3 Making Predictions Lessons with Early Learners Builds Reading Comprehension

I blogged about Predicting back in April 2014, but I think it’s worth talking about again.  (Click here to see the original post.)  When students can use predicting effortlessly, their comprehension can increase.  Predicting allows students to put pieces of the puzzle in front of them.

Making Predictions Anchor Charts

I’m a fanatic about the anchor charts.  

I think allowing the children to participate in making the anchor chart gives them ownership.  

That being said, our school has a specific anchor chart for all our reading comprehension strategies.  

We HAVE to use the same language.  

In the example to the left, the teacher made a template of the anchor before introducing it to the students.

Students help to make the anchor chart and then the class has buy-in and are more likely to USE the anchor chart.

I also have anchor charts 4 on a page for posting in notebooks or putting on rings for comprehension strategies and anchor chart bookmarks for student use.

Each day the lesson begins with referring to the anchor chart.

Reread it. Look at the pictures. Make connections with the pictures. Discuss it. Have the students put it in their words.

Making Predictions Whole Group

Once the Anchor Chart has been established we must focus on direct instruction.

When students predict, they should use the cover and pictures to predict what will happen.

Using pictures at the easel, students will look at the cover of the book (an ocean in the example) and predict what they will see or read about in the book.

Students will then be shown six pictures and the should determine either or not they could predict they would see those items in the book.

3 Making Predictions Lessons with Early Learners Builds Reading Comprehension

Students can put the pictures under the thumbs-up or thumbs-down column on the easel. Students could also have thumbs-up and thumbs-down pictures on tongue depressors to use as whole group voting signs. As a picture is shown to the class, each student will vote thumbs-up or thumbs-down and one student is asked to explain why they would or would not see that in the book.

Making Predictions Read Alouds

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE using predicting with our Read Alouds.  

As I’ve told you before, I always read Magic Tree House books as a read aloud in Kindergarten.  

One chapter a day.  

Each day, we review the vocabulary before we read. After the chapter, students raise their hands to tell a SWBSA summary for the chapter.  

Once students have completed their summaries, we read the chapter title for following day and students give me predictions.  

They have to start with “I predict…” and they have to have a “because” in their prediction.  We have to know WHY you are predicting what you are.  It’s fun when we read the chapter the next day and if a student made the correct prediction they are so excited.  This is such an easy way to let early readers experience predicting.

However, we need to predict with every book we read.

We should get our students in the habit of looking at the cover and pictures and getting an idea of what will happen in the book.

Again using the anchor chart, we need to stop during reading to ask students what they think will happen next and ask for the reason they are making their predictions.

Finally, when the story is over it’s important to revisit their predictions.

  • Were they right?
  • Do they need to revise their prediction based on what they know now?
  • Can they confirm their predictions?

If you’d like to read about Magic Tree House in my classroom, check out

Making Predictions Independent Practice

Finally, as with any reading strategy, students MUST independently practice using the strategy. Students should be able to look at pictures and text to predict what will happen next.

Introducing students to using Predictions  as a reading comprehension strategy early can make a difference in their understanding.

If you would like a FREE SAMPLE of my Making Predictions pack, click the link or the picture below.

3 Making Predictions Lessons with Early Learners Builds Reading Comprehension

If you would like to look at the Making Predictions Set on TPT, click the link or picture.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Comprehension-Strategy-Making-Predictions-5537653

The Making Predictions set is also included in the Reading Comprehension BIG BUNDLE.

First, Then, Last - An Easy Way to Teach Sequencing
Cathy Collier

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