The K-W-L-H teaching technique is a good method to help students draw on prior knowledge and add it to that understanding as they read and reflect.
The K-W-L-H stands for:
- K: What students KNOW about the subject.
- W: What they WANT to learn.
- L: What they LEARN as they read.
- H – HOW they can learn more (further sources where additional information can be found).
Sample K-W-L-H: The Life of Dinosaurs
| What We Know | What We Want to Find Out | What We Learned | How Can We Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinosaurs are large. | How long ago did they live? | An archeologist has an exciting life. | Museums |
| Dinosaurs are dead. | Why did they die? | Dinosaurs eat plants and some eat meat. | Field trips |
| They lived a long time ago. | How do we know what they looked like? | Some dinosaurs were gigantic but had small brains. | Archaeological digs |
| There is a movie about dinosaurs. | Who are the people who study dinosaurs? | Fossils uncover dinosaur traits. | Videos |
Categories of information we expect to use
- Size
- Career
- Eating Habits
Adapted from “Strategic Teaching and Reading Project Guidebook” (NCREL, 1995, rev. ed.).
Contact
- Reading ESL
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