K-W-L
Educator
Donna Ogle
Donna Ogle is Professor of Education at National-Louis University in Chicago
The Know (K)-want to Know (W)-Learned (L)--KWL strategy, originated by Donna Ogle in 1986, is a versatile and powerful means to help students construct meaning. The procedure may be simplified to the following ones:
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Teacher draws the K-W-L chart (shown below) on a writing board and writes the topic (generally expository or factual) above the chart.
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Ask the students what they already know about the topic and as they share their ideas, write them (right or wrong) in the K column.
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Tell students to ask what they want to know and as they ask the questions, write them in the W column.
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Present the material (text book pages, hand-out, power point, video, etc. ) and have students read, listen, or see silently. Remind them that the purpose of reading (listening or watching) is for verifying what was recorded in K and W columns as well as to find something new.
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Ask the students what they found to verify items in K column, and to answer questions in W column. After ticking off the verified items in K column, write the answers to W-column questions, in L column. Also, check what additional ideas they have found and write them in L column. You may extend the L column to fit more information.
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Items not verified or answered are given to students as follow-up, research activities.
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This strategy is versatile as almost any subject area can be taught by this means, and with any level of learners. You may also convert it into an individualized learning activity by giving K-W-L work sheets and letting students fill in this as a work sheet.
As you can see, the K-W-L strategy serves multiple purposes even as it helps in constructing meaning. Some of these other purposes include: 1) activating prior knowledge, 2) encouraging discussions, 3) promoting student questioning, 4) setting a purpose for reading (listening or watching), and 5) facilitating follow-up research.
To increase the motivation of students, follow the steps crisply (do not drag the initial discussions). Encourage even wrong answers as students have an opportunity to verify and correct them. What a superb way to correct the wrong concepts students have about a topic!
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