Component #2 – Building Background
Building a background is important for students because “schemata are the readers’ concepts, beliefs, expectations, processes – virtually everything from past experiences – that are used in making sense and actions” (pg. 54). Every student will come to the classroom with a different background and previous learning experiences: understanding this concept is essential for the teacher when it comes to how information is delivered. Students who have not experienced snow are not likely to do well on a question that involves snow, because the concept is foreign to them. That is why teachers must build background knowledge that will allow the student to be successful in areas that are they are not familiar with.
Teaching vocabulary prior to the start of unit or lesson can help develop a baseline of knowledge to set the student up for success. ELL’s are expected to learn the same material as English speaking students even though the English speaking students often have spent years more of building their vocabulary. Academic language is important in students’ success in school and is comprised of three key elements, content words, process/function words, and words and word parts that teach English structure (pg. 59). Fortunately for the general education teacher there are several activities that are conducive to vocabulary acquisition. Word walls, personal dictionaries, word sorts, concept definition maps, and vocabulary games are all activities that can easily be injected into lessons in all content areas and boost vocabulary attainment and retention.
Building a background is important for students because “schemata are the readers’ concepts, beliefs, expectations, processes – virtually everything from past experiences – that are used in making sense and actions” (pg. 54). Every student will come to the classroom with a different background and previous learning experiences: understanding this concept is essential for the teacher when it comes to how information is delivered. Students who have not experienced snow are not likely to do well on a question that involves snow, because the concept is foreign to them. That is why teachers must build background knowledge that will allow the student to be successful in areas that are they are not familiar with.
Teaching vocabulary prior to the start of unit or lesson can help develop a baseline of knowledge to set the student up for success. ELL’s are expected to learn the same material as English speaking students even though the English speaking students often have spent years more of building their vocabulary. Academic language is important in students’ success in school and is comprised of three key elements, content words, process/function words, and words and word parts that teach English structure (pg. 59). Fortunately for the general education teacher there are several activities that are conducive to vocabulary acquisition. Word walls, personal dictionaries, word sorts, concept definition maps, and vocabulary games are all activities that can easily be injected into lessons in all content areas and boost vocabulary attainment and retention.