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: Abbey Storey

9  : Comprehension



: A KWL chart stands for areas of content understanding that the child is at with

information in a lesson. The K is for information the student already knows and is able to write

down about the subject being studied. The W is what the student would like to learn out of the

lesson. Both of these parts of the chart can be completed prior to the lesson as it calls on previous

knowledge and desires for the future. After going through the lesson, students will then fill out

the L part of the chart. This represents the information that they learned during the lesson and

how it relates to what they already knew and if they learned what they wanted to as well. This

method works and is easy for students to fill out. It can be applied to all types of lessons in

different subjects and formats. Students will benefit from analyzing their current knowledge and

take a hand in their own learning experience as they actively think about what areas they are

unsure of and what they want to get out of the lesson. As they go back and return to the chart to

fill in what they learned, their comprehension comes full circle.


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cc

 
 : I chose this method as one to highlight in my Resource Book because I feel it touches

a good many of the Illinois Learning Standards. Standard CC.K-12.W.R.2, for example, states

³Text Types and Purposes: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex

ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and

analysis of content.´ This standard covers a wide variety of tasks. For the KWL chart, I believe it

relates well because students are examining complex ideas that they already know and

continuing the analysis further into how they want to expand on this information for what they

would like to learn. The chart allows them to be organized and effectively discuss their

knowledge. Standard CC.K.W.8 states, ³K W 8 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: With

guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information

from provided sources to answer a question.´ When analyzing information in a lesson and

previous knowledge using a KWL chart students are building new knowledge on what they

already know about a topic and building knowledge on the areas they want to improve or know

more about. They will gather information from the lesson to answer their questions of what they

wish to learn. Standard CC.2.Sl.2 states, ³2 SL 2 Comprehension and Collaboration: Recount or

describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through

other media.´ Through the L section of the KWL chart, students will recount what they learned

from the lesson including key details and specific information presented. These are just a few

specific examples as this activity satisfies many standards of vocabulary, reading and writing

comprehension, ability to ask and answer questions and discuss information. The KWL chart

provides the ability for students to interact, as well as take part in the directing of their learning

experience.
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9
 
: When starting a new unit or beginning the reading of a new book, as a

class are great times to have students fill out a KWL chart. For example, if the class was about to

start learning about the solar system it would be beneficial as a teacher to see what the students

already know, and would like to know. I would prompt students with questions such as ³What do

you already know about the solar system?´ and have them write their response in the appropriate

column. More specific questions such as, ³What do you know about planets?´ or ³What do you

know about the sun?´ could also be asked for this section. Then questions such as ³What are you

unsure of or curious about regarding the solar system?´ and ³What more do you want to know

about Earth?´ are examples to prompt students to fill in the second portion of the chart. These

charts would be collected after this time, which could roughly be ten to fifteen minutes of

thinking and writing time. Once the unit on the solar system was finished, I would give back the

charts to the students and have them fill out the last part of the chart in regards to what new

information they learned and answer their questions about what they had wanted to know. This

would take longer, possibly fifteen to twenty minutes.

9  
: Students who have disabilities may require certain accommodations or alterations

to the physical written KWL chart. For example, students who have difficult use of their limbs

may need to orally answer the prompts on the chart to an aid. Students who are nonverbal will be

able to use word keyboards to answer for them to an aid. Some students who have severe

disabilities may be able to fill out part of the chart or just talk about what they learned, or have it

be assessed such as in an outing the next time that relates to the lesson. When I was an aid in a

resource classroom for students with severe cognitive disabilities we played a bingo game that

helped with their comprehension of places in the community. The students were given a game

board with different places in a community, such as the grocery store, post office and gas station.
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The teacher prompted them with a visual picture of a place and they needed to find if it was on

their card. This showed if they already knew the place or not and all of them wanted to learn

what these places were as they were always eager for this activity. Students were able to show

what they had learned in prior lessons by remembering where they had gone in the past few

weeks when it was announced. Similarly, students would learn the name of the place they would

be visiting the next week. Despite not filling out a physical chart, these students still answered all

of the questions the chart poses through the activity and interaction with their instructors. The

KWL chart and overall idea it encompasses can be adapted quite easily to a student¶s needs in

order to assess their comprehension of an activity.