOMENT)!  Share and Discuss

Lesson Planning Lesson Plan Format Work on Lesson Plans  Activating Prior Knowledge  Setting a Purpose