What Is a KWL Chart
A KWL Chart is a three-column graphic organizer that activates and tracks student thinking before, during, and after reading. The columns are labeled Know (what the student already knows about the topic), Want to Know (what questions or curiosities the student has), and Learned (what the student actually discovered after reading). Teachers use it across grade levels 2-12, though it works best with readers at a 2.0 reading level and above who have developing decoding skills.
For struggling readers and students with dyslexia, the KWL Chart serves a specific purpose: it anchors comprehension to prior knowledge, which research shows improves retention by 20-30% when students make explicit connections between new and familiar information. It also creates accountability for reading, since students must articulate what they wanted to learn before diving in.
How It Works in Practice
- Know Column: Before reading, ask students what they already know about the topic. This step takes 3-5 minutes and should happen with no pressure to perform. For a student with dyslexia using an Orton-Gillingham-based approach, you might write their responses while they dictate, removing the transcription burden.
- Want Column: Students then generate questions or topics they hope to find in the text. A typical 4th grader might list 2-4 genuine questions. This step mirrors the "prediction" phase used in structured literacy programs and helps set purpose for reading.
- Learned Column: After reading, students fill in what they actually discovered, whether it matches their predictions or not. This creates a visible record of learning and helps you identify comprehension gaps.
- Timing: A complete KWL cycle takes 15-20 minutes across the lesson. For students on an IEP with slower processing speed, spread it across two days.
When to Use This Strategy
KWL Charts work best for informational texts and content-area reading (science, social studies, biography). They're less effective for narrative fiction, where plot-driven comprehension matters more than background knowledge activation. Students benefit most when used once every two to three weeks, not daily, to maintain novelty and engagement. If a student consistently struggles to populate the "Want" column, they may have limited prior knowledge or unclear reading purpose, both worth addressing separately.
Connection to Literacy Approaches
In an Orton-Gillingham or structured literacy framework, the KWL Chart works alongside phonics and decoding instruction. Activating background knowledge reduces cognitive load, so a student's working memory can focus on word recognition rather than guessing meaning from context. This is especially valuable for students with dyslexia, who often exhaust mental energy on decoding and have little left for comprehension.
Common Questions
- Can I use a KWL Chart with early readers still learning phonics? Not effectively. Students need functional decoding skills and enough fluency to finish a passage with reasonable comprehension. If a student is below a 1.5 reading level, focus on phonics and fluency building first. The chart works best at 2.0-3.0 reading levels and above.
- What if my student's "Learned" column doesn't match their "Want" column? This is normal and actually valuable data. It shows the student read actively and noticed when the text didn't address their questions. Use it as a jumping point: "Why do you think the author didn't cover that? What could we read next to answer this question?"
- How do I modify this for a student on an IEP with written expression goals? Scribe their responses or allow dictation into an audio recorder. The goal is comprehension monitoring, not handwriting practice. Some students benefit from a pre-filled "Know" column with 4-5 starter statements they confirm or reject, reducing the blank-page anxiety.
Related Concepts
KWL Charts work in conjunction with several foundational literacy strategies. Explore Graphic Organizer to understand how visual structures support thinking. Learn about Prior Knowledge to see why activating what students already know matters neurologically. Review Activating Background Knowledge for deeper context on the "Know" column phase of instruction.