PredictingPredictingPredictingPredictingA strategy that begins PRIOR to reading A strategy that begins PRIOR to reading

and extends into POST reading and extends into POST reading discussionsdiscussions

Making PredictionsWhy do it?

To become a strategic, active reader by

– Activating prior knowledge about a topic

– Seeing causal relationships

– Making connections

– Forming images/visualizing

Prediction Signals that help readers focus…

If the text contains:

A question

A subheading

Therefore

You might predict you’ll find

An answer

Details that describe it

A conclusion or outcome of previous text

If the text contains:

• For example• Such as• For instance• In fact• To illustrate this

point

You might predict you’ll find:

One or more examples that illustrate the main point of the paragraph or text

If the text contains:

• In other words• That is• Consists of• Means

You might predict you’ll find:

A definition or simpler explanation

If the text contains:

• However• But• Whereas• On the other hand• In contrast• In comparison• Yet

You might predict you’ll find:

A difference or unexpected outcome

Finally…If the text contains:

• Just as• Likewise• Also• Just like• Similarly• In the same way• Moreover• Furthermore

You might predict you’ll find:

A continuation or comparison that shows similarities

Predicting Non Fiction Predicting Non Fiction TextText

Predicting Non Fiction Predicting Non Fiction TextText

The Four “P” Process…The Four “P” Process…

The Four “P” Processof Predicting

Prior Knowledge Patterns/Text Structure

Pictures? Graphs? Text Features?

Prove your prediction with proof from the text

Text features guide us through non fiction text…

• Charts• Diagrams• Labels• Pictures• Captions

• Subheadings• Font • Bullets• White space• Layout

Heading

Subheading

Key Words

Use the title, headings, pictures and graphics to activate PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

PictureCaption

Capt

ion

Graph

Label/heading

My prediction

Evidence For

Evidence Against

How My Understanding Has Changed

Sample Prediction Organizer

Text Structures/Organizational Text Structures/Organizational PatternsPatterns

Text Structures/Organizational Text Structures/Organizational PatternsPatterns

Advanced Signal WordsAdvanced Signal Words

CAUSE AND EFFECTThe author’s purpose is to write

aboutWhy something happens, i.e., the

cause. And explainWhat happens because of the cause,

i.e., the effect.

SIGNAL WORDS• Because• Since• Therefore• Consequently• As a result• This led to

• So that• Nevertheless• Accordingly• If…then• Thus• One reason for that• For this reason

CAUSE

“Drug abusers often start in upper elementary school. They experiment with a parent’s alcohol and enjoy its outcome. They keep doing this and become accustomed to the end result of alcohol…

Why?

EFFECT

Consequently, they start taking more and more of the alcohol to get the same level of buzz.

As a result, the child turns to other forms of stimulation including marijuana.”

What?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

To achieve his/her purpose, an author makes a comparison by telling how things, people, places or events are alike and contrasts them to tell how they are different.

SIGNAL WORDS• However• Like• Unlike• Likewise• Both• As well as• On the other hand• Not only…but also• Either…or while

• Although• Unless• Similarly• Yet• Nevertheless• In contrast• Too• As opposed to• Whereas

Compare/Contrast

“Middle school gives students more autonomy than elementary school. While students are asked to be responsible for their learning in both levels, middle school students have more pressure to follow through on assignments on their own, rather than rely on adults.”

Elementary less autonomy/independence

Middle School more autonomy/independence

Both askedto be responsible for learning

More pressure to complete assignments and follow through

Less pressure to complete assignments and follow through

PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

The author’s purpose is to write about a problem and give a solution.

SIGNAL WORDS• Issue• Details• Possibilities• Trials• Reasons• Analysis• Selection • Result

Text focus:What is wrong and

how it can be corrected

What needs to be changed, improved, fixed

Who is confronting problems

PROBLEM

“The carrying capacity of a habitat refers to the amount of plant and animal life its resources can hold. For example, if there are only 80 pounds of food available and there are animals that together need more than 80 pounds of food to survive, one or more animals will die – the habitat can’t ‘carry’ them. Humans have reduced many habitats’ carrying capacity such as housing development, road construction, dams, pollution, fires, and acid rain.

SOLUTION

So that they can maintain full carrying capacity in forest habitats, Congress has enacted legislation that protects endangered habitats from human development or impact.

As a result, these areas have high carrying capacities and an abundance of plant and animal life.”

Problem:

Humans destroy habitats of animals and plants through housing development, etc.

Action:

Congress has enacted legislation that protects endangered habitats from human development

Solution:

Abundance of plant and animal life

SEQUENCE or TIME ORDER GOAL/ACTION/OUTCOME

To achieve his/her purpose, the author arranges the facts in a special sequence or lists them in chronological or time order.

SIGNAL WORDS

• On (date)• Not long after• Now• As• Before• After• When

• Since• Until• First• Following• At the same time• Finally• During• At last

Time Order

“Astronomy came a long way in the 1500s and 1600s. In 1531, Halley’s Comet appeared and caused great panic. Just twelve years later, however, Copernicus realized that the sun was the center of the solar system, not the Earth, and astronomy became a way to understand the natural world, not something to fear.

In the early part of the next century, Galileo made the first observations with a new instrument – the telescope. A generation later, Sir Isaac Newton invented the reflecting telescope, a close cousin to what we use today. Halley’s Comet returned in 1682 and it was treated as a scientific wonder, studied by Edmund Halley.”

Concept/DefinitionSignal Words

• Who• What• Where• When• Why• How

Text focus:What something is

or looks likeHow something can

be describedHow something can

be classified

Proposition/SupportSignal Words

• Viewpoint• Opinion• Idea• Hypothesis• Theory• Proof• Evidence

Text focusWhy accept an opinion,

theory, or hypothesisWhat viewpoint is

expressed in an editorial or persuasion

How conclusions are based on research results or studies

Opinion Proof

Proposition/Support

ResourcesTovani, Chris, Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?

Beers, Kylene, When Kids Can’t Read What Teachers Can Do

Zwiers, Jeff, Building Reading Comprehension Habits in Grades 6-12

Strong, Silver, Perini & Tuculescu, Reading for Academic Success

Literacy First training materials