NCTE 2024

Historically, the perception of education is that teachers are experts whose primary task is to impart knowledge to students. This presentation will outline ways in which teachers can challenge this system by recognizing and harnessing students’ own background knowledge. In doing so, teachers will access an effective tool in developing oral proficiency, reading comprehension, and interpersonal connections in the second language classroom.
This presentation will first explore how integrating students’ background knowledge into day-to-day classroom interactions will enhance vocabulary acquisition and student engagement, thus resulting in increased oral proficiency. This session will then explore the role of background knowledge in literacy development, offering strategies on how to leverage what students bring to the classroom to improve reading and writing. Lastly, the presentation will discuss the role of lived experiences, personal stories, and individual perspectives as central to developing relationships, empathy, and understanding. By the end of the presentation, teachers will be equipped with a variety of strategies to help them find out what students know and to effectively integrate this knowledge into their daily instruction.