Reading skills are often
enhanced through the use of prediction skills.
Good readers use prediction
throughout their reading. They constantly anticipate what will happen next.
When reading with your child,
find time to have the child write down what he or she thinks is going to take
place.
Do this at the end of a chapter
or in between the illustrations of a picture book.
Beginning readers need stories
that are highly predictable. This predictability may take the form of rhyme,
repetition, or patterned language.
Help children write down their
prediction of the next word in a sequence.
They can then compare their
choice with the one in the book.
One good exercise is to make up
short stories and have children write several endings.
You can then talk about which
ending is “most predictable” or “most unbelievable” or “most inventive.”
Experts agree: When helping
your child become a strong reader, writing down predictions can be a valuable
tool for improved reading skills.
