Secondary Content Teachers COMPREHENSION Non-Fiction Reading Services Center

SUBJECT:	Comprehension - Non-fiction
COURSE OR GRADE:	Content Subjects
GOAL:	This strategy helps students process the material they are reading in a meaningful way. Supports this Learner Characteristic: Has prerequisite knowledge to succeed in school Stays focused and participates in classroom discussion and group activities Students will develop an active approach to reading their content texts.
WHO:	Content Area Teachers - Grades 4-12 Students who need to develop their ability to read and remember expository text.
WHEN:	Use this procedure twice a week for 4-6 weeks.
TEACHING PROCEDURES:	Strategy for Comprehending Expository Text KWL Use the content text to model and practice the strategy. Students will learn to write what they know about a topic, ask themselves questions about what they want to learn, and write what they have learned from reading the text. STEP 1 Preparation: Divide the board into three sections. Label them in this way: K (What do I know) W (What do I want to know) L (What did I learn). Write the topic of the chapter or selection students are to read on the board. Distribute student charts for individual responses.   STEP 2   Engage students in a discussion of what they already know about the topic. List student responses on the board under K. When disagreements and questions emerge, note them and write the concerns under the W as a possible question to answer when students begin reading. Have students write what they feel they know on their individual charts.   STEP 3   Have students decide what questions they have about the topic and write it on their charts. Write some of the student questions on the board.   STEP 4   Students are to read the text and jot down information they are learning in the third column L. Also, encourage students to write new questions they think of as they are reading in the W column.   STEP 5   After students have completed reading the text, discuss what students learned in their reading and write some of the student responses in the third column on the board. If some of the questions were not answered in the text, encourage students to look for the answers in other text.   Teaching Tips The most effective way to present this strategy is by teacher modeling, making his/her own thought processes visible. Students who do not seem to have sufficient background knowledge about a topic may need to work on a more concrete level. The following may be helpful: Have students look at illustrations before beginning the KWL chart. Preview critical vocabulary terms from the text. To further expand the students' understanding, have them complete a semantic map of the details in the selection.
STUDENT PRACTICE:	Choose 2-5 subheadings from the upcoming chapter and write them on the board. Give students a KWL chart for each subheading. Have students work through the strategy. Students read the first subheading and complete the K and W. They continue this procedure with the other subheadings on the board. Next, students read the information in their texts and write what they learned on the charts.
CHECK-UP:	After students have practiced several KWL charts, have students complete a KWL chart for the next assigned chapter. Check student responses for understanding of the strategy and of the text.
FOLLOW-UP:	Students who do not seem to have any background knowledge about a topic indicates that the students may have limited vocabulary and experiences. Working on a more concrete level with illustrations (having students look at all illustrations before beginning the KWL chart) may help. Also, previewing critical vocabulary terms that are included in the text may assist students with a better understanding of the topic and provide some background knowledge before students read. To further expand the student's understanding, have them complete a semantic map of the details in the selection. E.g. Semantic Map
KWL CHART:
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