Building Background Knowledge Is Key to Reading Comprehension

If you've ever wondered why some students breeze through complex texts while others struggle to make sense of even simple passages, the answer may lie in something deeper than decoding skills. Building student knowledge about the world, history, science, literature, and more is a powerful key for unlocking true reading comprehension.

Below, explore a series of thought-provoking podcast episodes that unpack the critical role of background knowledge in literacy development. These conversations with specialists, including leading researchers and curriculum experts, highlight how knowledge-rich instruction is essential to student comprehension.

“Knowledge and Comprehension with Daniel Willingham and Barbara Davidson” 

This episode explores knowledge and vocabulary as critical components of reading comprehension. Daniel Willingham, author and cognitive psychologist, shares compelling research on how background knowledge enables readers to make inferences and understand complex texts, demonstrating that the Science of Reading extends well beyond phonics. Barbara Davidson, executive director of the Knowledge Matters Campaign, highlights the importance of content-rich, coherently sequenced curricula in building knowledge over time. Together, Daniel and Barbara emphasize how high-quality ELA programs can support both literacy equity and student engagement through integrated reading and writing anchored in meaningful content.

Discover how knowledge plays a powerful role in reading comprehension.

Join the conversation for insights and practical strategies you can use to strengthen comprehension in your classroom.

• How does background knowledge influence your students’ ability to comprehend complex texts? Consider specific examples from your classroom, where students’ understanding—or confusion—may have stemmed from their prior knowledge.
• In what ways does your current ELA curriculum intentionally build knowledge across grades or units? Reflect on whether there is a coherent sequence of topics and how that may affect comprehension over time.
• What might shift in your writing instruction if students were regularly writing about what they are learning in ELA texts? Think about how knowledge-rich content might support stronger, more engaged.
  
  

“Re-thinking the Reading Rope with Nell Duke”

Nell Duke re-examines Scarborough’s Reading Rope—now more than 20 years old—and discusses how the Science of Reading has evolved. Drawing on her article “The Science of Reading Progresses,” Nell unpacks a revised view of reading that moves beyond the Simple View, emphasizing the complexity of comprehension and the limitations of existing models.

This episode also explores her practitioner-focused piece “The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction,” which highlights what decades of research reveal about how to effectively foster students’ comprehension in real classrooms.

If you think the Reading Rope says it all, think again.

Join Nell Duke as she challenges and expands our understanding of reading and discover what decades of research really say about teaching comprehension.

• What instructional practices in your classroom already reflect the evolving Science of Reading? Where do you see opportunities to deepen or shift your instruction?
• How might you explicitly address comprehension processes, such as inference-making or synthesis, in daily lessons? Think about both whole-group instruction and scaffolding for individual students.

“Sonia Cabell on the Importance of Content-Rich ELA Instruction”

Sonia Cabell, associate professor at Florida State University, explores the vital role of both oral language and content knowledge, which are grounded in decades of research, in effective ELA instruction. Sonia explains how oral language lays the foundation for reading comprehension and how background knowledge is a primary factor in how much a student understands a text.

The conversation highlights how content-rich instruction is central to literacy success, touching on every strand of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. You'll walk away from this episode with a deeper appreciation for how integrating content and language development supports more effective reading instruction.

Building students’ oral language and background knowledge can dramatically enhance their comprehension of and engagement with text.

Learn how content-rich, language-focused teaching is essential for students.

• How can content-rich instruction promote equity in your classroom? Are there students who might benefit most from increased access to deep, meaningful content?
• What adjustments could you make to integrate vocabulary, speaking, listening, and knowledge building more seamlessly across the day?

“Placing Text at the Center of the ELA Classroom with Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel”

In this lively and insightful episode, literacy leaders Meredith Liben and Sue Pimentel unpack the original intent behind the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and explore how those intentions have been both upheld and misunderstood in today’s classrooms.

Meredith and Sue reflect with candor and clarity on what happens when high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are present and when they're not. The conversation includes timely topics such as the connection between comprehension and assessment as well as how content-rich, complex texts can increase students’ fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge.

If you've ever wondered whether you're using the standards the way they were meant to be used or wondered how to shift away from shallow assessments, this conversation is your road map.

• What role does assessment play in your instruction, and does it align with deep comprehension or surface-level skills?
• In the absence of HQIM, what patterns or challenges have you observed in your classroom or school? How might strong materials change students’ experience?
• How do you currently track student progress in reading and writing? What alternative approaches might provide a richer picture of learning?

“Tim Shanahan Shares About Strategies and Knowledge Building”

Hear from literacy expert Tim Shanahan as he discusses the balance between strategy instruction and knowledge building in reading comprehension. Drawing from his widely discussed blog post Prior Knowledge, Or He Isn't Going to Pick on the Baseball Study, Shanahan dives into what reading strategies really are, how they differ from skills, and how often they should be taught.

He challenges common misconceptions, addresses the overuse of strategies in some classrooms, and emphasizes the vital role of building background knowledge.

What happens when we overemphasize strategies and insufficiently develop student knowledge?

Whether you're rethinking your reading block or refining your approach to comprehension, Tim Shanahan breaks down the research for practical application in your classroom.

• How often do you use reading strategies in your instruction, and are they embedded within meaningful content? Could a shift in frequency or approach improve student understanding?
• How do you distinguish between reading skills and reading strategies in your teaching? How might clarifying this difference affect your instruction?
• What role does background knowledge play in your students’ ability to comprehend text? Are there opportunities to build this more intentionally?

ELA programs such as Arts & Letters™ and Wit & Wisdom® are rooted in the belief that knowledge building is essential to reading comprehension. Every module is designed around rich, grade-level texts that help students make deep connections across content areas. As highlighted by the Knowledge Matters Campaign, this text-centered approach—anchored by purposeful writing, strategic questioning, and visual literacy—ensures that students are engaging with content in meaningful, lasting ways.

Putting Knowledge at the Center of Literacy Instruction

Whether you’re new to the Science of Reading or deep into your literacy journey, one fact is clear: Building student knowledge is foundational to student understanding. We hope these episodes spark new thinking, inspire reflection, and offer practical ways to bring richer content into your instruction. Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep putting knowledge at the heart of your classroom.

Follow the Melissa & Lori Love Literacy podcast to join a community of educators who are committed to bringing the latest Science of Reading research to life in their classrooms.