Background Knowledge & Comprehensible Input

Building Background

English learners who emigrate from other countries bring a variety of experiences that are very different from most students in the main stream classroom.  Even for those students who are born in the United States, culture may have an impact on reading comprehension.   

It has been a widely accepted idea that a learner’s “schemata,” or knowledge of the world, plays a part in understanding, learning and remembering facts and ideas.  For EL students there may be a disconnect between the concepts presented in class, which are written and designed around culture in the US, and their own cultural background. An effective teacher can present information in a way that students can understand keeping in mind their language development needs and any gaps in their educational experiences.   Building background is crucial in filling the gaps and helping students access grade-level content concepts  (Echevarría, Short, & Vogt, 3013).  

Comprehensible input

Communication must be made understandable through speech that is appropriate to students’ proficiency levels.  Slower speech (but natural speech) and more repetition may be needed for beginners.  Instructions for assignments and activities must be clear and presented step-by-step through modeling using visuals for each step if needed.  

Reading comprehension skills and writing skills are positively correlated with oral language proficiency in English.    (Echevarría, Short, & Vogt, 3013)

Echevarría, J., Short, D. J., & Vogt, M. (3013). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners The SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson.