Background Knowledge

by Amber Miller

May 8, 2025

Background knowledge is key to understanding what we read in any text. Still, it takes on a unique role in historical fiction with a setting and characters that may be unfamiliar to the reader. Why is background knowledge so necessary? Read this article by Dan Willingham: How Knowledge Helps (2006). Willingham suggests that knowledge helps us learn by 1) helping us take in, think about, and remember new information and 2) helping us solve problems. Specific to reading, consider how background knowledge might help us choose between multiple meanings of a word or make an inference (Neuman et al., 2014). 

There are two significant considerations regarding background knowledge: building background knowledge and activating that knowledge before reading a text. 

Building Knowledge

How can we build knowledge? Here are a few ideas:

• Situate text within larger themed units

• Encourage wide reading about topics

• Explicitly teach relevant vocabulary

• Don't neglect science and social studies instruction

  
  

Activating Knowledge

A widespread practice is to activate background knowledge before reading a text. Research supports this practice (Shanahan, 2010), but some important considerations must be remembered. First, consider what background knowledge is genuinely essential to comprehension. For example, before reading The Little Engine That Could (Piper, 1930), is it necessary to deeply understand locomotives? No, because the story is about perseverance ... so that may be where you want to focus your energy. A second related consideration is how much time is spent activating background knowledge. For example, is it essential to spend a week learning about post-WWI Paris before reading Madeline (Bemelmans, 1939)? Of course not - again, you would go back to what is needed for comprehension. Listen to Tim Shanahan share a few more thoughts on the topic of activating background knowledge in this video:

With all of this in mind, as you read historical fiction, ask yourself:

• What knowledge is necessary for understanding the text?

• What does the author assume the reader is bringing?

• What connections can my students make to other texts or content?

• How would I activate or build background knowledge before reading this book?