Anticipation Guides
1. What are Anticipation Guides?
Anticipation Guides are a before reading strategy that activate prior knowledge or schema about a concept or text. Students read several statements that reflect specific ideas from the text they are about to read and agree or disagree with each. This gets students thinking about the topic of the text prior to reading and sparks their interest. Students also become curious about the topic after reading the statements. The number of statements used can be adapted for each lesson based on the teacher’s knowledge of his/her students. Anticipation guides allow students to make predictions about a topic or concept. They can be done prior to reading a new text, or prior to learning about a new concept or unit of study. Anticipation guides are typically completed independently, but students are encouraged to share their ideas with a partner or group. Anticipation guides can be revisited after the lesson to allow students to reflect on their previous ideas.
2. Why would I teach this strategy?
Anticipation guides should be implemented because they are a quick and easy way to activate prior knowledge. By activating schema, students are able to reflect on and recall important information that they already have about the lesson topic. It also allows learners to critically think about important concepts that will be highlighted in the lesson. Anticipation guides set a purpose for reading as students have previewed the lesson topics before reading. They also get readers to become curious about the new topic and quickly engage them in the lesson. Perhaps most importantly, anticipation guides can be used for all types of learners and modified to meet their individual needs.
3. How would I teach this strategy?
This strategy would be used prior to reading a text or beginning a new unit. Students should reflect back on the anticipation guide during the lesson and after the lesson.
Step One: Construct an anticipation guide that identifies the major ideas presented in the lesson. Include beliefs that your students’ may have and write general statements that require them to agree or disagree with each.
Step Two: Have students complete the anticipation guide prior to the lesson either by themselves, in pairs, or in small groups.
Step Three: Have students engage in a “Think, Pair, Share.” Remind students to be prepared to defend their responses to their groups. Then, have the students share their responses with the entire class. Encourage a class discussion that has students debate the answers to the statements and explore their own beliefs.
Step Four: Have students read the text or teach the lesson. Tell the students to think about the anticipation guide throughout the lesson and mark anything that supports their initial ideas.
Step Five: After the lesson or reading the text, ask the students to reflect on the answers they gave to the anticipation guide. Ask the students if they would like to change any of their answers to the statements. Ask the students to provide evidence from the lesson to support their answers.
Example:
1. Have students complete the anticipation guide about the Civil War.
2. Have students engage in a “Think, Pair, Share,” and discuss their knowledge of the Civil War prior to reading.
3. Read aloud the first chapter of the text, “Civil War,” by John E. Stanchak.
4. Have the students revisit their anticipation guide. Ask them if they would like to change any answers or give support based on the text they read so far.
Credit to: Cate Granauro
1. What are Anticipation Guides?
Anticipation Guides are a before reading strategy that activate prior knowledge or schema about a concept or text. Students read several statements that reflect specific ideas from the text they are about to read and agree or disagree with each. This gets students thinking about the topic of the text prior to reading and sparks their interest. Students also become curious about the topic after reading the statements. The number of statements used can be adapted for each lesson based on the teacher’s knowledge of his/her students. Anticipation guides allow students to make predictions about a topic or concept. They can be done prior to reading a new text, or prior to learning about a new concept or unit of study. Anticipation guides are typically completed independently, but students are encouraged to share their ideas with a partner or group. Anticipation guides can be revisited after the lesson to allow students to reflect on their previous ideas.
2. Why would I teach this strategy?
Anticipation guides should be implemented because they are a quick and easy way to activate prior knowledge. By activating schema, students are able to reflect on and recall important information that they already have about the lesson topic. It also allows learners to critically think about important concepts that will be highlighted in the lesson. Anticipation guides set a purpose for reading as students have previewed the lesson topics before reading. They also get readers to become curious about the new topic and quickly engage them in the lesson. Perhaps most importantly, anticipation guides can be used for all types of learners and modified to meet their individual needs.
3. How would I teach this strategy?
This strategy would be used prior to reading a text or beginning a new unit. Students should reflect back on the anticipation guide during the lesson and after the lesson.
Step One: Construct an anticipation guide that identifies the major ideas presented in the lesson. Include beliefs that your students’ may have and write general statements that require them to agree or disagree with each.
Step Two: Have students complete the anticipation guide prior to the lesson either by themselves, in pairs, or in small groups.
Step Three: Have students engage in a “Think, Pair, Share.” Remind students to be prepared to defend their responses to their groups. Then, have the students share their responses with the entire class. Encourage a class discussion that has students debate the answers to the statements and explore their own beliefs.
Step Four: Have students read the text or teach the lesson. Tell the students to think about the anticipation guide throughout the lesson and mark anything that supports their initial ideas.
Step Five: After the lesson or reading the text, ask the students to reflect on the answers they gave to the anticipation guide. Ask the students if they would like to change any of their answers to the statements. Ask the students to provide evidence from the lesson to support their answers.
Example:
1. Have students complete the anticipation guide about the Civil War.
2. Have students engage in a “Think, Pair, Share,” and discuss their knowledge of the Civil War prior to reading.
3. Read aloud the first chapter of the text, “Civil War,” by John E. Stanchak.
4. Have the students revisit their anticipation guide. Ask them if they would like to change any answers or give support based on the text they read so far.
Credit to: Cate Granauro