What term refers to the knowledge and experiences readers bring to a text?

The term that refers to the knowledge and experiences readers bring to a text is prior knowledge. Prior knowledge encompasses all the background information, experiences, beliefs, and understandings that a reader has amassed prior to engaging with a new text. This knowledge allows readers to make connections with the material, predict content, and enhance comprehension, ultimately influencing how they interpret and understand what they are reading.

Contextual knowledge relates more specifically to understanding the context in which a text was written or is being read, rather than the personal background knowledge an individual reader possesses. Content knowledge refers specifically to familiarity with the subject matter of the text, while textual knowledge implies an understanding of the text's features and format but does not encompass the broad background that prior knowledge includes. Thus, prior knowledge is the most fitting term to describe the individual reader's unique framework that aids in processing new information.