Vicki Stayton
Expectation Outlines
The purpose of expectation outlines is to help students engage with
assigned reading by getting them to first ask questions or make predictions
about the text. The expectation outline can be recorded and developed on
the board or a chart as students tell what they expect to learn from a
reading selection.
1. After student preview the text features of the material (section
heading, bold text, sidebars, etc.) ask them what they think the
selection will be about.
2. Ask students to give their predictions in the form of questions.
Encourage them to elaborate about what prompted them to ask their
particular question.
3. As they give their questions, record them and group related
questions.
4. After the questions have been asked and grouped, ask the class to
label the groups of questions. In this way students will see major
topics that will emerge from the reading.
5. If there is important information the students have missed, the
teacher can fill this in on the expectation outline and call the students’
attention to it.
6. Once the expectation outline is complete the students read to answer
the questions they have asked.