Older readers are often asked to infer while reading, and the word itself can be befuddling because of its strange name.

Let's break it down!

Infer: To reach a conclusion based on facts. (Merriam-Webster helped me give you the best definition!)

Why is this a difficult thing for a struggling reader to accomplish?

👉🏻 Your child is reading, and they may get lost in the text due to the high word count, new vocabulary, or simply because they don't comprehend what the text is saying.

👉🏻 Now they are expected to make inferences based on a text that doesn't make sense to them.

What is a parent supposed to do?

Here is a system that will work.

1.) Read the text to your child and have them identify words they don't know. If you have a copy of the text, they can follow along and underline or highlight words or sections of the text they don't understand.

2.) Go back over anything they were confused about. I typically find it is word-based because the word was new, or they didn't know the meaning of it, but they may have heard it before. This might mean breaking the word into parts (prefix, base or root word, suffix).

3.) Have the student read the text aloud. Offer support in areas where they get stuck. Just say the word, have the child repeat it, and then have them keep reading.

4.) Have your child retell the text. Provide support if they get stuck.

5.) If they are still confused, provide support with background knowledge in any area that was confusing. (This could also be done in conjunction with Step 1 or 2.)

6.) Now your child should be ready to make inferences about the text. They understand what the text says. They have the background knowledge they need to go to the next step.

What might an inferential question look like?

• Why did the character behave this way?
• What will most likely happen next?
• What message is the author sending?
• How does this relate to the real world?

Those are deep questions! And when struggling readers are asked to infer, you can see why they may get stuck.

I hope this has helped you break this idea down into meaningful steps!

As always, you are invited to visit our website at https://tutoringwithsheryl.tutorbird.com​

We are here to support your family as your child grows and reaches their hidden potential!

Here is an oldie but a goodie! I recorded this video 2 years ago and it talks about reading comprehension. Grab your popcorn and enjoy!

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