Background knowledge is the wealth of knowledge children gain and formulate through all their experiences. They bring background knowledge into the classroom from their daily experiences within their homes and communities. Children develop background knowledge in one or more languages, and it transfers back and forth. Background knowledge helps children organize, compare, contrast, and categorize new knowledge and vocabulary.

For example, many children know how to wash their hands, play with a ball, or turn on a television. This is background knowledge.

Background knowledge also includes what children know about cultural traditions. For example, many children know from their own cultures how to greet elders, how to behave in public, and how to address adults.

Children who are multilingual learners have a variety of experiences depending on their family’s culture, language/s, social class, religion, emigration experiences, etc. Also, children with disabilities who are multilingual learners may develop unique types of knowledge and understandings based on their experiences with various physical, cognitive, or linguistic challenges. With more interactions, exposure, and experiences, children are increasingly able to recognize and reflect upon aspects of different environments.

Children who are multilingual learners bring various funds of knowledge that help all children increase their background knowledge.

We need to draw from the knowledge and ideas children have acquired or developed in their home languages and home experiences to connect them to the classroom. Connecting new information with familiar knowledge aids learning.

Collage of Ideas

Now, let’s build a Collage of Ideas. Attached is the handout Puzzle Pieces where there are shapes you can cut out.

This activity will help you practice building background knowledge in your own classrooms through language development. You will work to brainstorm a new, interesting experience to introduce to your students. Think about ways to support language development with this experience around which you’re building background knowledge.

Consider that you have at least six children who are multilingual learners. One of the children has motor difficulties, as well as mild language delays in both their home language and in English. Also consider that the children may not all speak the same language. Complete the puzzle pieces from the handout to form a collage.

List which words, songs, books, etc. you plan to use to help all the children develop background knowledge by participating in the interesting experience. Call out specific details about curriculum modifications you can use to individualize teaching for children who may need more support. Read through the tips and examples provided by the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning in their Background Knowledge supplement to learn more about curriculum modifications.

For example, an interesting experience might be watching snails eat. What would children need to know or learn to actively engage in such an activity? What language is associated with this experience? (i.e. What is a snail? What do they eat? How do they eat? Where do they live? How do they get food? What happens when they eat?)

references

Head Start ECLKC (2019, April 8). Planned language approach (PLA): Big 5 for all. [Online article]

Moll, L. C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31(2), 132-141.

National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (2019). The Big 5 Highly individualized teaching supplements: Background Knowledge. [PDF]

Summary of early literacy components. (2019). [PDF]