KWL: A Simple Framework for Learning Anything

One of the most useful tools I picked up during my teacher training was a reflection technique called KWL — What do I Know? What do I Want to know? What have I Learned?

It's designed for students to use before, during, and after learning something new. Years later, I still use it — as a teacher and as a lifelong student myself.

Recently, a yoga student of mine sat down after a silent meditation and, instead of moving into our usual asana practice, started asking questions about energy — how yoga sees it, why it sees it differently than Western disciplines do. I won't get into the full philosophy here (that's a future post), but the conversation was a great reminder of something: the moment someone decides they want to learn something is worth paying attention to.

That's what this post is about. Not yoga. Not energy. Just the act of learning — and a simple structure that makes it a little easier.

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The KWL exercise

Pick one thing. Not a goals list for the next decade — just one thing you're curious about, or something that's been nagging at you, or an area you want to grow in. Something small is fine.

My student's was: What do I actually know about energetics?

Mine was: What do I know about writing?

Yours might be something completely different:

• How to hang a large photo without wrecking the wall
• How to respond with more patience when that one person pushes your buttons
• What your colleague meant by something they said last week that you can't shake
• Dancer's pose (had to throw that in)

K — What do you know?

Write down everything you already know about your chosen topic. The goal isn't completeness — it's honesty. This step surfaces your starting point, including any assumptions, opinions, or habits you're carrying into the learning.

Here's mine:

Writing well takes time, practice, patience, humility, and a curiosity about the world. It's hard. I have a long and complicated history with it. I know good writers personally. I don't feel like I'm one of them — yet.

That's it. No polish. Just what's true right now.

Your turn.

W — What do you want to know?

Stay with the same topic. What specifically do you want to learn or get better at? Keep it focused — one clear question or goal, not a syllabus.

Here's mine:

I want to write more simply and honestly. I want to stop getting stuck. I want what I write to actually connect with people.

Simple. Answerable. Something I can work toward.

Your turn.

Step 2.5 — Do the thing

This isn't officially part of the framework. I added it because without it, KWL is just a nice list on paper.

For me: write. Write consistently. Write even when it feels clunky.

In 2020 I took two writing courses and started showing up to the page more regularly. That was my step 2.5.

What's yours?

L — What have you learned?

This one you revisit over time, not right away. But here's where I landed:

The words are there. My writing isn't perfect, but it's mine. And I'm consistent — that matters more than I used to think.

For my yoga student, his KWL looked something like this by the end of our conversation:

K: Yoga sees energy differently than I do. I've always been a skeptic — which has helped me and held me back. But I've noticed that when I'm more present, things go better.

W: Can this actually help me? What does yoga say about it, and does it conflict with how I already see the world?

L: Maybe Eastern and Western thinking aren't in conflict — maybe they're two sides of the same thing. I feel free to explore this without losing myself. I want to keep going.

A little structure goes a long way. KWL won't teach you anything on its own — but it helps you know where you're starting, what you're reaching for, and how far you've come.

What's the next thing you want to learn? Try using KWL to find out.