K-W-L Chart
Table of Contents
Bloom's Level
Use
Setting
Activity
Technology
Related Strategies
Description
A K-W-L chart is a graphic organizer that helps students keep track of their learning before, during, and after a unit of study. The graphic organizer is typically organized in three columns representing each part of the K-W-L acronym: Know, Want to know, and Learned. At the start of a topic or unit of study, students activate prior knowledge by completing the first column, listing what they already know. In the second column, they record what they want to know or questions they may have. Teachers may provide guidance to align students’ questions with the learning objectives. After engaging with the topic through readings, multimedia, research, or activities, students complete the third column to indicate what they learned. Implementing a K-W-L chart is an active learning strategy that supports comprehension and assessing prior knowledge and learning.
When To Use It
As a learning strategy, use a K-W-L chart when you want students to:
- activate prior knowledge and make connections to what they are learning
- make connections between prior knowledge and new knowledge
- track their learning during the learning process
- take ownership of their learning and generate questions to answer
- take notes during the learning process
- summarize their learning
- identify components of a problem to determine how to solve it
As an instructional strategy, use a K-W-L chart when you want to:
- introduce a new topic by activating prior knowledge
- assess students’ prior knowledge and learning
- identify and correct misconceptions and gaps in learning before or after a unit of study
- facilitate an inquiry-based approach to learning
- build comprehension skills through active learning
- give students a purpose for learning
How To Use It
Advance Prep
- Identify the learning objectives and goals of the unit of study to maintain alignment as students complete the K-W-L chart.
- Prepare a few questions to guide students as they describe what they know, want to know, and learned.
- Determine the learning materials (readings, videos, etc.), tasks, or activities with which students will engage as they build knowledge on the topic.
- Decide whether you will complete a whole-class K-W-L chart or whether students will complete them individually, in pairs, or in small groups. You may wish to engage students in a whole-class K-W-L chart in addition to having them complete their own as they go through the learning process. Plan to model how to use the K-W-L chart.
- Gather the necessary materials based on how you will use the chart (printed copies, access to a digital copy, chart paper and markers, etc.).
Implementation
- Introduce the topic to students and display a K-W-L chart. Explain the purpose of each of the three columns: Know, Want to know, and Learned. Explain that before they engage with the learning materials, they will complete the first two columns (K-W), recording what they already know about the topic and what they want to know. After they have engaged with the learning materials, they will record what they learned about the topic in the third column (L).
- Distribute the K-W-L charts to students or have them create their own.
- Begin by asking students: What do you know about this topic?” Have them brainstorm and record their ideas individually or in small groups. Use additional prompts if needed to activate their prior knowledge.
- Have students share what they know and list their responses on a whole-class chart. Decide whether it’s appropriate to use this as an opportunity to correct misconceptions and errors, or wait until students have had a chance to engage with the learning material to see if they will self-correct. Some teachers choose to address misconceptions or errors after students have shared what they learned.
- Ask students: What do you want to know about this topic? Some students may have difficulty generating questions for the “Want to Know” column. Encourage them to think about who, what, when, where, why, and how questions related to the topic, or provide prompts to focus their questions based on the learning materials or activities.
- Have students share what they want to know and record their responses on the whole-class chart. You may also choose to review the learning goals at this time. If you are using the K-W-L chart to help students break down components of a problem to solve, such as a math problem, guide students to think about what they need to know to solve the problem.
- After students have added responses to the first two columns, they are ready to begin engaging with the learning materials. You may have students record what they have learned at different points in the unit of study (end of the lesson, end of the week, end of the unit, etc.).
- Encourage students to revisit the first two columns after they record what they learned to identify misconceptions and to check off questions they answered in the “Learned” column.
- Convene the whole class and have students share what they learned as you record their responses on the whole-class chart. Use this opportunity to correct errors and address misconceptions.
While providing guidance and prompts can help students maintain focus as they complete a K-W-L chart, students should work toward using this chart independently as a tool to support their learning.
Pros
- Promotes students’ ownership of their learning
- Supports retention of the learning material
- Actively engages students in the learning process
- Uses a simple structure for organizing information and questions
- Flexible and easily adaptable to meet the needs of diverse learners
- Applicable to all subject areas
Cons
- Students with limited or no prior knowledge may have difficulty completing the first two columns.
- Without prompts, some students may have difficulty generating substantive questions and maintaining focus on the topic.
- Struggling readers may have difficulty completing the third column if the learning materials are text-based.
Culturally Responsive Application
Using a K-W-L chart supports culturally responsive teaching because it allows students to document their thinking and learning process in a way that makes sense to them. K-W-L charts encourage students to connect their prior knowledge and experiences with what they are learning, and they give students ownership of their learning by asking them to generate and seek answers to their own questions.
Emerging English Language Support
KWL charts can be used by teachers to make learning English more enjoyable. The use of this KWL chart is used as a solution for teachers to solve students’ problems in reading texts, especially scientific for senior high school students. KWL charts helps the teachers in teaching reading scientific text more interesting, so that it will motivate students to comprehend the text.
Students with Disabilities Support
K-W-L is more than just a graphic organizer, it also serves as a question-asking and answering tool to promote active engagement, monitor, and help students ask and answer questions about the text.
Subjects
All
Why It Works
The K-W-L chart is a student-directed and active learning strategy to guide students in bringing together the theoretical and practical elements on their journey to becoming independent critical thinkers and decision-makers (REF17). KWL Chart is a three-part strategy to activate student knowledge and encourage active thinking in science and to develop and strengthen writing (REF18). KWL could be used for weak students to improve reading comprehension (REF19).