Inferring

I teach technology but have 4 kids at home. One is in grade 3 and she is having trouble inferring things. She reads a passage and she seems to have trouble "getting" it. She reads the question and if the paragraph doesn't explicitly say what happened she seems to have trouble with it.

Any thoughts on how to improve that or strategies to work on?

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Permalink Reply by Marie G. on February 10, 2011 at 2:56pm

Start with predictions, an easier type of inference, based on real life things around her. As you are watching tv together ask her "Hey, what do you think is going to happen next?"during a commercial break. Follow up with "Why?" and see if it actually happens. If this is hard for her start telling her your own predictions and why. Keep it light and fun like a game. Start doing the same thing as you read together.

The next level of inferences cause/effect questions. "Why did that just happen?" is a great question to ask both in the real world and as you read. Of course follow up with "What makes you think that?" With a lot of modeling based on actual experience and you thinking along with her, this should build her confidence along with her skills.