English · Year 1 · Reading Comprehension Strategies · Term 4

Making Predictions

Using text and picture clues to guess what might happen next in a story.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E1LY04
• AC9E1LT01

About This Topic

Making predictions builds essential reading comprehension for Year 1 students by teaching them to use picture and text clues to anticipate story events. Aligned with AC9E1LY04, which focuses on comprehension strategies like predicting, and AC9E1LT01, which involves discussing character actions and events, this skill turns passive reading into active engagement. Students spot clues such as a character's worried expression or words like 'suddenly' to form reasoned guesses.

This topic fits within the broader unit on reading strategies, linking prediction to sequencing and inference. It encourages evidence-based thinking, as students explain 'What clues made you predict that?' Revisiting predictions after reading ahead helps them understand narrative cause and effect, fostering flexibility and deeper text connection.

Active learning benefits this topic greatly through shared discussions and visual aids. When students pair up to voice predictions on sticky notes or chart them as a class before turning the page, they articulate reasoning, compare ideas, and revise based on new evidence. This collaborative process makes abstract strategies concrete, boosts participation, and strengthens retention.

Key Questions

1. What clues in the pictures help you guess what might happen next in the story?
2. What made you think that would happen , what did you see or read?
3. What did you predict would happen, and what actually happened in the end?

Learning Objectives

• Identify specific visual and textual clues within a story that suggest future events.
• Formulate predictions about story outcomes based on identified textual and visual evidence.
• Explain the reasoning behind a prediction by referencing specific clues from the text or illustrations.
• Compare their initial predictions with the actual events of the story, articulating any differences and reasons.

Before You Start

Identifying Characters and Settings

Why: Students need to understand who and where the story is taking place before they can make predictions about events.

Understanding Simple Sentence Meaning

Why: Students must be able to comprehend the basic meaning of sentences to identify textual clues.

Key Vocabulary

prediction	A guess about what will happen next in a story, based on clues.
clue	A piece of information from the pictures or words that helps you make a guess.
illustration	A picture in a book that helps tell the story.
text	The words that are written in a book.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Predictions are random guesses with no basis.

What to Teach Instead

Predictions rely on specific text and picture clues. Pair shares help students identify evidence they missed, like foreshadowing words, building habits of close reading through peer examples.

Common Misconception

Once made, predictions never change.

What to Teach Instead

New story information requires revising predictions. Group chart updates show this process visually, encouraging students to embrace flexible thinking during whole-class reviews.

Common Misconception

Only pictures matter, not the words.

What to Teach Instead

Both text and visuals provide clues. Collaborative hunts in small groups prompt students to cite sentences alongside images, balancing multimodal evidence effectively.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share: Clue Predictions

Pause after a story page and have students think silently about what happens next using pictures and words. In pairs, they share predictions and evidence like 'The dark clouds mean rain.' Regroup as a class to vote on top predictions before reading on.

20 min·Pairs

Picture Walk Prediction

Display wordless picture book pages out of order. Students in small groups predict the sequence and ending, noting visual clues. Reassemble pages correctly and discuss matches between predictions and the real story.

30 min·Small Groups

Prediction Chart: Whole Class

Before reading, chart class predictions on a board with columns for 'Prediction' and 'Clues.' Read the story in sections, update the chart with outcomes. Students add reflections on accurate predictions.

25 min·Whole Class

Story Card Relay: Pairs

Provide story cards with pictures and partial text. Pairs take turns predicting the next card's event, passing if stuck. Review the full sequence to check predictions.

15 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Detectives use clues in a crime scene, like footprints or witness statements, to predict who committed a crime and how it happened.
• Weather forecasters look at current conditions, like cloud types and wind direction, to predict what the weather will be like tomorrow.
• Game designers use player actions and game rules to predict how players might behave and design challenges accordingly.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

During shared reading, pause before turning a page. Ask students to point to a picture or word that gives them a clue about what might happen next. Have them share their clue with a partner.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a simple story excerpt and illustration. Ask them to draw one clue they see and write one sentence predicting what will happen next.

Discussion Prompt

After reading a story, ask: 'What did you predict would happen at the beginning? What clues helped you make that prediction? Did anything surprise you? Why?' Encourage students to refer back to specific parts of the book.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to teach making predictions in Year 1 English?

Start with familiar picture books, pausing to model clue-spotting like 'The character is running because danger is coming.' Guide students to share predictions orally, then in writing on sticky notes. Use key questions from the curriculum to prompt evidence: 'What clues helped your guess?' Practice across 10-15 minute sessions builds confidence quickly.

What Australian Curriculum standards link to making predictions?

AC9E1LY04 requires using comprehension strategies like predicting during shared reading. AC9E1LT01 supports discussing predictions about characters and events. These align with Term 4's Reading Comprehension Strategies unit, integrating prediction into daily text talks for fluent, thoughtful readers.

How can active learning help students master making predictions?

Active approaches like think-pair-share or prediction charts make strategies interactive. Students voice ideas to peers, justify with clues, and revise publicly, which clarifies thinking and reveals gaps. This social process increases engagement over silent reading, with visuals like charts providing instant feedback on accuracy.

What books work best for Year 1 prediction practice?

Choose predictable texts like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' for pattern clues or 'Where's Spot?' for lift-the-flap reveals. Wordless books such as 'Journey' by Aaron Becker emphasize pictures. Australian titles like 'Wombat Stew' offer cultural familiarity and suspenseful predictions tied to rhymes and illustrations.