Making inferences at GrammarSongs by
Melissa..... What is an inference? More importantly, how can learning to make
inferences make me a better reader? Let's get started! An inference is a conclusion
reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Good readers infer by using
what they already know, prior knowledge, along with clues in the text, text
evidence, to form an idea. Did someone say clues? Yes, Detective Waddle. Looking for
clues is very important when making inferences. Let me show you. We make
inferences every day in real life without even realizing it when we use
the clues around us to make sense of what is happening. Stanley must be hungry!
He was probably speeding. That man is scared. Tony does not like sushi. In
everyday life, people combine the clues they see with their prior knowledge....
"Stanley always cries when he's hungry!".... to form an inference. "Stanley is crying. He
must be hungry." What inference could you make if you
walked into this cafe, Detective Waddle? What clues do you see?
I see party hats.... I see presents..... I see happy children, and I see a cake with
candles. So, Detective Waddle, what inference would you make? Use the clues
you see and your prior knowledge to form an idea. I know! I know! She is having a
birthday party. The clues are the hats, the presents, the friends, and the cake. My
prior knowledge tells me that the birthday girl is the one who will blow
out the candles. My idea or inference is that she is having a birthday party. Very
good, Detective Waddle! I know how to look for clues and make inferences in
real life, but how can I make inferences when I read? That is an excellent
question, Detective Waddle. Let me show you! When you read, you need to use the
same steps your brain automatically takes when you make an inference in real
life. First, you must look for clues, but now the clues are found in the text as
text evidence. Then you add what you already know, your prior knowledge, to the
situation at hand. Finally, you put everything together to form an idea or
make an inference. Let's read a short story and look for clues to make an
inference. Shelton was getting hungry. He went to the kitchen where his mom was
carefully putting long, thin noodles into a pot of boiling water. In another pot,
she was heating red sauce. First, we need to look for clues in the text. What clues
do you see? Well, Shelton was hungry. His mother put long, thin noodles in boiling
water and heated a red sauce. Very interesting! Now, we need to use what we
already know, our prior knowledge. But, how? Well, Shelton was hungry. When I'm hungry,
I want to eat. His mother was putting long, thin noodles into boiling water.
In another pot, there was red sauce. So, she was cooking something for him to eat.
Great idea! So now, we just need to make an inference. We can form an idea
based on the text evidence and our prior knowledge. I know! I know!
Spaghetti! Shelton's mother is making spaghetti. It all makes sense now. "Very
good, I was making spaghetti! Have some!" Making inferences can be quite delicious!
Let's read another short story. We will look for clues and use our prior
knowledge to form an idea or make an inference. Bob came home from school one
day. He happily opened the cookie jar. It was empty!
He saw some crumbs leading to the living room. When he entered the room, his little
sister, Megan, looked up at him and smiled. She had crumbs all over her face. First,
we need to look for clues in the text. Detective Waddle, what clues do you see?
Well, the cookie jar was empty. There were crumbs leading to the living room. Megan
looked at Bob and had crumbs on her face. Very good! Now we need to use what we
already know, our prior knowledge. Detective Waddle? Well, when Bob came
home and found the cookie jar empty, he was disappointed! I know I feel
disappointed when things don't turn out the way I've planned. I also know that Bob
followed a trail of crumbs to the living room where his sister, Megan, had crumbs
on her face. I know little kids make a mess when they eat something. My prior
knowledge tells me that Megan was eating something! Very good! Now put your clues
and prior knowledge together to form an idea or make an inference. I know! I know!
The cookie jar was empty because Megan ate all the cookies! It all makes sense....
the empty jar, Megan's face, and the crumbs. Poor Bob! "Bob! Megan! I'm baking
some chocolate chip cookies!" Hooray! Hooray! I infer we will eat cookies today!
Hooray, Detective Waddle! You did a fantastic job learning to make
inferences! Thank you for joining me at GrammarSongs by Melissa!
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