It is a composite of who we are, based on what we have learned from both our academic and everyday experiences. Students learn and remember new information best when it is linked to relevant prior knowledge. Alice Moses, Program Director of the National Science Foundation, calls on students' prior knowledge during a third-grade science lesson on magnetism. Prior knowledge influences how the teacher and students interact with the learning materials as both individuals and a group. Teachers can use class discussions and graphic organizers to activate and illustrate students' prior knowledge.
Teachers also can use prior knowledge to make instruction more meaningful.
As the world changes, students must learn to understand and appreciate the experiences and contributions of people from different backgrounds. A culturally responsive education links curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the students' experiences, language and culture, in other words, to their prior knowledge. Hubert Dyasi, director of the City College Workshop Center, New York, NY, talks about the importance of a cultural frame of reference to a child's prior knowledge, group standing, and self-esteem. The challenge is to find the knowledge and practices in family and community life that have a common orientation with what the schools seek to teach. Luis Moll, Associate Professor in the College of Education at the University of Arizona, describes how one teacher has created a productive classroom environment by blending traditional educational activities with the cultural influences his students receive at home.