Making Predictions
Predicting is a strategy where "readers use clues and evidence in the text to determine what might happen next" (Comprehension Strategies, 2015). This strategy can be used before, during, and after reading. "Predicting what a story will be about before reading it gives students an active orientation toward learning and encourages them to use background knowledge" (Jennings, Caldwell, Lerner, 2014). According to Reading Rockets (2015), "Good readers use predicting as a way to connect their existing knowledge to new information from a text to get meaning from what they read." By using pictures, titles, headings, text and personal experiences, student are able to make prediction/educated guesses of what the story will be about. While reading, students can refine, revise and verify predictions. Skilled readers who can make predictions are like detectives; They constantly think about, confirm, and revise predictions throughout their reading. Making predictions while reading keeps students actively engaged in the reading process. Through engagement, comprehension can flourish. Also, making predictions helps students stay motivated and focused on their reading, which in turn supports their reading comprehension.
This image shows two students explaining the "apple tasting graph" to the class. The whole class completed the chart by predicting which apple they thought would taste the best. Students individually chose and predicted red, yellow, or green for the color of apple they thought would taste the best. After completing the chart, the students tasted the three different apples and saw how close their predictions were to their classroom results.
Below is a video that describes the process of predicting. It poses the questions, how do we predict before and during reading and how to check predictions. Here is an overview:
How to predict before reading:
1. Look at the title
2. Look at any images
3. Think about what you already know (prior knowledge)
4. Make a prediction
How to predict while reading:
1. Think about what you have already read
2. Identify key ideas and major events
3. Decide what you think will happen next based on what you have already read.
How to check predictions:
1. Look back at your predictions and decide if they were correct
2. Discuss with a peer.
Below is a video that describes the process of predicting. It poses the questions, how do we predict before and during reading and how to check predictions. Here is an overview:
How to predict before reading:
1. Look at the title
2. Look at any images
3. Think about what you already know (prior knowledge)
4. Make a prediction
How to predict while reading:
1. Think about what you have already read
2. Identify key ideas and major events
3. Decide what you think will happen next based on what you have already read.
How to check predictions:
1. Look back at your predictions and decide if they were correct
2. Discuss with a peer.
This video shows a teacher modeling and coaching students on how to use the strategy of making predictions within a text. In a small group, the teacher walks the students through the thought process of what a good reader thinks about while making predictions. The teacher explains to the students the importance of focusing on details that are found within the text, and uses post-it notes to help with the explanation.
This graphic organizer guides students through predication making as well as justification for their thinking through the use of a "my clues" column, as well as using students prior knowledge in the "i think" column.
Much like this graphic organizer, Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies provides a similar activity that helps students to predict before reading. This activity is called a Predict-o-gram. The students are given new vocabulary from the story and are asked to categorize them in to where the student thinks they are used or what they describe in the story, as part of the setting, characters, actions or the ending. After students have read the story they will see if their predictions are correct or not. It is also suggested by Jennings to use post-it notes so students can move their words around to where they predict and then switch them if their predictions are incorrect (Jennings, Caldwell, & Lerner, 2014). This activity helps to get students actively involved in learning new words and their meanings as well as making predictions about the content of a story.
Content Area Examples:
Type of Learner:
Predicting is a skill that every student and good reader should have. However, the specific activity of using a Predict-o-gram can be very useful to ELL students to help them with their academic vocabulary as well as for kinesthetic learners as a way for them to actively be participating in the lesson and activity rather than just sitting and listening to class discussion or working quietly at their desks.
Much like this graphic organizer, Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies provides a similar activity that helps students to predict before reading. This activity is called a Predict-o-gram. The students are given new vocabulary from the story and are asked to categorize them in to where the student thinks they are used or what they describe in the story, as part of the setting, characters, actions or the ending. After students have read the story they will see if their predictions are correct or not. It is also suggested by Jennings to use post-it notes so students can move their words around to where they predict and then switch them if their predictions are incorrect (Jennings, Caldwell, & Lerner, 2014). This activity helps to get students actively involved in learning new words and their meanings as well as making predictions about the content of a story.
Content Area Examples:
- Predicting can be used in all content areas as a way to help students get involved in what they are reading. One area predicting can be used is in Social Studies. When discussing a new topic that many students have not been exposed to, for example the Holocaust, students can us a Predict-o-gram to predict the out come and the information that will be presented in a chapter, book or video on the Holocaust. This will active their prior knowledge as well as get them interested to see what really happened and understand that part in our world's history.
- Another content area where predicting is important is reading. Students need to be able to comprehend what they read in order to make accurate and useful predictions that will keep students motivated and excited about what they are reading.
- Science uses predictions as well. It is a part of the Scientific method to make predictions about an experiment that is being made. Through the use of predictions, accurate hypothesis, tests and outcomes can be made.
- Lastly, predictions can be made in a Health lesson or activity about healthy food choices or even about drug and alcohol. Students can use what they know about healthy food choices or drug and alcohol use and make predictions about case studies. If students are given a description about a person and their eating habits, they can then use that information as well as their background knowledge to make a prediction about that persons life if they did not change their lifestyle. This could even be used as a role playing activity where the students are doctors and patients.
Type of Learner:
Predicting is a skill that every student and good reader should have. However, the specific activity of using a Predict-o-gram can be very useful to ELL students to help them with their academic vocabulary as well as for kinesthetic learners as a way for them to actively be participating in the lesson and activity rather than just sitting and listening to class discussion or working quietly at their desks.
Guided Reading
Guided reading, sometimes known as guided oral reading, is a strategy that gives students the opportunity to practice reading aloud as well as working on skills for reading and fluency. According to Reading Rockets (2015), "A teacher, parent, or peer reads a passage aloud modeling fluent reading." Then, the student rereads the text quietly or orally. The text chosen for this strategy and its variations should be at the student's independent reading level. Generally, the text is read between 3 and 4 times before a new book is chosen. However, students should be reading passages until they can read it with fluency. "Not every variation will be used for every book children read, however, a variety keeps students engaged as well as gives them options to use when applying strategies to their free time reading" (Strategies to Assess and Increase Reading Fluency, 2015). Guided reading gives students opportunities to hear other students read aloud. According to EWorkshop (2015), Guided reading is the bridge between shared reading and independent reading. It allows teacher to help student make the transition from teacher modeling to student independence." The overall goal is for students to become confident and fluent readers who can use the appropriate reading strategies to comprehend text.
This image shows students in a small group using the guided reading strategy. The students are individually reading their own text, while the teacher is observing and providing feedback where she notices it to be necessary. This strategy encourages students to use strategies they've previously learned while working on building their fluency.
This is an example of how a guided reading library could be organized in a classroom. This library is organized by levels and genre of book. Through the use of images on the front of the bin students are easily able to access and find books that are at their levels and fulfill their interests
Guided reading is often done as a whole group strategy where the teacher reads the text fluently to the students and then the students will read it aloud together with the teacher, but there are multiple ways to practice this strategy. There is Choral Reading, Pair/Paired Reading, Echo Reading, Tape Assisted Reading and Buddy Reading (Improving Fluency in Young Readers -- Fluency Instruction, 2015).
These are great options for using guided reading in a classroom, but what if there are 30+ students, how can it be used to help each one? Lauren Hoffman says "No sweat!" and provides a countdown to guided oral reading in the classroom.
10 Integrate a "Readers' Theater." Have students read scripts or poems and rehearse to prepare for a performance.
9 Have students record themselves reading aloud. This is a great way for students to self monitor and you can listen to the recording later as a possible assessment.
8 Use a software program that can "listen" to students and support them with decoding and comprehension.
7 Enlist parent volunteers to listen to students read.
6 Have students evaluate themselves using a rubric. Some examples are questions they can ask themselves like "Did I sound like my teacher?" or "Do I know what the story was about?"
5 Write a volunteer rubric so that they can offer feedback too.
4 Have students read aloud to one another, to themselves, even to a classroom pet.
3 Put up a "do not disturb" sign while you are working with small groups so that no one interrupts your small group lesson time.
2 Work with struggling readers at the time of day or week when you have the most energy.
1 Don't nitpick unimportant words -- focus on words that are important for comprehension (Hoffman).
All the variations as well as the count down can be used daily, weekly or anywhere they fit in the class schedule. Guided reading can be used across grade levels as well as content areas and do not need to be used daily. Guided reading is an effective way to help students build fluency, comprehension and practice other reading strategies.
Below is a video showing Mrs. Kardos working with a small group doing a Guided Reading activity.
These are great options for using guided reading in a classroom, but what if there are 30+ students, how can it be used to help each one? Lauren Hoffman says "No sweat!" and provides a countdown to guided oral reading in the classroom.
10 Integrate a "Readers' Theater." Have students read scripts or poems and rehearse to prepare for a performance.
9 Have students record themselves reading aloud. This is a great way for students to self monitor and you can listen to the recording later as a possible assessment.
8 Use a software program that can "listen" to students and support them with decoding and comprehension.
7 Enlist parent volunteers to listen to students read.
6 Have students evaluate themselves using a rubric. Some examples are questions they can ask themselves like "Did I sound like my teacher?" or "Do I know what the story was about?"
5 Write a volunteer rubric so that they can offer feedback too.
4 Have students read aloud to one another, to themselves, even to a classroom pet.
3 Put up a "do not disturb" sign while you are working with small groups so that no one interrupts your small group lesson time.
2 Work with struggling readers at the time of day or week when you have the most energy.
1 Don't nitpick unimportant words -- focus on words that are important for comprehension (Hoffman).
All the variations as well as the count down can be used daily, weekly or anywhere they fit in the class schedule. Guided reading can be used across grade levels as well as content areas and do not need to be used daily. Guided reading is an effective way to help students build fluency, comprehension and practice other reading strategies.
Below is a video showing Mrs. Kardos working with a small group doing a Guided Reading activity.
Content Area Examples:
Guided readings are typically used during language arts classes. Although, the strategy could possibly be used for other content areas, such as science or social studies. However, keep in mind that the reading materials should be at the student's appropriate level.
Type of Learners:
Guided reading is a strategy that can be used at any reader's level. This is due to the fact that it is designed to be used and worked on with the students in their instructional level. This means that students are given text that are on their level so the book being read throughout this strategy will not be above the student's instructional level.
References for Making Predictions:
Comprehension Strategies - Making connections, questioning, inferring, determining importance, and more. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/comprehension_strategies.html
Guisinger, P. (2015). Predicting. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=000009#how
Jennings, J. H., Caldwell, J. S., Lerner, J.W. (2014). Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies. Boston: Pearson.
Reading Strategy: Prediction. (2013, September 29). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsLD33rczFA
Strategies for Teaching Reading: Making Predictions. (2010, July 14). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5urWXX6Kgks
Images/Videos:
http://www.stpsb.org/news/Schools/BonneEcoleElem/sp2014-11/lowres/BonneEcolebouzigard13.jpg
https://youtu.be/nsLD33rczFA
https://youtu.be/5urWXX6Kgks
References for Guided Reading:
EWorkshop - Online Teaching Resource. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/core.cfm?p=main&modColour=1&modID=15&m=112&L=1
Hoffman, L. Blog - WeAreTeachers. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/09/fluency-comprehension-and-guided-reading-making-it-work-in-the-classroom
Improving Fluency in Young Readers -- Fluency Instruction. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/fluency.html
Madden, S. (2013, May 31). CAFE- Buddy Reading. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umPYZqc1ivg
Reading Fluency and Instruction. (2008, July 4). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.k12reader.com/reading-fluency-and-instruction/
Strategies to Assess and Increase Reading Fluency. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/1880-strategies-to-assess-and-increase-reading-fluency
Images/Videos:
https://youtu.be/umPYZqc1ivg
http://www.mondopub.com/Pages/graphics/GuidedReadingClassShot.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErHPrXSqUqc/VeLzIHn2rxI/AAAAAAAAA14/Kseflrpehpo/s1600/Jill%2527s%2BClassroom-2.jpg
Comprehension Strategies - Making connections, questioning, inferring, determining importance, and more. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/comprehension_strategies.html
Guisinger, P. (2015). Predicting. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=000009#how
Jennings, J. H., Caldwell, J. S., Lerner, J.W. (2014). Reading Problems: Assessment and Teaching Strategies. Boston: Pearson.
Reading Strategy: Prediction. (2013, September 29). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsLD33rczFA
Strategies for Teaching Reading: Making Predictions. (2010, July 14). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5urWXX6Kgks
Images/Videos:
http://www.stpsb.org/news/Schools/BonneEcoleElem/sp2014-11/lowres/BonneEcolebouzigard13.jpg
https://youtu.be/nsLD33rczFA
https://youtu.be/5urWXX6Kgks
References for Guided Reading:
EWorkshop - Online Teaching Resource. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/core.cfm?p=main&modColour=1&modID=15&m=112&L=1
Hoffman, L. Blog - WeAreTeachers. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/09/fluency-comprehension-and-guided-reading-making-it-work-in-the-classroom
Improving Fluency in Young Readers -- Fluency Instruction. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/fluency.html
Madden, S. (2013, May 31). CAFE- Buddy Reading. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umPYZqc1ivg
Reading Fluency and Instruction. (2008, July 4). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.k12reader.com/reading-fluency-and-instruction/
Strategies to Assess and Increase Reading Fluency. (2015). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/1880-strategies-to-assess-and-increase-reading-fluency
Images/Videos:
https://youtu.be/umPYZqc1ivg
http://www.mondopub.com/Pages/graphics/GuidedReadingClassShot.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErHPrXSqUqc/VeLzIHn2rxI/AAAAAAAAA14/Kseflrpehpo/s1600/Jill%2527s%2BClassroom-2.jpg