Adapted from Teaching Through Text (2nd ed.). M.C. McKenna and R.D. Robinson. 1997. New York: Longman. pp. 71-73.

Ogle's (1986) KWL strategy involves three steps: (1) a discussion designed to determine what students already know prior to reading; (2) group and individual decisions about what they would like to learn from the material; and (3) a postreading appraisal of what they did in fact learn. From these three steps -- what the students already know, what they want to learn, and what they have learned -- comes the acronym KWL.

Step 1: Determine what students know (K).

1. Begin by leading a brainstorming session with the students about the topic to be addressed by the shuttle photographs and reading. Use a word or brief phrase to sum up the principal topic: deforestation, urban-sprawl, and so on. Ask what students know about the topic. If you draw a blank with your topic label, try to be a little more general. For example, you might ask what the students know about destruction of the rain forests. Write responses on the board or use the overhead projector. During this step, be receptive to student input without close regard to its appropriateness.


2. With the students' help, identify categories that can be used to group the information you've listed. You may need to model this process until students become familiar with KWL. For deforestation, for example, you may note that several items supplied by students have to do with eco- system problems. You would suggest this as a category, write it on the board as a heading, and list the items below it.

Step 2: Help students determine what they want to learn (W).

1. As you proceed through Step 1, deficiencies in students' preexisting knowledge will begin to become clear. Your goal is to translate these into purposes for reading. Ask students what they want to learn from the material, and in the ensuing discussion attempt to arouse their curiosity related to their gaps in knowledge by asking questions such as "Which eco-systems are affected by deforestation?"

2. Ask students to decide on purpose questions individually. They should write these. Accept individual interests, but move students toward obvious shortcomings in their knowledge base.

Step 3: Assess what students have learned (L).

1. Request that students write, at least in abbreviated form, the answers to their questions as they read. Caution them in advance that they might not find the answers to all the questions.

2. Conduct a discussion comparing what students wanted to learn with what they actually gained from the reading. Stress points at which the selection did not address their needs, pointing out that what an author chooses to include is not the beginning and end of a topic. Indicate other sources where students might have their questions answered, and provide opportunities for using them.