Most teachers, including me, often have students make predictions prior to reading a text.

In addition, many of us use specific strategies to help students activate prior knowledge prior to reading.  In fact, Edutopia just published a piece by Katie Hull on this topic: Activating Prior Knowledge With English Language Learners

However, I had not thought about making predictions as a specific strategy for activating prior knowledge.  At least, I hadn’t until I read a new study tonight.

When generating a prediction boosts learning: The element of surprise is the title of the paper. It’s behind a paywall, though there may be other ways to read it.

Here’s an excerpt:

I’m adding this info to:

The Best Resources For Learning About The Importance Of Prior Knowledge (& How To Activate It)

The Best Posts On Reading Strategies & Comprehension – Help Me Find More!