Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement Sioux Falls

Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement Sioux Falls School District 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 1

Introduction • Knowing strong academic background knowledge impacts students’ academic achievement in school. We must use the most effective strategies to create indirect experiences to build student background knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 2

How does building background knowledge fit with what we are already doing? • The processes involved in Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge are aligned with Value Added. • The Sheltered Instruction model being used by ELL supports the instructional process in Building Background Knowledge. – – Key vocabulary emphasized Student journals Word study books Contextualizing vocabulary 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 3

Food for Thought • What does the research say? • How do we build background knowledge for our students? – The power of wide reading and language experience. – Direct vocabulary instruction. – Defining an academic vocabulary. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 4

Overview • In order to bridge the gap for our students we must provide them with indirect experiences that build their academic background knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 5

The Importance of Background Knowledge • What students already know about the content is one of the strongest indicators of how well they well learn new information relative to the content. • Academic background knowledge affects more than just “school learning. ” – Studies have also shown its relation to occupation and status in life. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 6

Knowledge is Power • A students’ academic background knowledge has impact on the rest of their lives • Success in school has strong bearing on their earning potential. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 7

How we acquire background knowledge • Our ability to process and store information – Fluid intelligence • The number and frequency of our academically oriented experiences 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 8

1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 9

The Consequences of Poverty • Findings in Figure 1. 4 characterize the relationship between poverty an academic success after controlling for ethnicity, family structure, and mother’s education. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 10

The Consequences of Poverty • Findings in Figure 1. 4 characterize the relationship between poverty an academic success after controlling for ethnicity, family structure, and mother’s education. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 11

Schools can Make a Difference • Direct approaches to Enhancing academic Background Knowledge – Provide enriching experiences – Establishing mentoring relationships • Indirect Approaches: A Viable Answer 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 12

Six Principals for Building an Indirect Approach 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 13

1. Background Knowledge is stored in bimodal packets in the episodic memory • Glossary of terms –Episodic memory—specific learning episodes –Semantic memory—general understandings over time –Bimodal memory packets • Linguistic-logogen; episodic & semantic propositional networks (The smallest unit of knowledge that can stand as a separate assertion. ) • Nonlinguistic-imagens; nonlinguistic representations that accompany the propositional networks) 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 14

Propositional networks depicting a specific event 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 15

Information moves from propositional to de-contextualized propositional 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 16

2. The Process of Storing Experiences in Permanent Memory Can Be Enhanced • First we must understand the three functions of our memory 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 17

Three Functions of Memory 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 18

3. Background Knowledge is Multidimensional and Its Value Is contextual • No general set of background knowledge helps us learn in every situation. – Little or no carry over between subjects – Common core = some carry over • Enhancement of Academic background knowledge must be done subject by subject. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 19

4. Even Surface level Background Knowledge Is Useful • When we retrieve a packet of information for use in working memory, we initially access its surfacelevel characteristics only. • Knowledge of a given topic is organized in a hierarchy. – Top level knowledge - specific facts – The next level – more general characteristics – The next level – even more general characteristic associated with the broadest category the word would fit 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 20

5. Background Knowledge Manifests Itself as Vocabulary Knowledge • Hard facts to support this statement: – Research indicates that vocabulary knowledge is highly correlated with family income – Estimated 4, 700 word difference between High and low socioeconomic students (SES) – Mid-SES 1 st graders know 50% more words than Low-SES – High SES 1 st graders know twice the words of Low-SES 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 21

What does this mean for out ELL students? • Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may struggle to comprehend a text or concept presented in class because their schema do not match those of the culture for which the text is written or because they do not understand the academic vocabulary written in English. • Teachers must also be aware of the level of vocabulary knowledge students, especially at secondary levels, nee in order to be successful in content classes. Both Sheltered Instruction and Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge emphasizes the need to practice key terms that will strengthen students’ vocabulary knowledge. Research by Robert Marzano on 1/10/2022 What Works in Schools 22

6. Virtual experiences Can Enhance Background Knowledge • Virtual Experience: – Information must move from the sensory memory to the working memory (Remember the camping example of how the information moved from the episodic memory to the semantic memory. This is a necessary step in solidify the learning process. ) 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 23

The continuous learning process: 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 24

Reflect… • How effective do you feel you are at planning and using strategies that support what we know about the brain and how it learns? • What teaching strategies support our brain’s process of storing information in both linguistic and nonlinguistic memory packets? • What components of your last year’s Value Added training utilizes this brain research? 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 25

Reading is a Form of Virtual Experience • In the working memory the virtual experience is for all practical purposes the same as the direct experience. • Although it is cliché, it is accurate think of reading as a “magic carpet” to new places and experiences • Reading provides the promise of every student’s having a rich array of virtual experiences 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 26

Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) supports the positive impact reading can have on background knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 27

Language Interactions as a Form of Virtual Experience • The more students talk and listen to others, the more virtual experiences are generated • Hart and Risley’s research indicates: – By the time children in welfare homes are 1 year only they have only about 50% of the language experience of children from workingclass families and only 30% of the language experience of children from professional families. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 28

Educational Television as a Form of Virtual Experience • Research indicates: – Watching general television programs = little impact on the development of background knowledge – Watching educational television significantly enhanced the development of such knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 29

Tapping the Power of Wide Reading and Language Experience • Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) – To be effective the SSR program must have specific characteristics and must be continuous over many years – If done only a year or two the gains might by evident initially but will fade when the program ceases 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 30

More information to support wide reading • Research has shown that past the 4 th grade, the number of words a person knows depends primarily on how much time they spend reading (Hayes & Ahrens, 1988; Nagy & Anderson, 1984; Nagy & Herman, 1987; Stanovich, 1986) • Adults that make a habit of reading have a vocabulary that is about four times the size of those who rarely or never read. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 31

Recommended Modified SSR • Eight Factors needed: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Access (to wide selection of informational reading) Appeal ( books with topics of interest to students) Conducive environment (comfortable surroundings) Encouragement (explicit praise) Staff training ( consistent implementation using effective strategies) 6. Non-accountability (student choice and interest driven not teacher assigned) 7. Follow-up activities (cooperative grouping/relationship building) 8. Distributed time to read (non fiction) 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 32

A Five Step Process 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 33

Step One: Students Identify Topic of Interest to Them • I-Search helps with the process • Students gather information about a topic of interest, synthesize and organize the information and use it to complete a written response or project of some sort • Personal Read and Reflect Time (PRRT) • Students may change their topic at any time 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 34

Step Two: Students Identify Reading Material • Students use the classroom library and the school library to begin choosing material from which to read and “I-search” their topic • Model—Guided selection and large group activity to begin the process 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 35

Step Three: Students are Provided Uninterrupted Time to Read • Teachers and students should have 20 to 30 minute sessions, twice a week for SSR /Personal Read and Reflect Time (PRRT) • Schedules can be building-wide, grade-bygrade, or class-by-class • Put class rules in place that all must follow • Consider best placement of SSR/PRRT during the school day 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 36

Step Four: Students Write about or Represent Information in Their Notebooks • Use of Academic Notebook (two sections-PRRT and vocabulary) • Responses to reading must be recorded in the notebook • Free responses—open ended responses, expressive writing (linguistic and non-linguistic responses) • Structured responses—guided questions to promote moving knowledge to permanent memory Research by Robert Marzano on 1/10/2022 What Works in Schools 37

Step Five: Students Interact with the Information • Student interaction doesn’t just happen—teacher serves as helper • Group activities must have explicit structure and purpose • Demonstrate interaction activities- taking turns speaking, listening and questioning • Organize into groups of three to five • Students share topic and one thing that they have learned about their topic • Not all students must share each time 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 38

Reflect on the SSR/PRRT process… • What steps of this process are you already doing in your school day? What steps do you need to change in your instruction? • How do the steps of this process capitalize on what we know about how the brain learns best? • Which steps are in the process are value added components? • What would you have to do to fully implement this process? 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 39

Building Academic Background Through Direct Vocabulary Instruction • The Case for Direct Vocabulary Instruction – Three Generalizations: 1. Estimates of vocabulary size vary considerably 2. Wide reading may not enhance vocabulary as much as once thought 3. Direct vocabulary instruction 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 40

Characteristics of Effective Direct Vocabulary Instruction 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 41

Characteristic 1: Effective vocabulary instruction does not rely on definitions When people first learn words, they understand them more as descriptions of words as opposed to definitions. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 42

Characteristic 2: Students must represent their knowledge of words in both linguistic and nonlinguistic ways. – For information to be anchored in permanent memory, it must have linguistic (language based) and nonlinguistic (imagery based) representations 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 43

Characteristic 3: Effective vocabulary instruction involves the gradual shaping of word meanings through multiple exposures – To understand words at a deeper level, students require repeated and varied exposure to words, during which they revise their initial understandings. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 44

Characteristic 4: Teaching Word Parts Enhances students’ Understanding of Terms 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 45

Characteristic 5: Different types of Words Require Different Types of Instruction • Nouns – General – Specific 1/10/2022 • Verbs – General – Specific Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 46

Characteristic 6: Students should discuss the terms they are learning • Discussion helps students encode information in their own words, helps them view things from different perspectives, and allows for self-expression 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 47

Characteristic 7: Students Should Play with Words – Games: • Present manageable challenges for students • Arouse curiosity • Involve some degree of fantasy arousal 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 48

Characteristic 8: Instruction Should focus on Terms that have a High Probability of enhancing academic success. – Beck and Mckeown (1985) suggest that vocabulary be thought of in three tiers: • Tier 1 -most basic words • Tier 2 -appear infrequently enough in reading that there is little chance of learning them in context • Tier 3 - words specific to subject areas 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 49

Six Steps to Effective Vocabulary Instruction • Applying the Eight Characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction in a program to enhance background knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 50

Step 1: The Teacher Provides a Description, Explanation, or Example of the New Term 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 51

Step 2: Students Restate the Explanation of the New Term in Their Own Words • Students construct their own explanations based on what the teacher has presented and write them in their academic notebooks, which are divided into subject areas. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 52

Step 3: Students Create Nonlinguistic Representation 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 53

Examples of nonlinguistic representations: • • Graphic organizers (Kidspiration) Drawings Photographs Pictographs Students can also be encouraged to create mental pictures and act out meanings of new words. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 54

Step 4: Students Periodically Do Activities That help Them Add to Their Knowledge of Vocabulary Terms 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 55

Possible Activities • • • Comparing terms Classifying terms Generating Metaphors using terms Generating Analogies using terms Revising initial descriptions or nonlinguistic representations of terms • Using understandings of roots and affixes to deepen knowledge of terms 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 56

Step 5: Periodically the Students are asked to Discuss the Terms with One Another 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 57

Ideas for student discussion: • Organize students into small groups asking them to discuss terms in the vocabulary section of the academic notebook. • Prompts for discussion could include: terms interesting to students questions about specific terms identify terms with multiple meanings favorite terms that were difficult to learn and why 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 58

Step 6: Periodically Students Are Involved in Games That Allow Them to Play with the Terms 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 59

Fun with Words • • • Charades Pictionary Gestures Taboo Hangman Great web site for classroom games http: //www. teachersdesk. org/spell_plans. ht ml 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 60

Reflect on the Vocabulary development process… • How is it different from traditional vocabulary instruction? • Which steps are in the process are value added components? • What parts of this are you already doing in your school day? • What would you have to do to fully implement this process? 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 61

As we look to utilizing this research, it is imperative that we follow the guidelines and maintain both the integrity of the program and focus on building academic background knowledge. 1/10/2022 Research by Robert Marzano on What Works in Schools 62