A K-W-L chart is an instructional graphic organizer used to enhance reading or learning by recording what students Know, Want to know, and what they have Learned about a topic. This simple three-column chart activates prior knowledge (K), sets personal learning goals or questions (W), and then summarizes new information learned (L) after instruction or reading. By engaging students in this metacognitive routine, teachers and SLPs help learners connect new information with what they already know and monitor their comprehension. Clinically, SLPs may incorporate K-W-L charts to support language and literacy development—especially for students with language disorders—by structuring learning tasks and encouraging active engagement and reflection.
Ogle, Donna M. (1986). “K-W-L: A Teaching Model That Develops Active Reading of Expository Text.” The Reading Teacher 39 (1986). Link
Carr, Eileen, and Donna Ogle. “K-W-L Plus: A Strategy for Comprehension and Summarization.” Journal of Reading 30 (1987). Link
