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Building Background Knowledge for Reading Comprehension

The Syllabus is similar to the syllabus for a course. It is your primary reference for information regarding the module. The online capability of the module allows you to access information directly from Levels II and III of the module, but selected elements of those levels also appear in the syllabus to give you a single source for key information. You may find it helpful to have a hard copy of the syllabus available for reference.



Module Overview:

There are nine major goals for this module. Upon completion of this module, you should be able to do the following:

  1. Define world knowledge schemata and explain how it is used with regard to reading comprehension.


  2. Provide an explanation as to why students with learning disabilities typically have a weak world knowledge base.


  3. Explain the role of teaching devices and routines in enhancing understanding, organization, and recall of world knowledge for students with learning disabilities.


  4. Give examples of the different ways to approach vocabulary development.


  5. Define the important aspects of vocabulary knowledge as well as the different factors in learning new words.


  6. Describe the challenge that teachers face with respect to building vocabulary for background knowledge.


  7. Define 'concept' and know what it takes to understand a concept.


  8. Describe effective teaching practices that enhance concept learning.


  9. Explain the key elements in the understanding of concepts that will serve as important considerations for teaching concepts to students.



Content Map: The content map below provides an overview of the subject matter that will be covered within the Academy's reading Modules.
space Module number zero space
spaceModule spaceOverview of Learning Disabilities and Reading Disabilities
  1. Understanding the Challenge of Reading and Learning Disabilities
  2. Critical Dimensions of Instruction for Teaching Reading to Individuals with Learning Disabilities
  1. Assessing Students' Reading Progress to Inform Instructional Decisions
space Module number one space
spaceModule spaceBeginning Word Reading
  1. The Development of Literacy: As Reading Instruction Begins
  2. Learning about Phonemes
  1. Teaching Phonological Awareness
  2. Beginning Word Reading and Spelling
space Module number two space
spaceModule spaceAdvanced Word Reading and Developing Reading Fluency
  1. Teaching Word Patterns
  2. Conquering Multi-syllabic Words
  1. Developing Reading Fluency
  2. Developing School-wide Reading Fluency Programs
space Module number three space
spaceModule spaceBasic Principles in Reading Comprehension
  1. Good Comprehension Instruction
  2. Language Connections
  1. Strategic Instruction
space Module number four space
spaceModule spaceBuilding Background Knowledge for Reading Comprehension
  1. Constructing World Knowledge Schemata
  2. Vocabulary Development
  1. Concept Development

space Module number five space
spaceModule spaceAnalyzing Text to Enable Comprehension
  1. Understanding Text Structures
  2. Narrative Structure
  1. Expository Structure
space Module number six space
spaceModule spaceGoal Specific Comprehension Strategies
  1. Preview Strategies
  2. Questioning and Visual Imagery Strategies
  1. Paraphrasing and Summarization Strategies
space Module number seven space
spaceModule spacePutting It All Together
  1. Focus on the Reader
  2. Multi-component Strategies
  1. Class- and School-wide Programs for Reading Comprehension

Outline:

The Content Outlines are specific to lessons in this module. They allow you to preview the content to be covered in each lesson and to note how the content for the several lessons combines at the module level to meet the goals for the module. You will also find that the Content Outlines will serve as a useful review feature. Later when you have completed the module and wish to review what was covered in the individual lessons you can return to the Content Outlines.

Building Background Knowledge for Reading Comprehension

  1. Constructing World Knowledge Schemata
    1. Preview
      1. The Three Little Pigs
      2. Solid construction of background knowledge is needed for reading comprehension
      3. Lesson: Focus on world knowledge schemata

    2. Constructing World Knowledge Schemata
      1. Vocabulary, concept understanding, and organized world knowledge helped construct meaning
      2. Comprehension relies on word meanings and interpretation that uses world knowledge schemata

    3. Lesson Purpose and Goals
      1. To provide the information needed to help struggling readers construct the world knowledge schemata they need for reading comprehension
      2. To discuss how world knowledge schemata are used in reading comprehension
      3. To explain why students with learning disabilities typically have a weak world knowledge base
      4. To talk about the role of teaching devices and routines in enhancing understanding, organization, and recall of world knowledge for students with learning disabilities

    4. Lesson Questions
      1. Why is world knowledge schemata essential for reading comprehension?
      2. What are the requirements for constructing the world knowledge that students with learning disabilities may be lacking?
      3. How can world knowledge be constructed with students who have learning disabilities?

    5. Background Knowledge (from Reading #1)
      1. Types of knowledge
      2. Constructs of knowledge
      3. Categories of knowledge

    6. World Knowledge & Reading Comprehension
      1. Uses of world knowledge schemata with reading comprehension
      2. How schemata helped with the Maverick passage

    7. The Struggling Reader and World Knowledge
      1. Underlying factors in problems with world knowledge
      2. Students with diverse cultural backgrounds
      3. Effects of problems with world knowledge on reading comprehension

    8. Teaching Devices and Routines
      1. Teaching devices
      2. Mnemonic devices
      3. Strategic instruction for memory devices
      4. Teaching routines
      5. Recall enhancement routine

    9. Action Plan for Constructing World Knowledge Schemata
      1. Supplement reading experiences
      2. Elaborate on new information you are teaching
      3. Use mnemonic devices
      4. Teach memory strategies to students for their independent use
      5. Co-construct organizers with students
      6. Integrate technology in instruction
      7. Exercise caution in attributing poor learning to cognitive deficits
      8. Mnemonic: U SEE IT Co.

    10. Review
      1. World Knowledge schemata and its relationship to reading comprehension
      2. Kinds of problems students with learning disabilities typically have with world knowledge and how that affects their reading comprehension
      3. Use of teaching devices and routines
      4. Actions to assist with instruction (U SEE IT Co.)


  2. Vocabulary Development
    1. Preview
      1. Vocabulary development
      2. Students with learning disabilities
      3. Lesson goal: To make you aware of specific techniques to help students build vocabulary as part of the construction of the background knowledge they need for reading comprehension

    2. Vocabulary Development
      1. Purpose and Goals
      2. Lesson Questions
      3. Vocabulary Challenges

    3. Vocabulary Knowledge
      1. Kinds of words
      2. Levels of world knowledge
      3. Multiple meaning words
      4. Figurative use of words
      5. Relationship of word and concept knowledge

    4. Mid-lesson Review
      1. Challenges to vocabulary development
      2. Aspects of vocabulary knowledge

    5. Factors Related to Vocabulary Acquisition
      1. Richness of semantic information
      2. Word memory, storage, and retrieval
      3. Multiple encounters with words

    6. Ways to Approach Vocabulary Development
      1. Big ideas for vocabulary teaching
      2. Addressing the big ideas

    7. Review
      1. Challenges to vocabulary development
      2. Aspects of vocabulary knowledge
      3. Students need rich-semantic content
      4. Students need help with memory storage and retrieval
      5. Approach should address the big ideas of instructional techniques
      6. Techniques to provide direct instruction and promote independent learning


  3. Concept Development
    1. Preview
      1. Impact of concept development on academic learning
      2. Readings and handouts

    2. Concept Development
      1. Ms. Benes, 6th grade science teacher
      2. Concept knowledge is needed for background knowledge

    3. Purpose and Goals
      1. To help you understand concept learning, as well as learn effective ways to approach concept development for students with learning disabilities
      2. To define "concepts"
      3. To explore key elements in the understanding of concepts
      4. To discuss concept characteristics, relationships, and connections with language development
      5. To describe effective teaching practices to enhance concept learning

    4. Lesson Questions
      1. What are concepts and what knowledge is required to understand them?
      2. What are effective ways to promote understanding, memory, and integration of concepts in students with learning disabilities?
      3. Why is it important to select critical concepts to teach in depth?

    5. Defining "Concept"
      1. The category or class into which events ideas or objects are grouped; examples and characteristics common to members that belong to the same class
      2. Example: transportation
      3. Careful consideration of examples and non examples is important in defining a concept

    6. Promoting Concept Understanding
      1. Concept characteristics
      2. Concept relationships
      3. Concept development and language development

    7. Mid Lesson Review
      1. Concept definition
      2. Specific practices to promote concept understanding

    8. Effective Teaching Practices
      1. Use visual depictions
      2. Employ concept teaching routines
      3. Select critical concepts

    9. Review and Preview
      1. Review
      2. Preview



Readings: Bulgren, J. A., Lenz, B. K., Deshler, D. D., & Schumaker, J. B. (1995). The Cue-Do-Review Sequence. The concept comparison routine. Lawrence, KS: Edge Enterprises, Inc.

Dyck, N. (2000). Matthew effects (Module IV, Lesson 2). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.), Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org

Ehren, B. J. & Gildroy, P. G. (2000). Background knowledge (Module IV, Lesson 1). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.), Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org

Ehren, B. J. (2000). Memory (Module IV, Lesson 1). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.), Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org

Ehren, B. J. (2000). Mnemonic devices (Module IV, Lesson 1). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.), Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org

Ellis, E. S. (1997). The clarifying routine. Lawrence, KS: Edge Enterprises, Inc.

Gnojek, D., & Weinberg, M. (2000). Graphic organizers (Module IV, Lesson 3). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.), Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org

Nagel, D. R., Schumaker, J. B., & Deshler, D. D. (1986). The FIRST-letter mnemonic strategy. Lawrence, KS: Excel Enterprises, Inc.

McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (1988). Learning vocabulary: Different ways for different goals. RASE, 9(1), 42-52.

McKnight, M. W. (2000). Idiom stories (Module IV, Lesson 2). In B. J. Ehren (Ed.). Building background knowledge for reading comprehension [Online]. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning. Available: Onlineacademy.org Abstract from: Nippold, M. A. (1991). Evaluation and enhancing idiom comprehension in language-disordered students. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 22, 100-106.

Time Estimates: The amount of time required to complete this module will vary. Some students will have more background on the content of the module and thus may work more rapidly on the activities and assessments. Others may require more time to complete the required readings. Some students may prefer to review the presentations more than once or to spend more time on activities. We estimate that the time for completing all lessons and features, including the readings, will average about six hours per module. There are no qualitative performance expectations attached to the amount of time you devote to completing this module. The time you spend in completing lessons and modules is not reported. This is merely an estimate to assist you in planning your time.


Navigation: Pages in this module are organized in a logical sequence from the first to the last page. Use the forward and back arrow in the top right of the menubar to move through the logical sequence of pages. You may also click "ToC" in the top right of the menubar to access the Table of Contents. Menus for each level and lesson appear in the center of the menubar. Access any level menu by clicking the level titles in the center of the menubar.


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