KWL CHARTS TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN

There is a saying that reads, “A parent is a child’s first and best teacher.”  As parents, most of us are not responsible for our children’s primary education, but we do have much knowledge to share with our children.

Sometimes, though, it is difficult to know where to start when we want to introduce a new concept to our children. Many of us wonder: How do I know what my child already knows? How do I know what she wants to learn? How do I make it fun or age-appropriate? Where should I start or finish?

One strategy that can help you answer some of these questions is called a KWL chart. The K stands for Know, the W for Want to Know, and the L for Learned. It works like this: Let’s say you want to teach your child more about the White House. You would set up a piece of paper with three columns:

Then, sit down with your child and ask her what she knows about the White House. Write her ideas down, right or wrong, under the “Know” column. Then ask her what she wants to know about the White House. Write (or let her write) these ideas down under the next column.

After you have finished writing, talk about the ideas with your child. Don’t immediately correct any misconceptions from the “Know” column. Instead, try to phrase it as an investigation you will undertake together. (“So you think the White House has 5 rooms. I don’t know – it looks a little bigger than that to me. How do you think we could find out how many rooms it has?”)

Next, plan your investigation together. How will you find answers to what she wants to know? Will you read, take a trip, etc… Incidentally, the KWL chart is a great activity to do before a family trip. (“What do you know about The Grand Canyon?”)

One great part of setting up a KWL chart is that it helps your child to lead the project. You will find answers to questions she has initiated. This cuts down on the work for you (you don’t have to plan everything in advance), and it makes the learning more meaningful to her. This makes sense if you think about your own learning. Wouldn’t you rather learn about something that you have an interest in or at least a say in?

Finally, when you’re finished investigating, chart what your child has learned under the “Learned” column. This brings closure to the project and also helps your child cement the learning in her mind.

The charts can be saved—hung on the walls of a playroom as a reminder of the fun and learning you shared together. Of course, none of us are going to set up a KWL chart for every lesson we teach our children. But hopefully, this strategy will help us all live up to our billing as our child’s “first and best” teacher.