K-W-L Strategy Chart
What is it?
* The K-W-L strategy is a comprehension strategy that helps readers activate prior knowledge about a topic.
* K-W-L gives students a purpose for reading and helps monitor comprehension.
* A K-W-L chart is composed of three columns with the following labels:
K: What we Know W: What we Want to Learn L: What We Learned
* The chart is used before and after reading of a topic
* Examples of K-W-L Charts:
* K-W-L gives students a purpose for reading and helps monitor comprehension.
* A K-W-L chart is composed of three columns with the following labels:
K: What we Know W: What we Want to Learn L: What We Learned
* The chart is used before and after reading of a topic
* Examples of K-W-L Charts:
How To use a K-W-L Chart in the classroom:
1) Choose an appropriate text that covers the necessary content.
2) Create a K-W-L chart that students can see on a white board, overhead, Smartboard, easel etc. to be used as a class chart.
3) Make sure students have a copy of a chart in front of them. Students may create their own chart by taking a blank piece of paper and folding it into three columns.
4) Introduce the topic to the class and have students look through the text.
5) Have students record words, phrases, and terms that they know from the text into the "What I know" column of their K-W-L chart. Set a goal of 3-5 items in this column.
6) Have students share their ideas with the class after they are done recording as many items as the can, recording ideas onto the class chart.
7) Now have students record questions they have about the text/ content of the lesson in the "What I Want to Know" column. Set a goal of 3-5 questions for this column.
8) Again, have students share ideas with the class from this column after they have developed as many questions as they could, recording ideas shared onto the class chart.
9) Students should now read the text, while keeping their K-W-L chart available in front of them.
10) After reading, students should fill the "What I Learned" column with 5-7 concepts learned while reading.
11) Have students share ideas with the class and record onto the class chart.
12) Model analyzing the K-W-L chart for students using a think aloud to look at how prior knowledge connected to the text, if the questions developed were answered through the text, and to identify questions that haven't been answered.
13) After students have familiarized with using the K-W-L chart as a class, allow students to begin completing these charts independently.
2) Create a K-W-L chart that students can see on a white board, overhead, Smartboard, easel etc. to be used as a class chart.
3) Make sure students have a copy of a chart in front of them. Students may create their own chart by taking a blank piece of paper and folding it into three columns.
4) Introduce the topic to the class and have students look through the text.
5) Have students record words, phrases, and terms that they know from the text into the "What I know" column of their K-W-L chart. Set a goal of 3-5 items in this column.
6) Have students share their ideas with the class after they are done recording as many items as the can, recording ideas onto the class chart.
7) Now have students record questions they have about the text/ content of the lesson in the "What I Want to Know" column. Set a goal of 3-5 questions for this column.
8) Again, have students share ideas with the class from this column after they have developed as many questions as they could, recording ideas shared onto the class chart.
9) Students should now read the text, while keeping their K-W-L chart available in front of them.
10) After reading, students should fill the "What I Learned" column with 5-7 concepts learned while reading.
11) Have students share ideas with the class and record onto the class chart.
12) Model analyzing the K-W-L chart for students using a think aloud to look at how prior knowledge connected to the text, if the questions developed were answered through the text, and to identify questions that haven't been answered.
13) After students have familiarized with using the K-W-L chart as a class, allow students to begin completing these charts independently.
How this strategy benefits student learning:
* "When teachers repeatedly and explicitly teach this strategy to students through modeling, guiding, and independent practice, it can later become a strategy that readers may choose to use in order to better comprehend" (Miller, 2011, p.57).
* "Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987)" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.2).
* "A KWL chart may be used as a short introduction to a lesson, to stimulate prior knowledge, or at the start of a research paper or project. This can help students push beyond their existing comfort zone to learn new and different material" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.11).
* "Consider adding an "H" column for "How to Find Out" the information in the "Want to Know" column. Discuss with the students appropriate resources for acquiring information in various subject areas, which may lead to a discussion of bias in text. Discuss matching needs with resources, keeping in mind that sometimes a face-to-face interview may glean more information on a particular issue than reading a text" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.13).
* "Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987)" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.2).
* "A KWL chart may be used as a short introduction to a lesson, to stimulate prior knowledge, or at the start of a research paper or project. This can help students push beyond their existing comfort zone to learn new and different material" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.11).
* "Consider adding an "H" column for "How to Find Out" the information in the "Want to Know" column. Discuss with the students appropriate resources for acquiring information in various subject areas, which may lead to a discussion of bias in text. Discuss matching needs with resources, keeping in mind that sometimes a face-to-face interview may glean more information on a particular issue than reading a text" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.13).
Using this strategy with writing:
* Students can implement writing with a K-W-L charts to reflect on their learning.
* "Students can write an explanation of what they learned and examine whether they were incorrect about any information. This can be an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and to articulate their thought processes" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.16).
-Supporting Common Core State Standard in Writing Grades 6-8: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
* "Students can write an explanation of what they learned and examine whether they were incorrect about any information. This can be an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and to articulate their thought processes" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.16).
-Supporting Common Core State Standard in Writing Grades 6-8: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Supporting videos:
-This video below demonstrates a teacher using the K-W-L chart in her classroom, showing how the strategy can be implemented in various subject areas.
- Click on the black box below to another video that provides a demonstration of the K-W-L strategy being used in the classroom and how it structures student learning to help students become talented writers.
Research Says....
* "The K-W-L Strategy Chart is one of the most widely used instructional practices with expository text" (Miller, 2011, p.57).
* "Research suggests that students' prior knowledge about the content is one of the strongest predictors of their success with learning new content" (Miller, 2011, p.55).
* "KWL charts are especially helpful as a prereading strategy when reading expository text and may also serve as an assessment of what students have learned during a unit of study" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.1).
* "KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr & Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.3).
* "The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a student's prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.5).
Sources:
Miller, M., & Veatch, N. (2011). Literacy in Context: Choosing Instructional Strategies to Teach Reading in Content Areas for Students in Grades 5-12. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
TeacherVision. (2014). Using "KWL" in the Classroom. TeacherVision. Retrieved July 21, 2014 from https://www.teachervision.com/graphic-organizers/skill-builder/48615.html.
* "Research suggests that students' prior knowledge about the content is one of the strongest predictors of their success with learning new content" (Miller, 2011, p.55).
* "KWL charts are especially helpful as a prereading strategy when reading expository text and may also serve as an assessment of what students have learned during a unit of study" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.1).
* "KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr & Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.3).
* "The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a student's prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives" (TeacherVision, 2014, para.5).
Sources:
Miller, M., & Veatch, N. (2011). Literacy in Context: Choosing Instructional Strategies to Teach Reading in Content Areas for Students in Grades 5-12. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
TeacherVision. (2014). Using "KWL" in the Classroom. TeacherVision. Retrieved July 21, 2014 from https://www.teachervision.com/graphic-organizers/skill-builder/48615.html.