THE EFFECT OF THE MODIFIED KNOW-WANT-LEARN STRATEGY ON SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS

Physics is generally regarded as difficult and uninteresting. The teaching of physics with the use of an appropriate teaching strategy can improve students' achievement. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of the modified Know-Want-Learn (mKWL) strategy on primary school students' achievement in physics. The Know-Want-Learn (KWL) strategy was modified to be used for students' inquiry. Quasi experimental research was carried out with 110 sixth-grade students divided into an experimental and a control group. The students in the control group were taught using direct teaching and the students in the experimental group were taught using TQHL charts. These charts consist of columns: T-What I Think and what I know, Q-What Questions I have, H-How can I find out, L-What I Learned. Pre-test and post-test were administered to both groups; two physics knowledge tests were constructed for that purpose. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired samples t-tests and independent samples t-tests. The implication of the research results is that using the mKWL strategy in a sixth-grade physics class has a positive effect on students' achievement. It can be suggested to implement the described strategy in teaching physics in order to improve students' achievement in this subject.