Forty Best-practices Instructional Activities
Prediction Plus Coding
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Procedures: Based on the title of the reading selection, students make a list of predictions. “What information do you think will be revealed in this article, based on its title?” Students also pause and predict throughout reading an article in order to use clues in the text to forecast upcoming information. After reading the selection, students place a plus next to predictions that were confirmed in the text. They place an “R” next to predictions that needed to be revised based on the information in the text. They place an “NA” next to predictions that were not applicable for the article. Students learn how to refine their predictions when they begin to code their ideas. They start focusing on clues in the text to make reasonable predictions. Encourage students to make predictions during their independent reading times.
Examples: After previewing the title, “Inside the Chrysalis,” students write prediction sentences. For example: “I think that this article will tell me about how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.” “I predict that I will learn about the process of metamorphosis.” “I think that this article will be organized sequentially because it will describe how the caterpillar changes step by step.” “I predict that the article will include the following words: caterpillar, metamorphosis, larvae, instar...” “I think this article was written to inform readers.” “I think the author is an expert on butterflies.”
Variations: Use sentence starters to prompt student responses. Prompts can be used to target specific predictions, such as vocabulary, text structure, author’s purpose, or author’s viewpoint. Collect students’ predictions and have them sort the responses into organized groups. “How are the predictions alike? Different?” “How can these predictions be sorted into categories?”
Reading Strategies: Activate Prior Knowledge, Make Predictions and Connections, Draw Conclusions, Ask Questions, Set a Purpose for Reading
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