K-W-L Strategy for Teaching Bible Content

 K-W-L strategy is an approach to learning that involves activity and interaction between
students and teachers. K-W-L was originally developed for elementary reading teachers. Because so much of Christian education involves reading passages or stories from the Bible, K-W-L can also be a useful way to teach Bible content.

Donna Ogle, a Reading Specialist, developed K-W-L. She has said that K–W–L was inspired by the Bible’s use of storytelling and questioning. (See, "K-W-L: A Teaching Model That Develops Active Reading of Expository Text" by Donna Ogle, published in the journal The Reading Teacher in 1986.) Following is a description of the strategy and an example for teaching a Bible passage.

The strategy has three parts:
K - stands for what the students already know,
W - represents what the students want to learn,
L - relates to what the students have learned.

To use K-W-L, teachers first ask learners what they already Know about a topic. This helps students to activate their prior knowledge and identify any gaps in their understanding. Next, teachers ask students what they Want to learn about the topic. This allows teachers to set goals for learning and to focus student attention on areas of greatest importance. Finally, teachers ask learners to reflect on what they have learned. This assists with confirming learning and identifying any areas where further instruction is needed.

To illustrate the use of K-W-L in Bible teaching, we will look at the story of David and Goliath
(1 Samuel 17). Before reading the story, the teacher might ask students what they know about David and Goliath. And then, what they want to know about the story. After reading the story, the teacher could ask students to reflect on what they have learned.

Here are representative questions that could be generated by learners in a Bible lesson on this passage.

K (What I Know/Think I Know):
• What do I already know/think I know about the Bible story of David and Goliath?
• Who was David?
• Who was Goliath?
• What brought them together?

W (What I Want to Know):
• What started the fight between the Israelites and the Philistines?
• Why did Goliath want to fight someone from the Israelite army?
• What was David’s life like before he faced Goliath?
• What made David think he could face Goliath?
• How did the king, the other soldiers, and the people react when David said he would fight Goliath?

L (What I Learned after reading or hearing this story/What I still need to Learn):
• David defeated Goliath, a giant and an experienced warrior, with just a slingshot and stones. With God’s help, I will be able to fight and conquer some of the “giants” in my life.
• After David killed Goliath, things would never be the same in his life. In what ways did his life change? (This was one of the first big steps toward David’s becoming king of Israel.)
• I learned about being brave and having faith in David’s life. How would being brave and having faith in God change my own life?

Additional Suggestions

Use the KWL approach in conjunction with other teaching methods, such as discussion, group work, and hands-on activities. This will help to keep participants engaged.
Involve students in the lesson by having them read the Bible passage and write answers to the questions. Worksheets may be used for students to write what they know, want to learn, and have learned.
Encourage participants to share their answers with the group. This will help to create a sense of community and to foster discussion.

Summary

The K-W-L strategy is an interactive learning approach that was initially developed for elementary reading teachers but is also applicable in teaching Bible content. It involves three
stages: K (what students know), W (what students want to learn), and L (what students have learned/still need to learn). By activating prior knowledge, setting learning goals, and reinforcing understanding, teachers can effectively use K-W-L to teach Bible-related topics. This approach encourages active engagement through questioning, storytelling, and Bible study. Combining K-W-L with discussions, group work, and hands-on activities enhances its effectiveness, creating an interactive and enriching learning experience.

Resources
Ogle, Donna. K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39(6), 1986, pp. 564-570.
KWL Literature Review. https://studylib.net/doc/25511060/kwl-literature-review
Strategies for Reading Comprehension: KWL. https://web.archive.org/web/20080731032222/http://www.readingquest.org/strat/kwl.html

YouTube version of this blog: https://youtu.be/F1T2UvuyFJ8

Supplementary online resources that may have been consulted include ChatGPT, Google Search, Google Bard, Bing, and Wikipedia

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