Year 3/4 Bulletin
Armadale Primary School
Year 3/4 Bulletin Term 4 Week 2 Reading
Comprehension Strategy: Inferencing
An inference is when we combine clues from the text and pictures with what we already know to work out what might be happening.
Lesson Outline
Learning intention: To use clues in the words, actions and pictures to infer characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives.
Whole: Teacher modelling the strategy.
We explained to the students that writers and storytellers do not always write down every single detail. Instead, they leave hints, and we use our background knowledge to figure out the rest.
Teacher Modelling Text: The New Student
Before reading we shared our inferencing checklist to be used to guide our thinking.
Student Inferencing Checklist
☐ I looked for clues in the text
☐ I used what I already know
☐ I worked out what the author did not tell me directly
☐ I used evidence to explain my answer
During reading the short passage, we modelled highlighting key words and phrases. We discussed how these words and phrases implied how the character was feeling and his motives. For example, ‘holding the straps of his backpack tightly’ and ‘kept his eyes on the floor’.
After reading the short story, we modelled answering the comprehension questions, using complete sentences and supporting our answers with evidence from the text.
We used the inferencing checklist to clarify our thinking and draw conclusions about the main character.
Task: The students were then given a short passage to read on their own. They completed the inferencing questions that followed and used the student inferencing checklist to guide their thinking.
We encouraged them to use complete sentences and evidence from the text to support their answers.
The Year 3/4 Team
Brigitte, Rosanna, Rachel & Vanessa
Email:
rosanna.caruso@education.vic.gov.au
brigitte.memmolo@education.vic.gov.au