Knowledge Building
Explore articles, free downloads, and practical instructional resources to support intentional knowledge building across the literacy block.
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Recognizing Reading Comprehension Difficulties: Challenges, Indicators, and Effective Teaching Moves
Explore six common reading comprehension challenges, indicators that students may be having difficulty, and teaching moves to support understanding.
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Background Knowledge: A Key to Reading Comprehension
Explore why background knowledge matters for reading comprehension and how helping children build expertise supports their understanding of the texts...
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Talking With Children In Ways that Support Comprehension
Consider how everyday conversations with children can nurture language development and support the understanding they bring to reading.
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Go Deeper, Together
The Six Shifts taught by Kari and Jan, with classroom video and practical routines.
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Shifting the Balance: Developing Readers
Grades 3–5 teachers, coaches, and teams strengthening upper-elementary reading.
Explore the online class →Tools & Classes for Teaching Knowledge Building
Explore classroom tools and professional learning designed to support knowledge building instruction.
The Shift in a Nutshell
In Shifting the Balance (Grades 3–5), Shift 1, “Reconsidering How Knowledge Impacts Comprehension,” names a common practice to reconsider: “We underestimate the role of background knowledge in reading comprehension.” The shift it recommends: