1. Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement
Sioux Falls School District
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

2. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Introduction
Knowing strong academic background knowledge impacts students’ academic achievement in school. We must use the most effective strategies to create indirect experiences to build student background knowledge.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

3. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
How does building background knowledge fit with what we are already doing?
The processes involved in Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge are aligned with Value Added.
The Sheltered Instruction model being used by ELL supports the instructional process in Building Background Knowledge.
Key vocabulary emphasized
Student journals
Word study books
Contextualizing vocabulary
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

4. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Food for Thought
What does the research say?
How do we build background knowledge for our students?
The power of wide reading and language experience.
Direct vocabulary instruction.
Defining an academic vocabulary.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

5. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Overview
In order to bridge the gap for our students we must provide them with indirect experiences that build their academic background knowledge.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

6. The Importance of Background Knowledge
What students already know about the content is one of the strongest indicators of how well they well learn new information relative to the content.
Academic background knowledge affects more than just “school learning.”
Studies have also shown its relation to occupation and status in life.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

7. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Knowledge is Power
A students’ academic background knowledge has impact on the rest of their lives
Success in school has strong bearing on their earning potential.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

8. How we acquire background knowledge
Our ability to process and store information
Fluid intelligence
The number and frequency of our academically oriented experiences
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

9. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

10. The Consequences of Poverty
Findings in Figure 1.4 characterize the relationship between poverty an academic success after controlling for ethnicity, family structure, and mother’s education.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

11. The Consequences of Poverty
Findings in Figure 1.4 characterize the relationship between poverty an academic success after controlling for ethnicity, family structure, and mother’s education.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

12. Schools can Make a Difference
Direct approaches to Enhancing academic Background Knowledge
Provide enriching experiences
Establishing mentoring relationships
Indirect Approaches: A Viable Answer
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

13. Six Principals for Building an Indirect Approach
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

14. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
1. Background Knowledge is stored in bimodal packets in the episodic memory
Glossary of terms
Episodic memory—specific learning episodes
Semantic memory—general understandings over time
Bimodal memory packets
Linguistic-logogen; episodic & semantic propositional networks (The smallest unit of knowledge that can stand as a separate assertion.)
Nonlinguistic-imagens;nonlinguistic representations that accompany the propositional networks)
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

15. Propositional networks depicting a specific event
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

16. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Information moves from propositional to de-contextualized propositional
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

17. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
2. The Process of Storing Experiences in Permanent Memory Can Be Enhanced
First we must understand the three functions of our memory
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

18. Three Functions of Memory
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

19. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
3. Background Knowledge is Multidimensional and Its Value Is contextual
No general set of background knowledge helps us learn in every situation.
Little or no carry over between subjects
Common core = some carry over
Enhancement of Academic background knowledge must be done subject by subject.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

20. 4. Even Surface level Background Knowledge Is Useful
When we retrieve a packet of information for use in working memory, we initially access its surface-level characteristics only.
Knowledge of a given topic is organized in a hierarchy.
Top level knowledge - specific facts
The next level – more general characteristics
The next level – even more general characteristic associated with the broadest category the word would fit
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

21. 5. Background Knowledge Manifests Itself as Vocabulary Knowledge
Hard facts to support this statement:
Research indicates that vocabulary knowledge is highly correlated with family income
Estimated 4,700 word difference between High and low socioeconomic students (SES)
Mid-SES 1st graders know 50% more words than Low-SES
High SES 1st graders know twice the words of Low-SES
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

22. What does this mean for out ELL students?
Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may struggle to comprehend a text or concept presented in class because their schema do not match those of the culture for which the text is written or because they do not understand the academic vocabulary written in English.
Teachers must also be aware of the level of vocabulary knowledge students, especially at secondary levels, nee in order to be successful in content classes. Both Sheltered Instruction and Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge emphasizes the need to practice key terms that will strengthen students’ vocabulary knowledge.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

23. 6. Virtual experiences Can Enhance Background Knowledge
Information must move from the sensory memory to the working memory
(Remember the camping example of how the information moved from the episodic memory to the semantic memory. This is a necessary step in solidify the learning process.)
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

24. The continuous learning process:
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

25. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Reflect…
How effective do you feel you are at planning and using strategies that support what we know about the brain and how it learns?
What teaching strategies support our brain’s process of storing information in both linguistic and nonlinguistic memory packets?
What components of your last year’s Value Added training utilizes this brain research?
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

26. Reading is a Form of Virtual Experience
In the working memory the virtual experience is for all practical purposes the same as the direct experience.
Although it is cliché, it is accurate think of reading as a “magic carpet” to new places and experiences
Reading provides the promise of every student’s having a rich array of virtual experiences
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

27. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) supports the positive impact reading can have on background knowledge.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

28. Language Interactions as a Form of Virtual Experience
The more students talk and listen to others, the more virtual experiences are generated
Hart and Risley’s research indicates:
By the time children in welfare homes are 1 year only they have only about 50% of the language experience of children from working-class families and only 30% of the language experience of children from professional families.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

29. Educational Television as a Form of Virtual Experience
Research indicates:
Watching general television programs = little impact on the development of background knowledge
Watching educational television significantly enhanced the development of such knowledge.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

30. Tapping the Power of Wide Reading and Language Experience
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
To be effective the SSR program must have specific characteristics and must be continuous over many years
If done only a year or two the gains might by evident initially but will fade when the program ceases
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

31. More information to support wide reading
Research has shown that past the 4th grade, the number of words a person knows depends primarily on how much time they spend reading (Hayes & Ahrens, 1988; Nagy & Anderson, 1984; Nagy & Herman, 1987; Stanovich, 1986)
Adults that make a habit of reading have a vocabulary that is about four times the size of those who rarely or never read.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

32. Recommended Modified SSR
Eight Factors needed:
Access (to wide selection of informational reading)
Appeal ( books with topics of interest to students)
Conducive environment (comfortable surroundings)
Encouragement (explicit praise)
Staff training ( consistent implementation using effective strategies)
Non-accountability (student choice and interest driven not teacher assigned)
Follow-up activities (cooperative grouping/relationship building)
Distributed time to read (non fiction)
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

33. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
A Five Step Process
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

34. Step One: Students Identify Topic of Interest to Them
I-Search helps with the process
Students gather information about a topic of interest, synthesize and organize the information and use it to complete a written response or project of some sort
Personal Read and Reflect Time (PRRT)
Students may change their topic at any time
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

35. Step Two: Students Identify Reading Material
Students use the classroom library and the school library to begin choosing material from which to read and “I-search” their topic
Model—Guided selection and large group activity to begin the process
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

36. Step Three: Students are Provided Uninterrupted Time to Read
Teachers and students should have 20 to 30 minute sessions, twice a week for SSR /Personal Read and Reflect Time (PRRT)
Schedules can be building-wide, grade-by-grade, or class-by-class
Put class rules in place that all must follow
Consider best placement of SSR/PRRT during the school day
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

37. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step Four: Students Write about or Represent Information in Their Notebooks
Use of Academic Notebook (two sections-PRRT and vocabulary)
Responses to reading must be recorded in the notebook
Free responses—open ended responses, expressive writing (linguistic and non-linguistic responses)
Structured responses—guided questions to promote moving knowledge to permanent memory
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

38. Step Five: Students Interact with the Information
Student interaction doesn’t just happen—teacher serves as helper
Group activities must have explicit structure and purpose
Demonstrate interaction activities- taking turns speaking, listening and questioning
Organize into groups of three to five
Students share topic and one thing that they have learned about their topic
Not all students must share each time
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

39. Reflect on the SSR/PRRT process…
What steps of this process are you already doing in your school day? What steps do you need to change in your instruction?
How do the steps of this process capitalize on what we know about how the brain learns best?
Which steps are in the process are value added components?
What would you have to do to fully implement this process?
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

40. Building Academic Background Through Direct Vocabulary Instruction
The Case for Direct Vocabulary Instruction
Three Generalizations:
Estimates of vocabulary size vary considerably
Wide reading may not enhance vocabulary as much as once thought
Direct vocabulary instruction
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

41. Characteristics of Effective Direct Vocabulary Instruction
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

42. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 1: Effective vocabulary instruction does not rely on definitions
When people first learn words, they understand them more as descriptions of words as opposed to definitions.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

43. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 2: Students must represent their knowledge of words in both linguistic and nonlinguistic ways.
For information to be anchored in permanent memory, it must have linguistic (language based) and nonlinguistic (imagery based) representations
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

44. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 3: Effective vocabulary instruction involves the gradual shaping of word meanings through multiple exposures
To understand words at a deeper level, students require repeated and varied exposure to words, during which they revise their initial understandings.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

45. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 4: Teaching Word Parts Enhances students’ Understanding of Terms
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

46. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 5: Different types of Words Require Different Types of Instruction
Nouns
General
Specific
Verbs
General
Specific
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

47. Characteristic 6: Students should discuss the terms they are learning
Discussion helps students encode information in their own words, helps them view things from different perspectives, and allows for self-expression
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

48. Characteristic 7: Students Should Play with Words
Games:
Present manageable challenges for students
Arouse curiosity
Involve some degree of fantasy arousal
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

49. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Characteristic 8: Instruction Should focus on Terms that have a High Probability of enhancing academic success.
Beck and Mckeown (1985) suggest that vocabulary be thought of in three tiers:
Tier 1-most basic words
Tier 2-appear infrequently enough in reading that there is little chance of learning them in context
Tier 3- words specific to subject areas
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

50. Six Steps to Effective Vocabulary Instruction
Applying the Eight Characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction in a program to enhance background knowledge.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

51. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step 1: The Teacher Provides a Description, Explanation, or Example of the New Term
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

52. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step 2: Students Restate the Explanation of the New Term in Their Own Words
Students construct their own explanations based on what the teacher has presented and write them in their academic notebooks, which are divided into subject areas.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

53. Step 3: Students Create Nonlinguistic Representation
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

54. Examples of nonlinguistic representations:
Graphic organizers (Kidspiration)
Drawings
Photographs
Pictographs
Students can also be encouraged to create
mental pictures and act out meanings of new
words.
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

55. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step 4: Students Periodically Do Activities That help Them Add to Their Knowledge of Vocabulary Terms
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

56. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Possible Activities
Comparing terms
Classifying terms
Generating Metaphors using terms
Generating Analogies using terms
Revising initial descriptions or nonlinguistic representations of terms
Using understandings of roots and affixes to deepen knowledge of terms
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

57. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step 5: Periodically the Students are asked to Discuss the Terms with One Another
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

58. Ideas for student discussion:
Organize students into small groups asking them to discuss terms in the vocabulary section of the academic notebook.
Prompts for discussion could include:
terms interesting to students
questions about specific terms
identify terms with multiple meanings
favorite terms
terms that were difficult to learn and why
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

59. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Step 6: Periodically Students Are Involved in Games That Allow Them to Play with the Terms
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60. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
Fun with Words
Charades
Pictionary
Gestures
Taboo
Hangman
Great web site for classroom games
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

61. Reflect on the Vocabulary development process…
How is it different from traditional vocabulary instruction?
Which steps are in the process are value added components?
What parts of this are you already doing in your school day?
What would you have to do to fully implement this process?
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Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools

62. Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools
As we look to utilizing this research, it is imperative that we follow the guidelines and maintain both the integrity of the program and focus on building academic background knowledge.
11/21/2018
Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools