Making Predictions

Guessing the PurposeMaking PredictionsMaking a prediction means guessing what will happen in a reading or guessing the purpose of a reading passage, a course unit, or other reading material. However, predictions are much more than just random guesses. To make a prediction, you will need to preview the material, make your prediction, read the material, and confirm or correct your prediction. Practicing these skillsas you make predictionswill help you more fully understand what you read.

Predicting:Before you read, it is helpful to prepare your mind by thinking ahead about what you may read. Making predictions will give you ideas to think about as you read. The reading will confirm some of your predictions (tell you that you are right) and will correct some of your mistaken predictions.

Making Predictions = Thinking Ahead Thinking Ahead:Making predictions requires that you preview the reading or materials. You might find helpful information to help make predictions in a title, a preface, a table of contents, bold words, an illustration, a specific part of the reading, your own personal experience, background knowledge, etc.

Helpful information can be found in:titles, subtitles, chapter headings, preface bold words illustrations (pictures, charts, graphs) specific details personal experience background knowledge (what you already know)PreviewLets look at an example. Have you ever read this book before? Without even opening the book, we can guess what will happen by previewing the title, front cover, back cover, and illustrations. Based on your preview, what do you think the book will be about? What did you use to make this prediction?

Steps 1 and 2: Preview and Make a Prediction

Heres an example of a prediction you might make before opening the book. This prediction is based on the title and the bears scary shadow in the illustration.

Prediction: A little mouse has to give a red strawberry to a big, hungry bear.Preview information used: The title and the bears scary shadow. Step 2: Make a Prediction

After making predictions, its time to read the material. As you read, you will gather further information about your original ideas.

ReadGather InformationStep 3: Read the materialWhen you finish reading, you will use the information you gathered to confirm or correct your predictions. If the information you found in the reading is the same as your prediction, it is confirmed. If your prediction is incorrect, you may need to change it.

Example

If you read this book, you would learn that the story is actually about the way the little mouse keeps the strawberry safe from the bear. So, by reading the book, you could adjust your prediction to make it more accurate.

Prediction:A little mouse has to give a red strawberry to a big, hungry bear.Preview information used:The title and the bears scary shadow.Correction:A little mouse saves a strawberry from the big, hungry bear.

Step 4: Confirm or Correct

Making predictions is important at the beginning and in the middle of a reading. ExampleIn the middle of this book, we learn that there is only one way to keep a red, ripe strawberry safe from the big, hungry bear. Use your background knowledge (what you already know) to make a prediction:

Prediction: The only way to keep the strawberry safe is ____________.(What made you say that? )

Background information used: What information do you have?Step 4: Confirm or CorrectRemember these simple steps for making a prediction. First, preview the material. Second, make a logical guess about what will happen next. Third, read the material. Fourth, after reading, confirm or correct your predictions.

1. Preview2. Make a Prediction3. Read the Material (complete the assignments)4. Confirm or CorrectReviewUse this lesson to practice making predictions. Look at Lesson 3 in GS 120L in I-Learn to preview the lesson title, subtitles, bold words, and illustrations (if any) of the assignments posted. Guess what the lesson will be about. Find information or pages that will help you make your prediction.

Step 1: PreviewStep 2: Make a Prediction

Prediction: (What do you think this lesson is going to be about?)

Practice ActivityNow that you have made your guess on what the lesson will be about, continue completing the assignments for the remainder of this lesson. While you are working on the assignments, look for information that will help you to confirm or correct your prediction.

Step 3: Read the Material - Complete all Lesson 3 AssignmentsPractice ActivityWas your prediction accurate? Can you confirm it, or do you need to make corrections? Youll only find out after you have completed all the assignments.

Step 4. Confirm or Correct (only after you have completed all of Lesson 3)Practice ActivityRemember, making predictions is important before and during reading. Making predictions will help you understand and remember more than if you read without making predictions.

Lets review the steps to making predictions:1. Preview2. Make a Prediction3. Read the material4. Confirm or Correct Review: Making Predictions