How the KWLH teaching technique helps students activate prior knowledge

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

Categories of information we expect to use

• Size
• Career
• Eating Habits

Adapted from “Strategic Teaching and Reading Project Guidebook” (NCREL, 1995, rev. ed.).