Establish the idea that readers should be making connections. Cover the concept of inferences--conclusions the reader can reach that are not found in the text. Give some examples of inferences. For example: if a boy's mother is away on a trip, and the boy has dinner with his parent, with whom did he eat with? Answer: the father. Choose a text that calls upon the reader to make inferences, and have students read to find inferences.
Use a writing prompt to guide persuasive writing. Ask each student to describe an inference she made, and explain why that inference is correct. This will encourage the student to examine the evidence in the text and use that evidence to support a persuasive argument. This is a valuable skill students must learn--backing up opinions with facts.
Assign a second writing prompt. Have students exchange persuasive argument papers, and ask the new writer to show that the inference is not true. It does not matter if the students succeed in shooting down the argument. What matters is that they learn to search a text for evidence to support their positions.
Assign a final prompt. Have the students write a persuasive argument explaining why other students should learn to write persuasive arguments. This encourages metacognitive thinking--thinking about thinking. In writing the paper, students will reflect upon the value of backing up opinions with facts, and how this can help them become better writers--and readers.