Probable+Passage

Rebecca Martin

Pre-Reading Strategy:

Probable Passage

1. What is the strategy? Probable Passage

This is what it looks like step-by-step:

> > > > (Beers, 2003, pp. 92-93). > 2. When is it used? Purpose? Benefits? >
 * “Choose eight to fourteen key words.” Some should be connected with each other; others should not have a clear connection. Some words should hopefully be not known by students.
 * “Model the strategy a few times.” By doing this strategy out loud for students to see and hear, they will understand what they are trying to do with the words. Let students know the reasons you have for placing words in certain categories.
 * “After reading the story, return to the worksheet to see which of your To Discover questions you can answer.” If there were any unknown words, see if you can define them now based on context clues from the reading. Show where the author would have arranged the words if he had done this activity.
 * “After you’ve modeled this once with students, let them try it.” In groups, have students place words in the different categories, and create gist statements. Then have them share what they came up with.

> > 3. What does it look like? > A sample worksheet: [] > 4. Where can you find more information on Probable Passage? > Beers, Kylene. (2003). When Kids Can’t Read What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. 87-94. > [] > This video shows Probable Passage in an ELA classroom. The teacher does a great job of describing and modeling the strategy for a class who has never used this before. > [] >  This is a video of the strategy being used in a science class. > <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">If you Google search “Probable Passage” there are many different sites that explain step by step how to use probable passage before reading texts. > <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">[] > <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;"> This is a PDF file that has a step-by-step guide, and an example of a probable passage sheet. It is important to note that the categories can be changed depending on your content area or text. >
 * This should be used with students who struggle to connect with stories and make predictions (Beers, 2003, p. 93).
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">The purpose is for students to start thinking about the text before they start reading it. This benefits students, because if students can make predictions and use their own experiences to make connections with a text, then they will have an easier time understanding the text. They will already have connections and interest in the text before they start reading which will cause them to comprehend the text better (Beers, 2003, p. 93). If students are already questioning the text before they read, they will have a purpose when reading and will seek out the answers. This will lead to more independent readers (Beers, 2003, p. 94).