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• Inferring is guessing the hidden information

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For example:

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A blue house is made of blue bricks. A yellow house is made of yellow bricks. A red house is made of red bricks. An orange house is made of orange bricks. What is a green house be made of?

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Answer:

GLASS!!

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Ask a question about what you are reading to get an answer.

Ask a question about what you are reading to get an answer.

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Connect YOUR background information, ideas, and experiences with the text.

Connect YOUR background information, ideas, and experiences with the text.

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You must use YOUR memory/experience to infer.You must use YOUR memory/experience to infer.

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Word Clues + Experience

=Inference

Word Clues + Experience

=Inference

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“When you read, you use all your senses. You see things in your ‘mind’s eye’ and hear the sounds you connect to that about which you are reading.”

~ Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way

Read this and try and vizualize the situation…

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When she sliced the onion, her eyes started to water and she had to stop.

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Step 1 – The teacher explains the strategy (reading between the lines) using short scenarios, riddles, or charades that require students to add up clues and make a conclusion.

Step 2 – The teacher demonstrates how to apply the strategy successfully.

Step 3 – The teacher thinks aloud to model the mental processes he/she uses when he/she reads.

Step 1 – The teacher explains the strategy (reading between the lines) using short scenarios, riddles, or charades that require students to add up clues and make a conclusion.

Step 2 – The teacher demonstrates how to apply the strategy successfully.

Step 3 – The teacher thinks aloud to model the mental processes he/she uses when he/she reads.

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• Do several think alouds for this strategy.

• Use picture books for students of all ages.

• Students are only observers at this stage.

• Demonstrate the use of sticky notes to code connections, questions, predictions, conclusions, judgments, etc.

• Allow students to discuss what they observed following the think aloud.

• Do several think alouds for this strategy.

• Use picture books for students of all ages.

• Students are only observers at this stage.

• Demonstrate the use of sticky notes to code connections, questions, predictions, conclusions, judgments, etc.

• Allow students to discuss what they observed following the think aloud.

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Use a variety of “lifted text” from different types of books giving everyone a copy or using the overhead.

Use whole group to small group model.

Use short text such as magazine and newspaper articles and poetry.

Encourage students to code their inferences with sticky notes or highlighting.

Use concept maps, two-column notes, and margin writing to record thinking.

Engage students in conversation about their inferences with the text with partners or whole group.

Use a variety of “lifted text” from different types of books giving everyone a copy or using the overhead.

Use whole group to small group model.

Use short text such as magazine and newspaper articles and poetry.

Encourage students to code their inferences with sticky notes or highlighting.

Use concept maps, two-column notes, and margin writing to record thinking.

Engage students in conversation about their inferences with the text with partners or whole group.

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Guide students’ thinking before reading by using anticipation guides or prediction guides.

Show students how to do a chapter tour or preview of nonfiction text to help them make predictions about the chapter.

Point out connections between inference and the other strategies they’ve learned.

Text sets can be used to have students reflect on inferences and compare them with different books within the set.

Use a book that can create an “anchor” experience for the class.

Guide students’ thinking before reading by using anticipation guides or prediction guides.

Show students how to do a chapter tour or preview of nonfiction text to help them make predictions about the chapter.

Point out connections between inference and the other strategies they’ve learned.

Text sets can be used to have students reflect on inferences and compare them with different books within the set.

Use a book that can create an “anchor” experience for the class.

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The teacher gives the students text that is easy to read on their own.

Students may practice their strategy alone, in pairs, or in small groups such as book clubs or literature circles.

Students can discuss and compare their inferences with other students.

The teacher confers with the students and gives them feedback.

The teacher gives the students text that is easy to read on their own.

Students may practice their strategy alone, in pairs, or in small groups such as book clubs or literature circles.

Students can discuss and compare their inferences with other students.

The teacher confers with the students and gives them feedback.

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Assessing Application of Inference

Keene’s Major Point Interview

Anecdotal Records

Journal Responses

Other Written Responses

Assessing Application of Inference

Keene’s Major Point Interview

Anecdotal Records

Journal Responses

Other Written Responses

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Fiction and Poetry:

Allows a variety of interpretation

Nonfiction/Content Area Text:

Permits a narrow range of interpretation

Best for drawing conclusions, predictions, questioning, and determining importance

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• Explanation Based Inferences: The event being read

about is explained by a causal chain or network of previous

events. These are sometimes called causal antecedent

inferences.

• Goal Inferences: The reader infers that an agent has a

motive that explains an intentional action.

• Elaborative Inferences: These are properties of

entities, facts, and other associations that are not explained

by causal mechanisms.

• Explanation Based Inferences: The event being read

about is explained by a causal chain or network of previous

events. These are sometimes called causal antecedent

inferences.

• Goal Inferences: The reader infers that an agent has a

motive that explains an intentional action.

• Elaborative Inferences: These are properties of

entities, facts, and other associations that are not explained

by causal mechanisms.

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• Predictive Inferences: The reader forecasts what

events will causally unfold after the current event that is

being read. These are sometimes called causal consequences

or forward references.

• Process Inferences: These inferences specify the

detailed steps, manner, or dynamic characteristics of an

event as it unfolds.

• Predictive Inferences: The reader forecasts what

events will causally unfold after the current event that is

being read. These are sometimes called causal consequences

or forward references.

• Process Inferences: These inferences specify the

detailed steps, manner, or dynamic characteristics of an

event as it unfolds.