Issue 79: Feb 22, 2010 Connections Newsletter
Activating Strategy: K-W-L
Brenda Hill
Feb 22, 2010
A K-W-L organizer is an activating strategy that gives students an opportunity to share what they already know about a topic (K), what they would like to learn (W), and what they have learned (L) about a subject as a result of what has been read or taught.
How is a K-W-L organizer used?
Most educators are very, very familiar with K-W-L organizers and how to use them. In some cases this particular activating strategy has been much overused. So...how do we ensure the successful use of the K-W-L organizer with students? We must know our students and have an insightful understanding of the prior knowledge they possess about the topic. Often we ask students to respond to the K and W column on the K-W-L organizer and they know nothing about the topic or subject. This immediately sets our students up for failure before the lesson even begins. If a K-W-L organizer is going to be used with students who have little or no knowledge about a topic there are several things we can do to ensure the successful use of this strategy with students. Prior to asking them to complete the K and W column of the organizer we can read aloud a book on the subject, show a video clip, share a picture or artifact, or take a field trip. By building background knowledge with students it gives each of them an opportunity to successfully list something on his or her chart. Sounds simple but many times this step is eliminated and the results are less than satisfactory. Adapt and modify the K-W-L organizer to align with your purpose, topic, and grade level.
Examples of K-W-L Headings:
K = Think I Know; I Know; What I Know; What We Know
L = Think I'll Learn; Think I Know; What We Want to Find Out
W = I Learned; Want to Know; What I Learned; What We Learned and Still Need to Learn
Follow-up Writing Suggestion:
Have students summarize new learning by using the L column of the K-W-L organizer to write about new learning. Depending on the grade level you teach, writing expectations will vary. Students may be expected to write several sentences, several paragraphs, or an essay.
Don’t Forget Time for Self Selected Reading!
Carol Brewer
Feb 22, 2010
At this time of the year, can your students sit still and attend to text for an extended amount of time? It is all about building stamina and Self Selected Reading is the time of the day to satisfy this crucial component. To balance instruction during Comprehensive Literacy time, too often Self Selected Reading is cut short or not allocated at all.
It is important for students to have the scheduled time to interact with text. This text might be:
- a book the teacher read
- a book the class has read
- a book the class has created
- a book on a "must read" list
- a book on the State Reading List
- a book suggested by another student
- a book teachers have suggested, especially the media specialist
Take time to allow students to share what has been read. This might be time at the beginning or end of the Self Selected Reading time. Have a Reading Log for the students to complete after each session. This will give students accountability for their reading. These logs are helpful for conferences when sharing information with parents. When parents see their child has not taken advantage of reading time, they may better understand why their child is having trouble comprehending text.
Suggested Reading Log:
To learn more visit the LEARNING-FOCUSED Literacy Strategies.
Why Teach Analogies?
Denise Burson
Feb 22, 2010
Teaching analogies is an excellent way to engage students in higher level word comprehension and logical abilities. Students must analyze simple to complex relationships between facts or concepts and use higher level thinking skills as they comprehend the significance of analogies. Analogies are an effective means to connect familiar concepts with new information. They are also designed to help students examine the multiple meanings of words and concepts.
What is an Analogy?
Analogies are expressions of relationships between words and concepts. For example, hot: cold: light:______. To read this analogy, you would say hot is to cold as lights is to ________.
The basic structure of an analogy is the sentence relationship. They are usually written with the symbols: ("is to") and :: ("as"). Thus, "shoe : foot :: hat : head" reads "Shoe is to foot as hat is to head."
The key to solving analogies is to determine the relationship that is present among the words that compose the analogy. If the relationship between the words expresses a relationship of synonyms, then one would choose the answer choice that has words that are used as synonyms.
How to Teach (by Trent Lorchen):
1. Decide what relationship exists between the first two words.
2. Put the words in the context of a sentence: A finger is a part of a hand.
3. Determine which of the choices presented shows a similar relationship.
4. Substitute the selected words in the original sentence to verify choice (Step 2).
The following are a few of the kinds of relationships which analogies may express.
1. ANTONYMS
2. SYNONYMS
3. PART : WHOLE
4. CATEGORY : EXAMPLE
5. EFFECT : CAUSE
6. INCREASING INTENSITY
7. DECREASING INTENSITY
8. LOCATION
Analogy Graphic Organizer:
Description:
The analogy graphic organizer uses analogies to help students understand a new concept that is being introduced by comparing it with a familiar concept.
Procedure:
• Introduce the graphic organizer on the overhead. Determine what the students already know about the topic in order to establish a relationship with the concept being introduced. When students select a familiar concept they can then bridge the gap between the familiar concept and the new concept.
• Once you have established the new concept and the familiar concept, brainstorm characteristics that both concepts have in common. Enter these into the similarities column.
• Then ask the students what the differences are. Place these in the differences column.
• Discuss further categories that make up the basis for the comparison. Enter these into the relationship categories box.
• Have students write a summary about the similarities of the new concept and the familiar concept.
Reference:
Buehl, Doug. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning; Second Edition. International Reading Association, Newark, Delaware, 2001. pg. 26.
