Glossary · Comprehension and language
What is background knowledge?
Definition
Background knowledge is what a reader already knows about a topic and the world, which lets them fill gaps, make inferences and understand a text.
Texts leave a lot unsaid. A sentence like “The batter struck out, and the crowd groaned” means little to someone who doesn't know baseball. Every word is easy; the meaning is not.
Studies of reading have found that knowledge of a topic can matter more than general reading skill for understanding a text about that topic. A weaker reader who knows a lot about baseball often understands a baseball story better than a stronger reader who doesn't.
So building knowledge is reading instruction. Read-alouds on science and history topics, sets of related books, and discussion all add to what students bring to the next text. It's slow, but it builds on itself: each new piece of knowledge makes the next text easier.
In a lesson
Before a story set on a farm, a teacher asks what the students know about farms. One student has never seen one, so the teacher shows a short video and explains what a silo and a barn are.
Why does this matter for the record?
If comprehension drops sharply on certain topics, note the topics. It often points to a knowledge gap rather than a reading skill gap.
Rate each skill as you teach it
Needs support, Developing, Secure. The rating schedules the review and builds the report.