English · Foundation · Making Meaning in Print · Term 2

Making Simple Predictions

Students will make simple predictions about what will happen next in a story based on clues.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9EFLA07

About This Topic

Making simple predictions helps Foundation students connect with stories by guessing what happens next based on clues like pictures, repeated words, and character actions. This aligns with AC9EFLA07, where students explain clues that support predictions, justify their reasoning, and compare guesses to actual events. Teachers model this during shared reading with think-alouds, pausing to point out evidence from the text.

Predictions strengthen comprehension of narrative patterns and build skills in observation, oral explanation, and reflection. In the Making Meaning in Print unit, students practice responding to literature, which supports emerging reading fluency and critical thinking. They learn stories follow logical sequences, yet authors include surprises that invite discussion.

Active learning suits this topic well. When students share predictions in pairs, vote as a class on likely outcomes, or draw their guesses before revealing the page, they make thinking visible. These approaches increase engagement, encourage peer teaching, and help every student articulate ideas with confidence.

Key Questions

1. Explain what clues in the story help you make a prediction.
2. Predict the next event in a story and justify your reasoning.
3. Compare your prediction with what actually happened in the story.

Learning Objectives

• Identify specific visual and textual clues within a story that support a prediction.
• Explain the reasoning behind a prediction using evidence from the text or illustrations.
• Compare and contrast an initial prediction with the actual events that occurred in a story.
• Formulate a new prediction based on new information presented in a story.

Before You Start

Identifying Characters and Setting

Why: Students need to understand the basic elements of a story, such as who is in it and where it takes place, before they can make predictions about events.

Recognizing Picture Clues

Why: Foundation students often rely on illustrations to understand text, so recognizing visual information is key to making predictions.

Key Vocabulary

prediction	A guess about what will happen next in a story, based on clues.
clue	A piece of information from the story, like a picture or a word, that helps you make a prediction.
evidence	The specific clues from the story that support your prediction.
justify	To explain why you made a certain prediction, using the evidence.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Predictions are wild guesses with no basis.

What to Teach Instead

Students often overlook text clues, treating stories like random events. Shared clue hunts in pairs help them identify evidence like character feelings or patterns, building justified reasoning through discussion.

Common Misconception

Once predicted, the story outcome is fixed.

What to Teach Instead

Children assume predictions cannot change with new clues. Group comparisons of initial versus revised predictions during read-alouds teach flexibility, as active revisiting reinforces how authors build suspense.

Common Misconception

Only words matter for predictions, not pictures.

What to Teach Instead

Visual learners may ignore illustrations. Picture prediction walks in small groups highlight multimodal clues, making comprehension accessible and showing how images and text work together.

Active Learning Ideas

Pair Share: Prediction Pause

During read-aloud, pause at key points and have pairs discuss clues from pictures or words to predict the next event. Each pair shares one prediction with evidence. Record predictions on a chart for later comparison.

30 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Clue Hunt Relay

Divide the story into sections. Groups hunt for 2-3 clues per section, predict the next event, and pass to the next group. Groups justify predictions orally before moving on.

45 min·Small Groups

Whole Class: Prediction Theatre

Stop the story and have the class act out their predicted next event using props or actions. Vote on the most likely prediction, then reveal the real page and discuss matches.

40 min·Whole Class

Individual: Sketch a Guess

After a story pause, students draw their prediction with labeled clues. Share drawings in a gallery walk, then check against the text.

25 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Meteorologists predict the weather by looking at clues in weather maps and data, explaining their forecasts to the public so people can plan their activities.
• Detectives make predictions about who committed a crime by examining clues at a crime scene and witness statements, then justifying their theories.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a short, familiar story excerpt and an illustration. Ask them to write one sentence predicting what happens next and list one clue that helped them make that prediction.

Discussion Prompt

After reading a story, ask: 'What was one thing you predicted would happen? What clue made you think that? Did that prediction come true? Why or why not?' Encourage students to share their reasoning with a partner first.

Quick Check

During shared reading, pause at a key moment and ask students to show a thumbs up if they think one thing will happen next, or a thumbs down if they think something else will happen. Ask a few students to explain their choice using a specific clue from the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach simple predictions in Foundation English?

Start with predictable texts and model think-alouds: 'The dog looks happy, so I predict it will get a treat.' Pause frequently for student predictions, using charts to track clues and outcomes. Shared reading builds confidence, while reflection questions like 'What clues helped?' solidify skills across AC9EFLA07.

What story clues help Foundation students predict events?

Clues include illustrations showing emotions or settings, repeated phrases signaling patterns, and character actions like running toward something. Teachers guide students to these through highlighting and discussion, linking clues to logical next steps. This practice develops evidence-based thinking central to the curriculum.

How does active learning support making predictions?

Active methods like pair predictions, group clue relays, and class voting turn passive listening into participation. Students articulate reasoning aloud, see diverse ideas from peers, and adjust based on feedback. This boosts engagement, makes abstract skills concrete, and improves retention for diverse learners in Foundation.

Why compare predictions to actual story events?

Comparison reveals how authors use clues to surprise or confirm expectations, teaching narrative craft. Students discuss mismatches like 'I thought the bear would eat honey, but it shared,' fostering reflection. Charting these in whole class builds metacognition and appreciation for stories.