Activating Prior Knowledge for Deeper Reading Comprehension

Activating prior knowledge is a powerful reading comprehension strategy that encourages students to connect what they already know to new information. When students pause to think about their experiences, vocabulary and background knowledge before reading, they’re far more likely to understand and engage with a text.

This 20-slide teaching presentation provides everything you’ll need to teach this valuable reading comprehension strategy to your students. It includes the following content: 

• A definition of the activating prior knowledge strategy
• An explanation of how and when to use the strategy
• Examples of metacognitive questions to ask when applying the strategy
• A guided, whole-class activity (based on a literary text)
• Check for understanding activities

Once your students have engaged with this resource, they’ll have a clear understanding of how to activate their prior knowledge before reading and why this strategy supports enhanced comprehension.

Read on to learn more about why this strategy is so important to explicitly teach to our elementary students.

How Activating Background Knowledge Strategies Benefit Readers

As mentioned above, combining prior knowledge with the new information in a text can increase students’ understanding of a topic. Here are some other reasons why this skill is crucial to creating meaning from texts:

• Encourages active participation in reading – Instead of passively decoding words, students become thinkers by activating their prior knowledge. They ask themselves questions while engaging with texts, turning reading into a more active process.
• Builds confidence for reluctant readers – Students who often feel unsure during reading tasks gain confidence when they realize they already have knowledge to contribute. Even a simple connection can provide a strong starting point.
• Improves retention and recall – Making connections by activating prior knowledge helps students remember what they’ve read. It becomes part of their existing knowledge rather than something they quickly forget after the lesson.

Download to Teach Background Knowledge in Reading

Ready to bring this reading comprehension strategy to life in your classroom? This teaching presentation is designed with busy teachers in mind! Simply download, open and teach: no extra prep required!

This resource downloads as either a Microsoft PowerPoint or a Google Slides file. You can access both file formats via the Download button above. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides presentation before accessing it.)

With built-in examples, guided practice and an independent activity, you’ll have everything you need to model, scaffold and reinforce this essential comprehension skill in a structured and engaging way.

Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter collaborator, contributed to this resource.

More Prior Knowledge Activities From Teach Starter

Once your students have engaged with this slide deck, you may be looking for more resources to further their understanding of how to activate prior knowledge when reading. Click below to explore more curriculum-aligned worksheets and activities for this key reading comprehension strategy, created by our experienced and passionate team.

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