Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies: A2 Lesson 2: Using Pictures and Titles to Predict Content

Reading: Fluency & Strategies A2

Lesson 2: Using Pictures and Titles to Predict Content

Listen to the lesson instructions and story.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use a story's title and picture to predict (guess) what the story will be about, which makes reading easier.

Before You Read 🧠

Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)

Let's learn these important words for this lesson.

Predict
| ទស្សន៍ទាយ
To make a smart guess about what will happen next.
Title
| ចំណងជើង
The name of a story, book, or article.
Clue
| តម្រុយ
A piece of information that helps you find an answer.
Topic
| ប្រធានបទ
The main subject of a text, conversation, or lesson.

What is Predicting?

Predicting is making a smart guess about a story *before* you read it. It's like looking at the sky. If you see dark clouds (a clue), you can predict it will rain. This helps your brain get ready for the topic and makes reading much easier!

The "Look, Think, Guess" Method

Use these three simple steps before you read *any* text.

Step 1: Look at the Title

Read the title and ask: "What words do I know?"

Example Title:

"The Big, Red Balloon"

Step 2: Look at the Picture

Look at the image and ask: "What do I see?"

(Image: A little boy looking up at a balloon.)
Step 3: Guess the Topic

Combine the clues and make a prediction.

My Prediction:

"This story is probably about a boy who has a big red balloon."

Practice 1: Make a Prediction 🎯

Look at the title and picture below. What do you predict this story is about?

(Imagine a picture of a family having a picnic by a river)

Title: A Fun Day at the River

Based on the clues, what is this story probably about?

Reading Passage

Now, read the story. Click 🔊 to hear each paragraph. Was your prediction correct?

This Saturday, Sothea and his family went to the river. The sun was hot, and the sky was blue. "What a beautiful day for a picnic!" said his mother.

They found a big tree and sat down with their food. They had chicken, sticky rice, and sweet mango. Sothea said, "I like this food!"

After eating, Sothea and his father went to swim in the river. The water was cool and nice. Then, they all played a game. It was a very fun day.

Practice 2: Check Your Understanding

Now that you've read the story, answer these questions to check your comprehension.

1. Where did the family go?

2. What did they do *after* eating?

Key Vocabulary Reference (Click 🔊)

These words from the story are useful to know.

  • River | ទន្លេ
    A large, natural flow of water (like the Mekong).
  • Picnic | អាហារកម្សាន្ត
    A meal you pack and eat outside, often in a park or by a river.
  • Swim | ហែលទឹក
    To move your body through water.
  • Cool | ត្រជាក់
    A little bit cold, in a nice way.

Your Reading Mission ⭐

Practice Predicting!

Next time you are on a website, like Facebook or a news site, don't read the story first!

  1. Look only at the picture and the title.
  2. Make a guess (predict) what the story is about. Say one sentence in your head.
  3. Now, read the first one or two sentences of the story.
  4. Was your prediction correct? This simple practice will make you a faster reader.