blog : Anticipation Guides, A Tool for Reading Comprehension

09/30/2010

Previewing and predicting the themes and ideas in a text increases the level of comprehension for a text. Anticipation guides are a prereading tool that provides opportunities for students to draw on their prior knowledge and experiences, or schema. They also offer students the opportunity to recognize the effects of their point of view in formulating their opinions of the text.

When I use anticipation guides with students, I find that I spend far less time explaining the meaning of texts. The students do not struggle as much in their comprehension. Here are some tips for the creation of anticipation guides:

You, the teacher, should create statements about the text that the students are about to read. Create statements about the themes, events and characters in the text. Ten statements are just right. The students choose either agree or disagree after each statement. When good readers pick up a text, they are already skilled in predicting and anticipating what a text is going to be about. On the other hand, struggling readers often do not make predictions or anticipate while they are reading.

Here’s a sample anticipation guide:
THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
Edgar Allan Poe

DIRECTIONS: Put an “X” in the space to indicate whether or not you agree or disagree with the corresponding statement.

1) Revenge is a learned behavior

2) It is OK to do something as long as you don’t get caught.

3) Time eases a guilty conscience.

4) Trust no one.

5) Pride goes before a fall.

6) You should defend your reputation.

7) Keep you friends close and your enemies closer.

8) Premeditated is worse than crimes of passion.

9) Greed destroys.

10) An ‘eye for an eye’ is a good philosophy for life.

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