red and white nescafe ceramic mug
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What is Background Knowledge in Reading, Why is it Critical to Improving Student Outcomes and a 5 Step Guide to Building Background Knowledge

In my first year in the classroom, I was teaching English and Legal Studies at a tough school where many students were far below grade level. Legal Studies was fine but teaching English seemed like voodoo magic, and I was struggling. The way we were teaching reading, writing and analysis just didn’t seem logical to…

woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
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Stop teaching reading comprehension and start teaching background knowledge – 4 reasons why this is a game changer for you and your students!

My initial teacher education did not equip me with adequate knowledge on the Science of Reading. This caused me to rely on ineffective reading comprehension practices that tired me out. Most critically, these practices also weren’t working for my kids. My hope is that this post empowers you to take control of your classroom in…