Making Predictions: Before and During Reading

Predicting engages children as active readers, requiring them to think ahead, use clues, and monitor their understanding—key comprehension strategies.

• Framework: Montessori
• Unit: Language
• Learning area: Reading
• Level: Ages 4-6

Objectives

• Make predictions based on text and illustrations
• Use prior knowledge to anticipate events
• Develop active reading strategies
• Monitor and adjust predictions

Materials

• Picture books with strong narratives
• Prediction chart (I predict... Because... What actually happened...)
• Sticky notes for marking predictions
• Cover-up cards for picture walks

Instructions

1. Show book cover. 2. 'What do you think this book is about? Why?' 3. Read first few pages. 4. Stop: 'What will happen next?' 5. Record predictions on chart. 6. Continue reading. 7. 'Was your prediction right? What really happened?' 8. 'What clues helped you predict?'

Educator tip

Celebrate when predictions are wrong! 'The author surprised us! That's what makes reading exciting.' Being wrong means you were thinking.

Assessment

Child makes logical predictions and adjusts them based on new text information.

More from Language

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• Readers Theater: Fluency Through Performance
• Main Idea and Supporting Details
• Author's Purpose: Inform, Persuade, Entertain
• How-To Writing: Procedural Text
• Opinion Writing: I Think... Because...
• Editing and Revising: Making Writing Better
• Writing About Science: Observation Records