What is K-W-L
A "Know, Want to know, Learn Chart" (K-W-L) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. (Ogle, 1986)
The purpose of K-W-L holds several several advantages. K-W-L charts elicit students' prior knowledge, sets a purpose for the students to read, and helps students to monitor and track their own comprehension. Utilizing this beneficial strategy consists of a few steps to follow to ensure success and understanding for the students.
Using K-W-L in the classroom
A "Know, Want to know, Learn Chart" (K-W-L) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. (Ogle, 1986)
The purpose of K-W-L holds several several advantages. K-W-L charts elicit students' prior knowledge, sets a purpose for the students to read, and helps students to monitor and track their own comprehension. Utilizing this beneficial strategy consists of a few steps to follow to ensure success and understanding for the students.
Using K-W-L in the classroom
- Choose a text that is appropriate for the grade level and ability of the students.
- Create a K-W-L chart. This chart should be created on the blackboard or projected on an interactive whiteboard or overhead projector. Distribute a second copy for the students to have on their desks to record the information as they go.
Ask students to begin brainstorming words, terms, or phrases they associate with the topic and record these elements in the "K" portion of the chart.
Suggestions to assist in the "K" column:
Suggestions to assist in the "W" column:
Suggestions to assist in the :L: column:
Finally, have a class discussion about the information that students recorded in the "L" column.
(Ogle, 1986)
This exercise can be expanded by adding an "H" to the strategy. The "H" will stand for How and be represented by new questions that students pose about the topic. Example:
Tie it to writing
This strategy already contains the writing element of formulating questions and ideas and writing them down in a recording chart. Extend this writing element by having students write a summary of what they knew, wanted to learn, and learned from the text. This could be presented in an informative paper format and assigned to students after finishing the text.
The following video provides an excellent example of the steps suggested above. There is first a posted chart which the teacher fills out with questions, statements, and examples from the text. It also shows the teacher prompting the students to answer questions about the organizer and the text. This is a great resource to begin implementing this strategy.
Suggestions to assist in the "K" column:
- Prepare questions to help students brainstorm. Example: "Tell me everything you know about ________."
- Encourage an explanation for these associations especially for student associations that are vague or unusual.
Suggestions to assist in the "W" column:
- If students response to the prompt of "What would you like to learn about this topic is "nothing", try asking the following: “What do you think you will learn about this topic from the text you will be reading?”
- Prepare your own questions. Contribute questions that will focus the students ideas on thoughts they may not have focused on. Keep teacher questions to a minimum, most of the questions in the "W" column should be from the students.
Suggestions to assist in the :L: column:
- Students should be encouraged to not only record answers to their questions, they should also record anything they found particularly interesting while reading the text. Making a "code" to distinguish between answers to questions and interesting content. by using a check mark for answers and and a star by interesting content, students can stay organized and keep track of their ideas.
- Student can consult additional resources to answer questions about the text.
Finally, have a class discussion about the information that students recorded in the "L" column.
(Ogle, 1986)
This exercise can be expanded by adding an "H" to the strategy. The "H" will stand for How and be represented by new questions that students pose about the topic. Example:
- "How can I learn more or answer questions not answered in my worksheet"
These include other sources of information, including: organizations, experts, tutors, websites, librarians, etc.
Tie it to writing
This strategy already contains the writing element of formulating questions and ideas and writing them down in a recording chart. Extend this writing element by having students write a summary of what they knew, wanted to learn, and learned from the text. This could be presented in an informative paper format and assigned to students after finishing the text.
The following video provides an excellent example of the steps suggested above. There is first a posted chart which the teacher fills out with questions, statements, and examples from the text. It also shows the teacher prompting the students to answer questions about the organizer and the text. This is a great resource to begin implementing this strategy.
This video is an excellent example of how the K-W-L chart can go across content areas. The K-W-L chart in the video is a large display that is worked on as an entire class. This video shows an entirely different way of utilizing the K-W-L chart as a whole class project. It also provides a fantastic referencing resource for the students when used in this way.
References:
Mooney, Margaret. (October 1990). "Reading To, With, and By Children." Richard C. Owen Pubs., Inc.
Ogle, D.M. 1986. K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. Reading Teacher
Huffman, L. E. (1998). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 41(6), 470-472. Combine focus questions (5 W and 1 H) with K-W-L.
Mooney, Margaret. (October 1990). "Reading To, With, and By Children." Richard C. Owen Pubs., Inc.
Ogle, D.M. 1986. K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. Reading Teacher
Huffman, L. E. (1998). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 41(6), 470-472. Combine focus questions (5 W and 1 H) with K-W-L.