KWL Charts
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KWL Charts are a great way to help students to develop reading comprehension skills as they engage students to make 'personal connections between the text and their prior knowledge, support the developments of prior knowledge, support the development of higher level thinking skills, and be used effectively to develop an awareness of narrative and expository text structures' (Hill, 2012.pg 231). Teachers could use KWL charts to help focus on any one of Block and Parris’s Nine Successful strategies for reading comprehension. Teachers can adapt the below KWL lessons to suit the strategies teachers wish to focus on. It can be used in all primary school levels with picture books, fiction and non-fiction books.
Whole Class: Before reading a new book show students the front cover. Read out the title and allow students to have time to look at the pictures on the front cover. Discuss with the students what they think the book might be about and why. K stands for what students know- so direct students thinking to what they know about the book or he book topic. Teacher can record student’s thoughts on a large KWL Poster
W is for what they want to know or learn about the book topic. Student can pose questions before reading the book and the teacher writes them down. Whilst reading the book out loud to the students allow them to have a pen and paper in order to write down thoughts and questions that have popped into their heads or any answers to their questions. If it is a novel, allow time at the end of each read aloud to discuss new questions or investigate if any previous questions have been answered
After reading discuss with the students the answers to their questions and write them under L for what I learnt.
Small groups: KWL charts can be used in small literacy groups before studying a new book.
Individual: Individuals can benefit from a KWL chart by starting one before they start a new book- could be used in class or a homework activity.
*Work sheet sourced from http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Speak-Think-Understand-KWL-Chart-241002