TEACHING THE STEPS

INFERENCING IN FICTION AND NONFICTION TEXT

EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT

You make inferences in fiction about:

MAKING INFERENCES ABOUT CHARACTER

• Read a small chunk: STOP • THINK • TALK/WRITE

• Think about characters actions, dialogue, relationships

• What is a smart guess I could make (inference) about the character

• What evidence do I have to support my inference?

You make inferences in nonfiction about:

EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT

MAKING INFERENCES FROM FACTS

1. Read a small chunk of text and underline a fact that is presented 2. Come up with possible inferences about that fact OR 3. If you have problems, then think about questions the fact raises4. Try to think of possible answers to your questions (these

answers will be your inferences)5. Think about each inference – give each one a rating (see below) 6. Choose the inferences that have a 3 or 4 rating (these are the

best ones) 7. Keep reading the text and underline evidence that supports your

inference

1 = Not Likely 2 = Possibly 3 = Very Likely 4 = Almost Certain

FACT

This oil spill has now obtained the dubious distinction of being the worst oil spill in US history, surpassing the damage done by the Exxon Valdez tanker that spilled 11 million gallons of oil into the ecologically sensitive Prince William Sound in 1989.

EXAMPLE: NONFICTION

Think about the fact presented Come up with possible inferences If you have problems, then think about questions the

fact raises Try to think of possible answers to your questions These will be your inferences Think about each inference – give each one a rating Choose the inferences that have a 3 or 4 rating What evidence from the text can support your

answer?

1 = Not Likely 2 = Possibly 3 = Very Likely 4 = Almost Certain