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When effective readers link their prior knowledge with the literal
information in the text to interpret, make assumptions, predict and/or
draw conclusions about what they have read – they are making inferences.
These interpretations, assumptions, predictions and conclusions are not explicitly
stated in the text, they represent what the reader thinks he/she knows as a result
of taking the information in the text, reasoning from it and forming an inference.
Inferring is therefore related to prior knowledge, making predictions and visualisation.
Before reading they make inferences based on the title, illustrations and prior knowledge. During
reading they infer to gain, build and monitor comprehension, drawing on their knowledge of the
author’s purpose, context, structural features of the text, sentence structure and vocabulary
choices.
After reading they infer based on the author’s purpose, outcomes of what they read
and the events that may follow.
After reading the text I This word could mean I think the character/s is I think the character is...
think that... because... thinking this because... because...
Adapted from Zimmermann, S. (2003); Cameron, S. (2009) and First Steps Reading resource book (2013).
Strategies
QAR (Question answer relationship)
Making inferences is classified as In My Head - Author and me. This is because background knowledge is
a source of information for making inferences.
The answer is in one place in the text. Words from the question and words that answer
there
Right
parts of the text to find the answer. The answer can be within a paragraph, across
search
The answer is not in the text. Readers need to use their own ideas and experiences to
answer the question.
On my
own
The answer is not in the text. To answer the question, readers need to think about how
and me
Author
+ + =
Clue Clue Clue Inference
Write your own inference equations:
Adapted from Zimmermann, S. (2003); Harvey S. and Goudvis A. (2005); Raphael et al (2006); Cameron, S. (2009); Davis A.
(2011); and First Steps Reading Resource Book (2013).