Infer Meaning

Infer Meaning

What: Readers draw inferences or logical conclusions based on prior knowledge and textual evidence. The reader must "read between the lines" and examine implied meaning and synthesize information.

Why effective? Foundational to higher-order thinking is the ability to draw conclusions and synthesize information.

Resources:

• Inference from Reading Rockets
• Sentence Frames - Drawing inferences and written response
• Rubric - Inference written response
• What's going on in this picture? from The New York Times - A fun way to teach students how to draw inferences, as well as the academic language around inference making
• Student Notes Template (academic language) and "Observer to Infer" graphic organizer
• It Says, I Say, And So... - Graphic organizer to help students infer meaning

Wordless Picture Books: Picture books are an underestimated tool for learning critical reading and writing skills. Wordless picture books are excellent tools for practice with inferring meaning.

Articles about picture books in the secondary classroom:

• Thought-Provoking Picture Books | A Selection of 2017 Titles for Older Readers from School Library Journal
• Teachers Find Many Reasons to Use Picture Books With Middle and High School Students from School Library Journal

Here are a few wordless picture book titles to explore for inferring meaning at the secondary level:

• La La La: A Story of Hope by Kate DiCamillo
• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
• Flotsam by David Wiesner
• The Arrival by Shaun Tan
• Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole
• Tuesday by David Wiesner
• The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg

References

Beers, Kylene. (2003). When kids can't read: What teachers can do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Costello, B., & Kolodziej, N. J. (2006, September). A middle school teacher's guide for selecting picture books. Middle School Journal, 27-33. Retrieved from https://schd.ws/hosted_files/kcte2016/48/Guide%20to%20pick%20MS%20Pic%20bks.pdf

Kamil, M. L., Borman, G. D., Dole, J., Kral, C. C., Salinger, T., and Torgesen, J. (2008). Improving adolescent literacy: Effective classroom and intervention practices: A Practice Guide (NCEE #2008-4027). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED502398.pdf

Marzano, R. (2010). Teaching inference. Educational Leadership, 67(7), 80-01. Available online at http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr10/vol67/num07/Teaching-Inference.aspx