K-W-L Chart Strategy
The K-W-L Strategy Chart (Ogle, 1986) 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 (nea.org).
The K-W-L Strategy is one of my personal favorites. I use these in my Health class almost every unit. Students enjoy the fact that it gives them a preview of what to expect and that it is an active and on-going strategy. When the students As a teacher, I like the fact that I gain valuable information about their prior knowledge of a topic. This allows me to adapt the lesson in order to aid the learning process. I also like that K-W-L charts very extremely quick and convenient. The video below provides a quick example of how easy K-W-L charts can be and why they are effective. I like how the video stresses that K-W-L charts set a purpose for reading.
The K-W-L Strategy is one of my personal favorites. I use these in my Health class almost every unit. Students enjoy the fact that it gives them a preview of what to expect and that it is an active and on-going strategy. When the students As a teacher, I like the fact that I gain valuable information about their prior knowledge of a topic. This allows me to adapt the lesson in order to aid the learning process. I also like that K-W-L charts very extremely quick and convenient. The video below provides a quick example of how easy K-W-L charts can be and why they are effective. I like how the video stresses that K-W-L charts set a purpose for reading.
Examples
Why Use a K-W-L Chart?
KWL charts have a number of uses that engage students in the learning process.
At the beginning of a lesson KWL charts:
(Carlson, A. M. 2003-2015)
KWL charts have a number of uses that engage students in the learning process.
At the beginning of a lesson KWL charts:
- Activate students' background knowledge and get students thinking about what they already know about the topic to get them ready to connect prior knowledge to new learning.
- Establish the purpose for the lesson or unit and set the goals for the learning, letting students know what to anticipate from the lesson.
- Engage students in asking questions about the new content and pique their curiosity, giving them the chance to share their questions with one another.
- Students recognize that the lesson is answering their questions. These answers can be written down as soon as they learn them.
- Students can keep track of their learning by seeing that they have unanswered questions to follow up on.
- Students may add new questions that pop up during their learning as they deepen their understanding of the new concept.
- Students use KWL charts to summarize their learning using simple, easily expressed ideas.
- Students can compare their take-away learning to their classmates' and add ideas that they left out to make a more comprehensive list.
- Teachers can use KWL charts to review the day's learning before changing topics. This is a way to scaffold learning for students who process new information more slowly and to make sure they have a high quality list of important points from the lesson.
- Teachers can use KWL charts as informal assessments to determine whether students really 'got it' and how to modify their instructional approach for the students who struggled with the new content.
- Students can use KWL charts as a study guide for unit exams.
(Carlson, A. M. 2003-2015)
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A modified version of this strategy that I like to use in select Health lessons is the KWHLAQ chart, similar to the one to the left. Adding an 'H' column, which asks the question, How do I find out?, allows students an opportunity to research where to find more information on a topic. The 'A' column, What Action will I take?, is a very important concept in Health. This allows students to think about how they will act in specific situations. This really works good in drug/alcohol/peer pressure type units. The 'Q' allows students to jot down any questions that they have along the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqio26afllA
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Sources
Ogle. D. M., (1986). K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39(6), 564-570
K-W-L (Know, Want to Know, Learned). (2002-2015). Retrieved July 15, 2015 from
http://www.nea.org/tools/k-w-l-know-want-to-know-learned.html
Carlson, A. M., (2003-2015). KWL Chart: Example Graphic Organizer and Classroom Applications. Retrieved July 15, 2015 from
http://study.com/academy/lesson/kwl-chart-example-graphic-organizer-and-classroom-applications.html
All examples retrieved July 15, 2015 from:
https://www.google.com/search?q=kwl+chart&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI_of7wbvgxgIVRRg-
Ch1vsQvh#tbm=isch&q=kwl+chart+example&imgrc=S5YAtZfVZ_m6DM%3A