Evolving the KWL reading strategy into the information age

The Tech Learning twitter page caught my attention today with their tweet about the KWL strategy. Silvia Tolisano writes about how some teachers are adding an "H" to the well-known reading strategy. This "H" stands for how: How do we get this information? How did we find this information? How did the learning take place? These questions are critical for our students to answer as we come to an era where information is plentiful and not always correct. After working with college students, I have realized that many students do not know how to discern a good source from a bad one, even at the college level. Adding the "H" to KWL can help teachers address this and help students work through the process of gaining knowledge.

To extend this process even further, another educator noted that they have added an "A" and "Q" to KWL, making the acronym KWHLAQ. The "A" and "Q" stand for "Apply and Question," asking students to apply their gained knowledge and raise any further questions students have about the topic. Tolisano notes how this is applicable to using technology because it can raise questions about how the students got the information. For instance, students can question the answers they found, and gain perspective by asking further questions about what an opposing party might think. Because students have access to so much information, it is important to include the how, application, and question because students need to understand good sources, find ways to apply their findings to the real world, and then explore different perspectives or further questions they might have about the topic. KWL would still be sufficient on its own, but KWHLAQ is a great way to address the aspects of technology and the internet.