Reading Skill

ANTICIPATING THROUGH THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Making predictions is a strategy in which readers use information from a text (including titles, headings,pictures, and diagrams) and their own personal experiences to anticipate what they are about to read(or what comes next). A reader involved in making predictions is focused on the text at hand, constantly thinking ahead and also refining, revising, and verifying his or her predictions. This strategy also helps students make connections between their prior knowledge and the text. The strategy is important for all types of text. In informational text, a prediction is made about the outcome of a future event based upon a pattern of evidence. We should make sure to include time for instruction, modeling, and practice as readers read informational text. They can also help readers successfully make predictions about informational text by ensuring that readers have sufficient background knowledge before beginning to read the text.