Name: Mami Abe

Date: August 10, 2015

Title: KWL Chart
Context: Independent Writing class

Description of the Artifact:

This artifact, created by the teacher of the class and filled by myself, is so-called the
KWL chart. KWL stands for what a student Know, what a student Wants to learn, and
what a student Learned respectively. Like other KWL charts, this artifact has three
columns as well. In the first column, what I know, there are fourteen terms related to the
class, Independent Writing class. For each term, there are three boxes numbered one
through three so that a student can check how much the student knows about each term.
If a student is completely familiar with a term, the student can check the box three. In
the second column, what I want to learn, a student can write up to three items that the
student wants to learn in the class. If the student has other items that the student wants
to learn but are not shown in the first column, the student also can write those items
below in the column. In the third column, what I have learned, a student can show the
increase of knowledge by describing terms from the first column. In the classroom
where the artifact was used, in the first meeting, the teacher asked the students to check
terms in the first column and write items in the second column. The teacher asked the
students to keep the artifact until the final class. On the last day of the course, the
teacher asked the students to bring the artifact and write what they learned throughout
the course. The teacher checked the artifact both on the first and last day of the class,
and she gave the students stamps on it.

New Ideas, Information, or Awareness from this Artifact:

Throughout TESOL methodologies classes, I learned about the KWL chart; however, I
had never had experience about the aforementioned chart in the real classroom until I
got the artifact in Independent Writing class. Using the KWL chart in the actual
classroom, I realized how the KWL chart is effective in learning. As a case in point, on
the first day of the class, by checking terms related to the class, I found that I did not
know some of the terms, and I felt that I really wanted to know about the terms. In other
words, the KWL chart gave me the motivation to learn. Moreover, on the last of the
class, I could feel I learned something through the course by checking the terms again. I
felt happy that I could increase my knowledge. According to Riswanto, the KWL chart
is effective in activating students prior knowledge. Activating previous knowledge is an
important step in language learning to enhance learners interest for the topic.

Reflection on How This Will Impact My Approach to Teaching and Learning:

I learned that utilizing the KWL chart is a successful strategy in making students aware
of the improvement in their knowledge both from theories and my experience. I think
that the chart in hand can be applied to any level of students, any age of students, and
any kind of topic. Therefore, in my future teaching, I would like to expedite the KWL
chart whatever my teaching context is. In addition, I would like to utilize the foregoing
chart both in the long and short term. To illustrate, the chart for the long term can be
used throughout a year, quarter, or semester so that students can notice the improvement
in their skills comprehensively. On the other hand, the chart for the short term can be
used every unit in the textbook for specific topics or themes. By using the KWL chart,
students can get confidence since they can see what they thought at the beginning on the

last day of the class.

Reference:
Riswanto. Risnawati. Detti, Lismayanti. The Effect of Using KWL (Know, Want,
Learned) Strategy on EFL Students Reading Comprehension Achievement.
International

Journal

of

Humanities

and

Social

Science.

http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_4_No_7_1_May_2014/28.pdf
8/10/15

Web.

Retrieved