Building Background Knowledge in WJCC

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Building Background Knowledge in W-JCC

• Background Knowledge what a person already
  knows about the content.
• --Robert Marzano
• Building Background Knowledge for Academic
  Achievement, ASCD, 2004
• Gary S. Mathews, Ph.D., Superintendent
• School Board Work Session, October 17, 2006

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Why Bother with Building Background Knowledge?

• Differentials Between WJCC and VA Poverty
  Category
• In English -7/-8/-8
• In Math -9/-9/-10
• In Science -13/-6/-6

• Failure to Meet VA Minimum of 70 Passing in 8 of
  9 Instances for Poverty
• In English 57/61/65
• In Math 63/65/53
• In Science 58/67/74

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Why Bother with Building Background Knowledge?

• the research literature supports one compelling
  fact what students already know about the
  content is one of the strongest indicators of how
  well they learn new information relative to the
  content.
• --Robert Marzano
• Building Background Knowledge,
• ASCD, 2004, p. 1

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Two Approaches to Building Background Knowledge

• DIRECT
• Field Trips
• Mentoring

• INDIRECT
• Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
• Direct Vocabulary Instruction (DVI)

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Field Trips

• Powerful when the teacher prepares the students
  for
• what they should look and listen
• how they might dialogue with their
  classmates about their
  observations
• writing that which they feel, dream, or
  aspire

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Mentoring Its Components

• Maintain a steady and consistent presence in the
  students life.
• Take responsibility for keeping the relationship
  alive and realize that it will probably be
  one-sided.
• Involve the youth in decisions about how time
  will be spent and respect the youths viewpoint.
• Recognize the youths need for fun.
• Become acquainted with the youths family.
• --Robert Marzano
• Building Background Knowledge, ASCD, 2004, p. 15

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Mentoring The Impact of A Caring
Conscientious Adult

• 52 less likely to skip school
• 46 less likely to use drugs
• 37 less likely to skip class
• 27 less likely to use alcohol
• --Big Brothers/Big Sisters

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MARZANO ON BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

• If schools had unlimited resources, then the
  answer to helping at risk students,
  especially would be straightforwardprovide
  field trips and mentoring programsdirect
  approaches.
• Carefully planned field trips and mentoring
  programs would go along way toward leveling the
  playing ground in terms of the students academic
  background knowledge.
• Given that schools face fiscal restraints in
  implementing direct approaches, I strongly fear
  that if schools do not implement indirect
  approaches such as those that follow, they will
  continue to be a breeding ground for failure for
  those students who grow up in or near poverty.

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Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) An Indirect
Approach for Building Background Knowledge

• Implement in Elementary, Middle, High
• Fiction Non-Fiction
• Books, Magazines, Internet on Topics of Students
  Choosing
• Not a Free-for-All as Students Read, Write, Draw,
  Reflect, Discuss with Others
• Minimum Twice Per Week for 20-30 Minutes
• Academic Background Is Gained from A Systematic
  and Deliberate Seminar of Ideas on Many Topics
  as Put Forth by All Students of All Backgrounds

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IMPACT OF Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)

• If done right and continuous over many years, SSR
  can successfully build background knowledge for
  students of all stations from the disadvantaged
  to the Harvard-bound.
• Marzano For students enrolled in SSR for more
  than a year when compared to those who are not,
  the difference in achievement is as stark as the
  81st percentile of performance versus the 50th
  percentile!

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Direct Vocabulary Instruction (DVI) An Indirect
Approach for Building Background Knowledge

• With the Standards Movement in the United States
  and the SOLs in VA, we now have pin pointed
  vocabulary for practically every subject area in
  every grade! Marzano Mulligan Teach these
  words!
• Use words that shape the meaning for the new
  vocabulary word provide opportunities to see
  graphic representations give descriptions, not
  just definitions teach and use word parts use
  varied instructional techniques make sure
  students talk to others about the words they are
  learning.

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How Important is Building Background Knowledge?

• Just ask the kindergartner who struggles to know
  colors, shapes, and numbers

• Just ask the doctoral student who sits for
  all-day comprehensive exams!