In an earlier post, I wrote about the value of anticipation or prediction guides. This risk-free strategy allows students to anticipate what a passage may be about by connecting to prior knowledge. Being intentional about helping students create these connections can lead to higher levels of engagement by establishing a purpose for reading and connecting to prior knowledge.
There are two other strategies I would recommend for use in any content area or grade level. One is the predict-o-gram (Blachowicz 1986). I’ve had the most success with this strategy when students already have some exposure to the topic or content. For example, if you’re reading a novel, you might use this after the first or second chapter. In a content area class, this strategy might be best employed after the major concepts have been introduced to the students. Give students a list of words or phrases that will be found in the upcoming reading (or a least of words related to the reading). Ask students to predict how the words will be used, to relate a serious of words to one another or to indicate those words that they predict will not be relevant to the topic.
Story Impressions (McGinley & Denner, 1987) is a similar strategy that is can also be used with fiction or informational text at any level. Provide a list of important words or phrases from a passage. Students can work independently or in small groups to predict how the elements will fit together in the story. The goal is to link each word or phrase to the one listed above it. Students can work independently, in small groups or as a whole class to write a brief version of the story. This student-created version of the story then serves as a basis for compare/contrast while the students read the original story.
Taking the time to anticipate content can activate prior knowledge, motivate students by establishing interest and purpose and highlight important concepts.
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Language Arts Blog by Theresa Hinkle 