I like to think of background knowledge like velcro. The more we have, the more little stickery hooks
we have to connect to our reading. We understand what we read and remember it better.
All of us need a working knowledge of basic fairy tales, myths, and Bible stories to be able to be successful readers. I also encourage parents to talk about current events at the dinner table, have their children watch shows on the Discovery channel, rent historical fiction movies, and subscribe to magazines and newspapers. Museum visits, travel, and virtual trips on the Internet also increase our background knowledge.
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