3. Inferring Definition Inference is just a big word that means a conclusion or judgment. If you infer that something has happened, you do not see, hear, feel, smell, or taste the actual event. But from what you know, it makes sense to think that it has happened. (http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/309.HTM)
4. Methods used to teach inferring 1) Have students infer what the book is going to be about by looking at the cover. 2) Read story aloud 3) Discuss what happened in the story. 4) Have students write a summary of the book. 5) Describe Elizabeth in one word.
5. Methods Continued… 6) Discuss which words were used directly by the author and which were inferences. 7) Teacher reads four sentences from the story and students decide what they can infer about Elizabeth by these sentences. 8) Students read and practice this strategy with their own silent reading book. 9) Students discuss what they can infer about the characters in their own book based off of what they had read.
6. Research Some studies of comprehension strategy instruction have examined ways to teach specific strategies, such as questions, drawing inferences, or creating summaries. When researchers explicitly taught kids these strategies, the instruction had positive effects on students’ general comprehension (Harvey, & Goudvis, 2007.) Through inferring students will be able to draw conclusions, make predictions, identify underlying themes, use information to create meaning from text, and use pictures to create meaning (Mckown, & Barnett, 2007.)
7. Sources Harvey, S, & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishing. Mckown, B.A, & Barnett, C.L. (2007). Improving reading comprehension through higher-order thinking skills. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Education, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.firma.northwestu.edu/ehost/detail?vid=17&hid=21&sid=67a8d511-d443-4677-83d2-c30147a2182b%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=ED496222
