…using prior knowledge and
textual clues to draw
conclusions and form unique
interpretations of text.
…to create interpretations to
enrich and deepen their
experiences in a text.
Pictures
Words
Poems
Books

The clever mouse
had an idea to
scare the cat.
•Short
poems
•Have schema for most kids
•Just difficult enough to
think about
I am a __________________.
I swim in the sea,
Flipping and shining.
Can you see me?
Now you do,
And now you don’t.
Try and catch meYou won’t, you won’t!
I jump in the air
And feel so free, twisting and turning.
Can you see me?
Now you do,
And now you don’t.
Try and catch meYou won’t, you won’t!
•Clear
cut predictions
•Detailed illustrations
•Have unknown words
•Making
predictions
•Rereading
•Paying attention to the words
•Looking closely at the pictures
•Using my schema
•Taking my time
•Thinking really hard
•Using sticky notes to write down unfamiliar
words
•Engaging in conversations with others
Inferring is harder to teach than we thought
We should have started with more simple text
Learned the difference between inferring and
predicting
It is important to teach inferring as a reading
strategy and not just assume they will pick it up
as readers.
We must remember to ask questions that
make them explain why
