A reader background knowledge can influence reading comprehension background knowledge includes all of the experiences that a reader brings to a text life experiences educational experiences knowledge of how texts can be organized rhetorically knowledge of how one first language works knowledge of how the second language works and cultural background and knowledge reading comprehension can be significantly enhanced if background knowledge can be activated by setting goals asking questions making predictions teaching taxt structure and so on if students are reading an unfamiliar topic you may need to begin the reading process by building up background knowledge