How Knowledge Powers Comprehension and Reading Success

Nelson Primary Video, November 12, 2025, with Nathaniel Swain

Join Dr Nathaniel Swain for a focused session that spotlights the importance of building and reinforcing rich content knowledge for reading comprehension success. This practical and engaging session will guide teachers and leaders through a discussion of the situation model of comprehension, and demonstrate how knowledge and vocabulary underpins much of the comprehension processes we use want students to master.

Participants will explore how to build and utilise logical and coherent sequences of content-rich texts drawing on evidence and research. By the end of this session, participants will:

1. Understand the critical role of background knowledge and vocabulary in successful comprehension.

2. Recognise how content-rich text sequences can support the situation model of comprehension.

3. Identify practical ways to design and teach with content-rich sequences of text that strengthen students’ reading outcomes.