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Knowledge Building

Why is building knowledge important?

Building knowledge is a as it equips learners with the context and background knowledge that they need to fully engage with the texts they are reading. Simply put, the more you know, the better you can understand, and the more you can learn.

The connection between reading, writing, and building knowledge.

Much of the conversation about the Science of Reading has centered around word recognition skills including phonemic awareness, decoding, and sight recognition. While phonics instruction is critical, this simplified view does not address the other equally important factors that help students become successful readers, including the development of background knowledge.

The connection between reading, writing, and building knowledge.

Much of the conversation about the Science of Reading has centered around word recognition skills including phonemic awareness, decoding, and sight recognition. While phonics instruction is critical, this simplified view does not address the other equally important factors that help students become successful readers, including the development of background knowledge.

What does building knowledge look like in the classroom?

Building knowledge is an ongoing process in each student鈥檚 learning journey. Providing students with opportunities to early can help set them up to become successful readers and writers.

Students can build knowledge through a variety of reading, writing, and critical thinking activities that encourage them to activate prior knowledge, ask questions, problem solve, discuss their ideas, and collaborate with others.聽

  • Before Instruction

    Pre-teaching content-specific vocabulary, showing videos, and using anchor charts as a whole class are simple ways to quickly activate background knowledge on a new topic.

  • During Instruction

    Check in with students throughout the lesson to ensure their understanding by asking questions, prompting, and giving them time to discuss in small groups.

  • After Instruction

    Let students reflect on what they鈥檝e learned individually, in small groups, or as a class. Written responses; think, pair, share; graphic organizers; and summary charts are all effective tools for assessing the learning.

We often talk about the 鈥減endulum swing鈥 regarding our profession鈥檚 relationship with reading instruction. But I like to think of it as a spiral... We鈥檙e just drilling deeper and deeper into our collective knowledge about what it takes to teach the brain to read.

Dr. Douglas Fisher, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and 糖心Vlog Author

Fuel Your Knowledge

Take your knowledge to the next level with insights from our experts.

  • Student with teacher writing in a workbook

    Learn more about Building Knowledge in these articles from Literacy experts.

  • Building Knowledge QA by the Experts

    Listen to conversations with Dr. Douglas Fisher, Dr. Kevin Colleary and more.

  • students in classroom writing on paper

    Learn about effective teaching strategies to boost comprehension in K-3 students from 糖心Vlog Author, Marsha L. Roit EdD.

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