Module 3: Exploring Language Comprehension
Building Background Knowledge
Let’s explore how building background knowledge can impact a child’s ability to understand and engage with new information. As we know, comprehension is more than just reading words on a page; it’s about making connections, and integrating new information with what we already know.
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Making Room for Owls that Dig (51.7 KB)
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To demonstrate this, let’s start with a simple text about owls that a young reader might encounter in school. As you read, think about what you learn from the text alone. What facts and details stand out to you?
Now, let’s watch a video about owls. While you watch, consider how the video could add to a child's understanding of the topic. What information is clarified or expanded on? What connections could a student make to the text?
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Pause/Play video playback |
| Enter | Pause/Play video playback |
| m | Mute/Unmute video volume |
| Up and Down arrows | Increase and decrease volume by 10% |
| Right and Left arrows | Seek forward or backward by 5 seconds |
| 0-9 | Fast seek to x% of the video. |
| f | Enter or exit fullscreen. (Note: To exit fullscreen in flash press the Esc key. |
| c | Press c to toggle captions on or off |
Reflect
After reading the text and viewing the video, respond to the following questions:
- How could the video enhance or change a student’s understanding of the information presented in the text?
- Are there any concepts or details that might become clearer, more memorable, or more engaging because of what students saw in the video?
