4WS2A

Students question and predict by:

Syllabus Indicator 2: Making predictions resulting from their questions.

Framework Indicators

4WS2A: Making predictions using prior knowledge 

Teacher Language

Give an instruction

No specific teacher language

Students will be able to achieve this indicator with varying levels of support. Fade this support as the student works toward developing independence.

Teaching Activities 

4WS2A: Making predictions using prior knowledge  

Students accessing this framework can achieve this indicator as it is written by using prior knowledge of their immediate surroundings. Observations of a student are necessary to determine when and under what circumstances they are demonstrating making these predictions. Teachers need to use their indepth knowledge of students’ behaviours as a student accessing this framework may not be able to verbalise a prediction. However, by observing body language and facial expressions teachers may be able to determine when students are making a prediction. 

Examples of this are as follows:

• A student in a wheelchair enjoys watching and interacting with other children in the playground. When a staff member begins to move the wheelchair the student begins to smile and laugh predicting that they are about to be moved towards the playground where they can easily observe the other students. 
• A student will choose to kick a ball up a hill rather than along the ground as they know the ball will run back down the hill to them. They are predicting that it will return to them.
• A student hears a rumble of thunder or looks up into the sky and sees clouds. The student may verbalise ‘storm’, make a gesture towards the sky or display anxiety if upset by storms. They are making predictions about what may happen using prior knowledge based on observations of their environment.  
• A staff member works one on one with a student. The student enjoys this one on one interaction to the point where when the student hears the staff member’s voice or sees them in the classroom, the student begins to laugh and smile. The student is making a prediction that the one on one interaction is about to take place.
• A student flinches or puts their hands to their ears when a balloon is blown up. They are predicting that the balloon may burst.
• A student covers their face or responds with excitement when a spray bottle containing water is held in front of their face. They are predicting they will get wet.