The Role of prior knowledge in learning

Prior knowledge (also called background knowledge) is what a person already knows about the content. Research has shown that when students can connect what they are learning to accurate and relevant prior knowledge, they learn and retain more.

Indeed, a large number of studies have proved the role of prior knowledge in improving reading comprehension.

Using direct instruction strategies has shown much promise with diverse elementary, junior, and high school students. These include introducing difficult concepts contained in a text before reading and providing plot and character synopses before reading narrative text.

Likewise in math and science, research has demonstrated that asking students questions about key concepts and/or clarifying them before teaching the content increases achievement.

However, it would be a mistake to think that prior knowledge leads always to students’ success. Preexisting ideas can distort or interfere with the new content.

If students’ prior knowledge is insufficient for a task or learning situation, it may fail to support new knowledge.

This is what happens often when I ask my students whether they know about a given concept before proceeding to the new lesson. They say “YES, we learned this before“.

But, asking them to generate what they already know I find that such preexisting knowledge is not sufficient. There are still gaps that I should cover before introducing new content.

Knowing what is a very different kind of knowledge than knowing how or knowing when.

Your students may know facts and concepts (they have declarative knowledge). For instance, they can state scientific facts.

But, they do not know how or when to apply them (they lack procedural knowledge). So, they’re weak at applying those facts to solve problems, interpret, data, and conclude.

Therefore, knowing as instructors about the knowledge requirements of different tasks we should not assume that because our students have one kind of knowledge that they have another.

Besides, there are cases where students draw on prior knowledge that is inappropriate for the learning context.

For instance, students apply the conventions of a personal narrative to writing an analytical paper. When learning a foreign language, students apply the grammatical structure they know from their native language to the new language.

Here, prior knowledge may actively distort or impede new learning.

Still, even when prior knowledge is sufficient and accurate, without teachers’ support some students may not make connections to relevant prior knowledge spontaneously.

Therefore, it is essential to assess our students’ background knowledge. This allows us not only to design our instruction appropriately, but also recognize when they are applying what they know inappropriately, and actively work to correct misconceptions.

The 3 strategies we are suggesting in this post will help you not only assess but also develop your students’ prior knowledge.

#1 Determine the extent and quality of students’ prior knowledge

It’s so necessary to determine the extent and quality of your students ’ prior knowledge, relative to the learning requirements of your course.

This will help you know more about your students’ knowledge and abilities. And so you’ll be able to design instructional activities that connect to, support, extend, and correct students’ prior knowledge if needed.

To find out about your students’ prior knowledge, you can administer a quiz or an essay at the beginning of the semester that gauges your students’ knowledge and skill about your course.

For instance, if you are teaching English, create a short quiz asking students to use grammatical rules. Or ask them to write essays/paragraphs about a particular topic (language areas they learned before).

Another way to assess their background knowledge is by administering a concept inventory. This is a multiple-choice format, that is designed to include incorrect answers that help reveal common misconceptions.

Yet, finding out about students’ prior knowledge is an ongoing process that persists beyond those first weeks of school.

So, look always for patterns of error in students homework assignments, quizzes, or exams and note commonalities across the class.

Also, observe their performance in class: the kind of questions they raise, their answers, and their reflections (if you’re using reflective worksheets or portfolios).

Paying attention to these patterns of error can alert you to common problems and support you in targeting instruction to correct misconceptions or fill gaps in understanding.

#2 Activate relevant prior knowledge

Connecting new knowledge to prior knowledge is essential. So, it is advisable to begin a lesson by asking students what they already know about the topic in question.

There are different ways to do so. Here are some examples :

• Use brainstorming

Brainstorming can help expose students’ prior knowledge. Using graphic organizers can prompt them to brainstorm ideas and activate their background knowledge.

Charts can be used for this purpose at the beginning of a lesson or unit.

Draw the Known and Unknown chart, the KTN Chart (what I Know, What I Think I Know, What I Need to Know), or the KWL chart (What I Know, What I Want to Know, What I Learned).

Then, ask students an open-ended question about the concept, such as: “What comes to mind when you think about entrepreneurship”?

Students indicate individually what they already know about this topic, what they think they know, and what they are curious about or want to know. With the KWL they also write what they learned at the end of the lesson.

Other graphic organizers help activate students’ background knowledge. Selecting which type to use depends on the kind of prior knowledge you want to explore.

For instance, Flow Charts can help generate students’ prior knowledge about the stages or steps of a process. Venn diagrams to associate new content with topics students already know, and to compare and contrast their notions before and after instruction.

Whereas, you can opt for a concept map if your concern is students’ knowledge of concepts, ideas, and the relationships among them.

During those brainstorming sessions, be sure to allow some time for students to express and discuss their ideas. This will help you understand more the rationale behind their thinking.

• Link new material to prior knowledge from your course

Our students should develop the ability to connect new learning to what they already know. For this reason, activating their prior knowledge needs to be an integral part of our teaching practices.

Such knowledge doesn’t need to concern daily life or material covered in previous years.

We also need to activate relevant prior knowledge gained earlier in the same course.

So, consider framing particular lectures, discussions, or readings in relation to material learned previously in the semester.

For example, you might begin class by saying, “Think back to the research design used in article X from last week ”. Or “ Where have we seen this phenomenon before“?

Students can also be encouraged to look for connections within course materials in other ways. For example, you can ask them to write reflection papers that connect each reading to other readings and to larger themes in the course.

Promoting students’ discussions can also help elicit their knowledge from earlier in the semester and connect it to new material.

#3 Support students to develop accurate and sufficient prior knowledge

Our task as instructors is also to fill in gaps where they exist and help students revise inaccurate knowledge.

So, how should teachers address critical gaps in students’ prior knowledge relative to the learning requirements of their courses?

If only a few students lack important prerequisite knowledge, you can devote some extra time to explain it to them and give them assignments.

If these students seem capable of acquiring it on their own, you might consider providing them with a list of terms they should know and the skills they should develop. Then, let them fill in the gaps on their own.

But, what if they couldn’t do so and teachers couldn’t manage time to explain things to them?

In this case, you can start your lesson with a revision session. Invite other students to explain and clarify to their peers what they should know and do.

Another option is to differentiate your instruction. This is through grouping students by shared needs and providing a variety of tasks that cover them.

If a larger number of students lacks sufficient prior knowledge that is a critical foundation for the material you planned to cover, you need to devote one class to a review of such important prerequisite material.

How about inaccurate knowledge? How can teachers correct it?

One strategy to help your students revise inaccurate knowledge is to ask them to justify their reasoning. This helps reveal internal contradictions and bring them to the point where they seek accurate knowledge.

Another strategy is to provide students with multiple opportunities to use accurate knowledge. Because correcting their misconceptions may not suffice. They need to apply accurate knowledge repeatedly to reinforce it.

Don’t forget to allow sufficient time for students to revise and rethink their prior knowledge. Correcting deeply held misconceptions and employing the reasoning necessary to overcome them is not an easy task for students.

These are the strategies that can help you harness the power of students’ prior knowledge. So, consider connecting everyday experiences with classroom topics and intentionally engaging preexisting knowledge with new classroom content. You will promote meaningful and lasting learning.