Which theory posits that comprehension relies on activating background knowledge?

Which theory posits that comprehension relies on activating background knowledge?

• A. Schema Theory
• B. TPR
• C. CALLA
• D. LEA

Answer: (A)

Comprehension is tied to the background knowledge you bring to a text. Schema theory says we interpret new information by connecting it to our existing mental structures, or schemas. When you read, you activate relevant schemas—your experiences, topics you know, language patterns—and that activation helps you fill in gaps, make predictions, and integrate new details with what you already understand. For English learners, activating prior knowledge before and during reading helps bridge unfamiliar vocabulary and ideas with something familiar, making meaning more accessible. The other options don’t capture this specific mechanism as clearly. The approach that uses physical actions to teach language focuses on linking words to movements rather than how background knowledge shapes understanding. The method that integrates language development with content and strategy instruction includes strategy use, but the core idea in the question is about comprehension arising from activated prior knowledge, which schema theory most directly describes. The approach that uses students’ own experiences to create reading materials emphasizes personal experience, rather than the general role of activating background knowledge in processing text.

Comprehension is tied to the background knowledge you bring to a text. Schema theory says we interpret new information by connecting it to our existing mental structures, or schemas. When you read, you activate relevant schemas—your experiences, topics you know, language patterns—and that activation helps you fill in gaps, make predictions, and integrate new details with what you already understand. For English learners, activating prior knowledge before and during reading helps bridge unfamiliar vocabulary and ideas with something familiar, making meaning more accessible.

The other options don’t capture this specific mechanism as clearly. The approach that uses physical actions to teach language focuses on linking words to movements rather than how background knowledge shapes understanding. The method that integrates language development with content and strategy instruction includes strategy use, but the core idea in the question is about comprehension arising from activated prior knowledge, which schema theory most directly describes. The approach that uses students’ own experiences to create reading materials emphasizes personal experience, rather than the general role of activating background knowledge in processing text.