"Read aloud, talk aloud and think aloud activities" aid in reading-resource comprehension and inferring as it fosters critical reasoning. The teacher reads aloud a passage, pausing to wonder out aloud a pertinent question about the theme in the "reading between the lines activity"; the teacher models an inference on a text-based clue to prove how prior knowledge helps in inferring. The students draw conclusions by putting together the clues and find that inferences change as the plot unfolds, as inferences are predictions of untold information. "Figuring context clues" is essential to inferring; the teacher pauses at key concepts for the students to identify context clues using model think-aloud inferencing questions like what could be the plot behind the story or what is the character motive.
Students can write their own "inferring card clues" and play "who am I" or "what am I" or "where am I"; inferences are made based on clues in the text by read aloud, talk aloud and think aloud techniques. In the "context clue strategic writing," the student writes the synonym of any unfamiliar word using context clues and makes corrections later by discussing the inferences. In "Inference chart activity," the reader writes his understanding of the plot, the character, the emotions through the reading process (before finishing) and after finishing the reading material. The realized written inferences are shared in the class by read aloud-think aloud techniques, and the factors in the plot that helped them arrive at the specific inference are discussed. "Inferring using T-chart activity" involves listing the inferences on the left side and the corresponding text evidence on the right side to practice inferring. Rewriting a story or a paragraph to directly describe the character's feelings, in contrast to the original writing where the emotions are indirectly stated, can give insight on "inferring implied meaning."
"Watching" is an inferring literacy activity wherein you observe the details in a visual clue such as a photograph or a silent movie. Show a TV program in a muted mode and ask for inference about the plot, character and emotions; facial expressions and body language aid in comprehension. Students can point out what clues helped to figure out the character's feelings. "Inferring from self-authored plots" wherein one group enacts the silent skit for another group to infer would make an interesting inferring activity. A variation is a "movement card activity"; the teacher dramatizes the movement on the card for the students to infer.
The "KIS pneumonic strategy" uses keywords, infer, support in making coherent inferences; students underline the keywords or facts that they use in making inferences and support their answers by listing background knowledge. "Making connections" is a step-by-step way of inferring; the students gather details from the text to find answers to the puzzling inferential questions by relating to prior information. "The inference chart" and "graphic organizers" helps in wording the evidence for the inference. Understanding the intonation and recognizing the author's overtone and bias helps to decipher the implied meaning in "figurative language inference"; the student identifies the nonliteral language and interprets the meaning of similes, metaphors and proverbs; shares ideas on the figurative language usage in a sentence and infers the character's behavior, as to what characters' say, feel etc. and why so, based on available information.