All of our experiences, memories, and beliefs play into how and what we learn. In part, this is because our perspectives and backgrounds contribute to how we interpret information. This prior knowledge is part of our schema. Schema refers to what we already know, and it plays a critical role in making learning meaningful for students. When learning happens in a vacuum, unrelated to what the child already knows, it can feel purposeless. But when we deliberately help our students connect new learning to their schema, their understanding of that new material will be stronger. They will also be more motivated to learn it because they already have a foothold! Kids love using their prior knowledge because it helps them make sense of the world around them.
How to activate students’ schema
An especially powerful way to activate schema in the classroom is through reading books. Lots of students can relate to the characters in children’s books and the situations they find themselves in. This naturally leads students to activating schema because of the personal connections they build with characters. Asking questions like “what does this remind you of?” or “Describe a time when something similar happened to you,” can help students tap into their prior knowledge. This will let them begin making connections between their own lives or the world around them, and what they are reading.
A classic example of activating schema in the classroom is an activity called a K-W-L chart. This is where students are introduced to a topic by first thinking about what they already know about the topic. Then they brainstorm what they want to know about the topic, and eventually, fill in what they learned about the topic. While students typically do this activity in a whole group classroom setting, there is no reason students can’t use the same approach when learning on their own.
How to teach kids to activate their own schema
In some of our previous posts, we have discussed the importance of helping students build metacognition. Teaching students how to activate their own schema is a great way to help them be more metacognitive. This means bringing awareness to what they already know about a topic. It could simply mean independently filling out a K-W-L chart prior to researching for an upcoming essay, or brainstorming what they remember about the characters from a book series before starting the next installment.
More important than the actual activities students are doing to activate their schema, is how we teach them to think about it. The best way to teach them how to think about their thinking is through modeling. Show them what it looks like to make these connections in different contexts. Helping students understand the role of schema and its importance in learning is crucial in helping them build meaningful connections.
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