KWHHL: A Student-Driven Evolution of the KWL.

ABSTRACT Struggling readers at the middle level need help using reading strategies effectively in order to become strategic readers. Middle level teachers need both to model and to teach how to use a variety of reading strategies that will help struggling readers become independent. This article deals with the development of the KWHHL strategy. The KWHHL was used to engage eighth-grade struggling readers with the informational text that they were reading in the classroom. Not only did the KWHHL provide scaffolding while they were learning to use comprehension strategies but it also promoted the use of differentiated learning. STRATEGIC READING Good readers use many strategies routinely while they are reading to help them comprehend the material. However, poor readers either do not about or do not use these comprehension strategies effectively. It is up to the middle level teacher to help readers, especially those who are struggling, to become comfortable with reading strategies that make sense to them (Headley & Dunston, 2000; Ivey & Baker, 2004; Sweet & Snow, 2002). Consequently, it is important that the middle level teacher include instruction in how to become a strategic reader. KWL - ADVANTAGES, LIMITATIONS AND PREVIOUS VARIATIONS As teacher-researchers do, I reflected on what was happening in my classroom. I felt something needed to be done to strengthen my students' engagement with the content textbooks they were reading and to develop their use of comprehension strategies. I felt that the before-during-after structure of the KWL (Know-Want-Learn) was good (Ogle, 1986). It provided for both the structured support and the scaffolding that I believed my students needed to help them comprehend the text they were reading. The KWL content comprehension strategy has a before-during-after structure. This structure supports/serves several purposes: * Through brainstorming students can activate prior knowledge of the topic; this brainstorming, in turn, develops the student's interest, curiosity and motivation; * It helps them to determine what they want to learn about and to design their own questions so they have their own purpose for reading; * It helps each student to monitor his/her comprehension as it allows the students to assess their comprehension; * It provides an opportunity for students to expand on ideas. However, there are also several limitations to KWL. First, it does not encourage reflective thinking of background knowledge to determine if what students know is correct. Second, it does not encourage developing questions during reading. Third, it does not encourage vocabulary growth. And finally, it does not encourage students to look for an emotional link or experiential link to the material being read. Since the KWL's appearance, several variations have emerged. Carr and Ogle (1987) developed the KWL Plus, which incorporated semantic mapping and summarizing procedures. Reid, Forrestal and Cook (1989) developed the KWHLS, which helped students answer the questions, How will I learn it and work with others? and How will I share the information I have learned? Bryan (1998) developed the KWWL so that students could answer the question, Where can I learn this? Moore, Alvermann, and Hinchman (2000) developed the KWLS, which was designed so that students could answer the question, What Do I Still Need to Know? which emphasizes the need for further investigation to improve metacognition about a subject area. Finally, Alien (2004) developed the BKWLQ. The B encourages the teacher to read aloud to the students several short additional informational materials, on the topic being studied, before they begin to read the required text. By building the background knowledge of the students, each student will have some understanding of the topic that can then be summarized in the K column. The Q encourages students to develop questions after the activity is finished. …