Kwl (know, want to know, learned) strategy and reading comprehension

Abstract

The present research focused on the development of reading comprehension skills using a strategy like the KWL (Know, Want to Know, Learned) strategy. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of using the KWL (Know, Want to know, learned) strategy in the improvement of students’ reading comprehension of fourth semester A of Universidad Técnica de Ambato. Additionally, the researcher looked for knowing the students’ attitudes towards the use of the KWL strategy in the development of reading comprehension. The investigation used a quasi-experimental approach with a pre-test and post-test retrieved from Cambridge. The experiment was conducted on a sample of 45 students of Fourth Semester A. In the first meeting, the researcher administered a pre-test to obtain information about students’ reading comprehension. The application consisted of four treatments using the KWL strategy that also incorporated four reading passages appropriate for the English level of students. At the end of the treatment, the researcher administered the post-test to collect data that measured students’ reading comprehension after the treatment. Furthermore, students answered a survey. The results gathered from the pre-test and post-test demonstrated that using the KWL (Know, Want to Know, Learned) strategy had positive effects on students’ reading comprehension. In fact, Students improved their initial average of 13. 04 to 16.22 which was the final average. Finally, the survey showed positive attitudes of students to the KWL strategy.