What has the greatest impact on reading comprehension?

The greatest impact on reading comprehension is attributed to background knowledge. Children bring their own experiences and understandings to what they read, significantly influencing their ability to make sense of the material. When students encounter new texts, their comprehension is often enhanced when they can connect the content to what they already know. This prior knowledge allows them to infer meaning, understand context, and relate to the subject matter, which is essential for deeper comprehension.

While vocabulary knowledge, fluency, and reading strategies are all important components that contribute to reading comprehension, they do so in conjunction with background knowledge. A strong vocabulary aids in understanding words and phrases, fluency helps in reading smoothly and quickly, and effective reading strategies enable students to approach texts with various analytical tools. However, without sufficient background knowledge, these aspects may not fully support comprehension, as students may struggle to connect new information to what they already understand. Thus, background knowledge plays a critical role in ensuring that readers can interpret and engage with texts meaningfully and effectively.