Teaching Methods: 5W + 1H

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Introduction

Enhancing Text Comprehension with the 5W + 1H Method Reading comprehension becomes clearer when students know which questions they can ask of a text. The 5W + 1H method provides a simple thinking model for this purpose. By systematically considering Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How, students learn to extract the most important information from a text and make connections. This LessonUp lesson introduces students to the method and offers various opportunities to practice together and make the application immediately visible.

Instructions

What's the 5W + 1H Method?

The 5W + 1H questions are a great way to break down news articles and stories. They help you find the main points in a text.

Who? Who's involved?

What? What's happening?

Where? Where's it happening?

When? When does it happen?

Why? Why is it happening?

How? How does it unfold or get solved?

Using these questions regularly helps you get a grip on any text.

How to Use It 

The 5W + 1H method is perfect for starting, practising, or reviewing.

Begin with a short story. Answer the six questions together to get the hang of it.

Try using a word web with categories. This helps you see if everyone understands the text.

Work alone or in pairs on a short text or news story and answer the 5W + 1H. Share your answers with the class for a good discussion on the main points.

What Does It Do?

Benefits

Everyone gets involved with the text instead of just reading it.

It quickly shows how well the text is understood and what needs more attention.

You build a strategy you can use in other subjects too.

For Students

You learn to pick out the important bits from the details.

It helps you make summaries.

You get a structure that helps in writing your own texts, like reports or articles.

The 5W + 1H method is a simple way to help you read, analyse, and understand texts better on your own.

This lesson includes different ways to use the 5W + 1H questions. Adjust the slides to fit your class level. Use them as a guide to create your own 5W + 1H approach.

5W + 1H

Teaching Methods

Why

What

When

Who

How

Where

Describe the situation according to the given facts.

Objective Writing

Read the text.

- Distribute a text.
- Give the students ample time to read the text and answer the 5W's + 1H.

- Have them enter the answers into the word cloud.
- Discuss the answers with each other. Do the answers provide a clear understanding of the text's content? Is there any information missing? Where do the answers differ? Who can explain or argue their answer?
- Reflect on the task: What does this exercise teach you about distinguishing main points from details? How objectively have you summarised the text? What would you do differently next time? Would this method also be helpful in learning? When would it be, and when wouldn't it be?

Little Red Riding Hood

Why

What

When

Who

How

Where

Tell the fairy tale by

answering the 5W + 1H questions.

On Monday, Sam nervously walks onto the school playground. He is participating in the annual talent show.

He has been secretly practising for months. Now he can finally show that he is good at something too!
When it's his turn, Sam takes a deep breath, grabs his juggling balls and steps up!
On his unicycle, he effortlessly rides three laps around the playground, juggling the balls.

It goes fantastically! The whole playground claps and cheers. Sam has done it!

A

Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

How?

B

Showing that he can do something well

Juggling on a unicycle

Monday

Het schoolplein

Sam

Effortless

1. Who 👤 is playing a role in this event?

2. What ℹ️ has happened?

3. When 🕰️ did it happen?

4. Where📍 did it take place?

5. Why❓ could this happen?

6. How ⚙️ did it happen?

Who 👤

What ℹ️

When 🕰️

Where📍

Why❓

How ⚙️

Want 🧤

Welke 🤔

Complete the 5W+1H questions

Who

What

When

Where

Why

How

👨🏼‍🍳

🤢

🎢

🎄

🏆

🥔

Answer the 5W + 1H questions with the emoticons.
Then write the story with the answers.

Find more ideas on our Inspiration Channel.

Teaching Methods