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Possible sentences

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What is it?


"Possible sentences" are a pre-reading vocabulary strategy that activates students' prior knowledge about vocabulary and concepts in the content area. Before reading, students are provided with a short list of vocabulary words from their reading. Students create a meaningful sentence for each vocabulary word or concept based on their prediction about the content of the reading. After reading, students check if their "possible sentences" were accurate or need to be revised.


Source

Why use it?

    • Activates students' prior knowledge of vocabulary and concepts in the content area, and can enhance their reading comprehension.
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    • Awakens students' curiosity about their reading. By asking students to guess how the words can be used in the text, it is expected that they will be drawn to read the entire selection and determine if their sentences were accurate.
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    • Teach students to guess how words can be used in the text and to create meaningful sentences.

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Key information

Focus

                  

Vocabulary

Understanding

When?

                  

Before reading

After reading

How?

     

Small groups

All the class

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

How to implement it?


  1. Before the students read the text, visually display the chosen vocabulary.
  2. Ask the students to define the words and to match related words.
  3. Ask the students to write sentences using their pairs of words. Remind the students that their sentences should be those they expect to see in the text while reading.
  4. Have the students read the text and compare their possible sentences with the actual sentences in the text.
  5. If the students' possible sentences are inaccurate, ask them to rewrite their sentences to make them accurate.
  6. Invite the students to share their sentences with the class.
 
Try it!
Completed as a game after reading, students share their sentences without revealing which ones are accurate or inaccurate. Student teams can try to guess, based on their reading, which sentences are accurate.

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Diversity in the classroom


For second language learners, students with varied reading skills, and younger students.
  • Have students of different abilities work together to develop sentences.
  • Invite the students to share their sentences with the class.
  • If the students have never completed possible sentences, you will need to model the process for them.
  • Provide clues for younger readers by writing sentences and leaving blank spaces for them to fill in with vocabulary words.
  • Give ESL students the vocabulary words in both English and their native language. Ask them to write sentences in English.
  • As a game after reading, students can share their sentences without revealing which ones are accurate or inaccurate. Student teams can try to decipher, based on their reading, which sentences are accurate.
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Evidence


Moore, D.W., & Moore, S.A (1986). “Possible sentences.” In Reading in the content areas: Improving classroom instruction. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Stahl, S.A. & Kapinus, B.A. (1991). Possible sentences: Predicting word meaning to teach content area vocabulary. The Reading Teacher, 45, 36-45.
Texas Education Agency (2002). Teaching Word Meanings as Concepts (opens in a new window)


This article is a free adaptation and translation of: Reading Rockets (n.d.) Possible Sentences
. https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/possible-sentences

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