MTTC 103 Elementary Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Guide

Activating background knowledge is a crucial practice for supporting emergent readers because it helps them connect new information with what they already know. This connection is vital for comprehension and retention as it establishes a framework that enables children to interpret and make sense of the text. When teachers intentionally activate background knowledge, they encourage students to recall relevant prior experiences, vocabulary, and concepts. This process not only prepares students for the reading material but also engages them and enhances their understanding.

While setting a purpose before reading can guide students on what to focus on and using textual evidence to draw conclusions fosters critical thinking, these practices are secondary to the foundational process of activating background knowledge. Similarly, determining a text's main idea involves comprehension skills that come into play after the reader has engaged effectively with the material. Therefore, the emphasis on activating prior knowledge directly links to creating a more meaningful reading experience for emergent readers.