The anticipatory reading is an interactive teaching strategy that begins with pair work or developing the story in small groups, and finally presenting it to the whole class. It encourages imaginative processes, collaboration, active participation, curiosity, sense of wonder and openness towards stories of their own and those developed by other groups.

Proposed step by step implementation of the learning activity:

1. Ice breaker: Each pair or small group gets 4 key words and they are asked to develop a story using those words, then they choose a suitable title for it. Then each pair or small group presents their story to the whole class.
2. The teacher reads the first paragraph of a text to the whole class (the text is, of course, connected to the previously chosen key words). The students are then asked to predict how the story develops and write down their versions.
3. Each pair or small group presents their stories, then the process is repeated as many times as needed, depending on the number of parts the text is divided to or the time we have at our disposal.
4. At the end of the final set of presentations, the whole class takes part in a discussion related to some questions/problems which occurred in the text, e.g. the main character’s choices or the ethics of their behaviour.

Flexible classroom seating is ideal to support pair or group work.

The anticipatory reading activity places creativity at its core: students are challenged to integrate given keywords into original narratives, invent twists, and imagine alternative outcomes. This nurtures their ability to generate ideas and express them in unique ways. At the same time, the process also strongly fosters curiosity and openness. Predicting how a story might unfold encourages students to wonder, explore different cultural or ethical perspectives, and remain open to unexpected possibilities. Reflecting on the differences between their own predictions and the original text broadens their perspective and strengthens critical thinking. Altogether, the activity builds a safe space where children can freely experiment, explore, and express creative and curious ideas in collaboration with their peers.

As a result of this activity, students will be able to generate original ideas using given keywords, explore multiple narrative possibilities, and express creative interpretations in written and oral form.

• They will understand how creativity emerges from exploring possibilities, imagining alternative outcomes, and connecting ideas in new ways.
• They will also be able to work collaboratively, build on others’ ideas, and reflect on how predictions and story choices shape understanding.

Teachers can use the anticipatory reading learning activities in a number of contexts. Here are some examples:

• history: develop a detailed narrative based on a real historical setting, adding characters, dialogue, and decisions (e.g. You are aboard Columbus’s ship, and someone shouts, ‘Land ahead!’ What do you see as the ship approaches the shore?).
• literature: introduce a legend or myth from a specific culture, incorporating creative twists while maintaining cultural elements (e.g. the Hungarian legend of the white stag leading hunters to the Carpathian Basin).
• math: students can come up with a number of possible scenarios and create their own step-by-step solutions for a given problem in imaginative ways (e.g. A group of friends is planning a trip, but they need to calculate how much money they need for tickets, food, and souvenirs. They have €200 in total. What could the items and their costs be? Students can invent different trip destinations, types of tickets, or unusual items to buy, which makes the task both creative and problem-solving oriented).

Teachers can use the anticipatory reading learning activities in the following ways for developing creativity:

• Encourage students to develop unique, imaginative stories based on key words with unexpected turns.
• Use creative writing projects or tasks that inspire dramatic play as a warm-up exercise.
• Cherish multiple possible outcomes rather than a single “correct” answer, so that students learn that creativity is about exploring diverse approaches and solutions.

• Writing tools: Pens, pencils, or digital devices for individual note-taking and story development.
• Paper or whiteboards: For students to jot down their thoughts, share ideas, or create characters.
• Key word cards or questions: Printed or projected key words related to the chosen text.
• Timer or clock: To manage the time allocated for each phase of the activity.
• Flip chart paper or projector: For presenting group ideas during the whole-class sharing phase.
• Optional: story cubes (bought ones or DIY versions).

1. Pair/small group work questions:

• What is the most unexpected way to introduce keywords into a story?
• How can you create a surprising or memorable twist in the story?
• What happens if someone makes a mistake in the story? How could it change things?

2. Whole class discussion/sharing questions:

• What was the most creative idea you heard today? What made it stand out?
• In which story did the characters face more challenges or problems? How did this affect the story?
• How did each group interpret the key words differently?

1. Challenge: Uneven Participation

• Challenge: Some students dominate the conversation while quieter students withdraw.
• Tip: Assign rotating roles (note-taker, speaker, idea organizer) so responsibilities shift.
• Trick: Use an object (ball or token) to ensure each student shares at least one idea.

2. Challenge: Large Class Size

• Challenge: Too many groups make whole-class sharing time-consuming.
• Tip: Use representatives to summarize group outcomes.
• Trick: Use digital collaborative tools (Padlet) to visualize ideas efficiently.

3. Challenge: Students struggle to stay imaginative

• Challenge: Some students focus on “correct” answers instead of creative exploration.
• Tip: Show short, surprising story starters as inspiration.
• Trick: Encourage wild, divergent ideas first (“brainstorming without limits”).

Teachers can tailor the anticipatory reading activity to three difficulty levels to meet students’ needs.

• Beginners: students might use pictures, visual aids or drawings, if needed, to guide them in developing their stories. They are to be encouraged to use their imagination freely.
• Advanced learners: the task might be made a bit more difficult by using story cubes. Pairs or small groups need to continue the story by incorporating one or more words chosen randomly by using story cubes.
• Experts: pairs or small groups of students might swap stories after each round and continue another groups’ story. The use of the story cubes might be as well maintained as part of the task.

1. On creativity:

• Which part of the activity made you feel most creative, and why?
• What creative strategies did you try when connecting the keywords into a story?
• How did discussing different versions help you understand creativity better?

2. On curiosity, wonder and openness:

• What made you curious while predicting the next part of the story?
• How did comparing your predictions with the actual text change your thinking?
• When did you feel the most open to new ideas or perspectives during the activity?