Teaching Made Simple

016. The Dos and Don’ts of Background Knowledge

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Have you ever been in a situation where everyone around you seemed to know something you didn’t? That was me in a leadership team meeting when I was asked to pick my favorite Muppet character. I only knew two: Kermit and Miss Piggy. My lack of background knowledge totally changed how I approached the task—and it reminded me how often our students are in the same position with reading.

In this episode of Teaching Made Simple, we’re diving into why background knowledge matters so much for comprehension, what it actually is, and the do’s and don’ts that make it work in the classroom.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • What background knowledge really is—and why it’s more than just a quick pre-reading activity.
  • How it shows up on Scarborough’s Reading Rope and why it’s essential for long-term memory and comprehension.
  • The key do’s of building background knowledge, from focusing on student diversity to building knowledge before, during, and after reading.
  • The biggest don’ts—like piling on more passages, making it feel like another assignment, or confusing “fun” with actual learning.
  • Simple, practical ways to assess background knowledge without extra work.

    • By the end of this episode, you’ll see that background knowledge isn’t about giving students more to do—it’s about giving them the tools they need to actually make sense of what they read.

    🎧 Listen in, reflect on your own classroom practices, and let’s simplify how we approach background knowledge together.

    0:00 Intro

    10:36 Do #1

    16:00 Do #2

    18:24 Do #3

    22:06 Don't #1

    24:02 Don’t #2

     

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    Teaching Made SimpleBy Bridget Spackman