Inferring

__ Overview: __ According to McGregor, “inferring is really the process of merging your schema with an evidence-based guess.” It helps us to make sound conclusions about what we are reading. The ability to infer is crucial for reading comprehension, test taking, and for life in general. __ Suggested Activities: __ // Shoes //
 * CHAPTER 4 – INFERRING**
 * Schema + Evidence = Inference*
 * 1) Show the students a pair of shoes or slippers (generously worn).
 * 2) Ask them to think about the person to whom they may belong.
 * 3) Chart as many of the inferences as possible (on the board or on a large piece of paper).
 * 4) Then ask them to “cite their evidence.” For every inference, write the evidence next to it.
 * 5) Other concrete items to try (that are less familiar): shoehorn, biscuit cutter, garlic press, printer’s dies, an eight-track tape, etc.

// Why You’ve Been Saving Those Old Magazines //
 * 1) Bring in a stack of old magazines.
 * 2) Tear out advertisements that might seem interesting to your students.
 * 3) Cover up (with a flap of paper) the featured object(s) from the advertisement.
 * 4) Ask the students to investigate (search for clues) as to the missing item.

// Thinking Stems // __ Personal Response: __ Inferring is a crucial skill for students to learn, but a difficult one to teach (I believe). These suggested activities, again, would be quite beneficial for the students and a lot of fun to try in the classroom!
 * 1) Using a song with strong symbolism and layers of meaning (//Cat’s in the Cradle// by Harry Chapin, //Halley Came to Jackson// by Mary Chapin Carpenter, //The Best Gift// by Barbra Streisand), wordless books by Istvan Banyai, or a Horace Pippin painting, ask the students to use the following thinking stems:
 * Maybe…
 * Perhaps…
 * It could be that…
 * This could mean…
 * I predict…
 * I infer…