A Quick Guide to Anticipation Guides
What is an Anticipation Guide?
An Anticipation Guide is a prereading strategy designed to activate background knowledge and build interest in the content of a forthcoming lesson.
Why would I use this instructional strategy?
Anticipation Guides serve as a bridge between students’ background knowledge and their beliefs and ideas.
Students develop a personal interest in the topic.
Students can personal interest questions that they want answered.
This guide provides a basis for discussion so you can uncover any misconceptions or strongly held beliefs that might need to be examined before, during, and after reading.
These guide are excellent assessment tools, both for prereading support and post reading evaluations, demonstrating how students are changed as a result of the reading.
How does it work?
1. After choosing the text students will read, analyze the text for critical ideas, information, and
issues.
2. Determine key ideas about which students may have background knowledge and information or issues about which students might have misinformation.
3. Write several (3-8) statements that will precipitate discussion around each of the key points. Do not make the statements dependent on reading the text; rather, create statements around which students can state their opinions without having read the text. The statements should tap into students’ background knowledge.
4. Introduce the topic to students and give them the following directions:
-Read each of the key ideas and note whether you agree or disagree with the statement.
-Work with a partner or small group to discuss each of the key ideas, comparing and contrasting your original responses to the statements.
-Read the Assigned text.
-Revisit the statements after reading the text to see whether you still agree or disagree with the statements.
5. Use students’ responses to the statements in the Guide as the foundation for discussion and/or as a way for students to develop questions for further inquiry and reading.